Greenpeace Press Release November 14, 2005

"Mr. President, please do not destroy the sea at Henoko!"
- Dugong make urgent call to Bush and Koizumi in Kyoto -

Kyoto - Amid tight security one day before the visit of US president George W Bush, Greenpeace Japan today held a press conference, calling for cancellation of the plan to build a military airbase at Henoko, Okinawa. Surprise "guests" at the news conference where 6 live "dugong" who entrusted Greenpeace with a letter(see attached) they want forwarded to President Bush and Prime Minister Koizumi, saying "Please do not destroy the sea at Henoko".

The Dugong is a marine mammal living the sea off Henoko and designated as an endangered species by IUCN and enjoys cultural protection under Japanese law. Once plentiful though-out southern Japanese waters, most estimates put the remaining Japanese population as under 100 animals, all in Okinawa.

In their letter, the Dugongs lament, "If you build the airbase, cement, earth run-off and sand will come into the ocean and kill the eelgrass, our main source of food. It means simply that we will not survive as a species."

The letter points out that an international body to consider the future of the planet designated dugongs as an endangered species, and that there is significant local opposition to the airbase in Okinawa. But the heads of the two states do not seem to listen to the voice of the public in the world."

At the press conference held at Maruyama Park in Kyoto, 6 Greenpeace staff members where dressed in dugong suits, carrying placards saying "Save the Dugong, Stop Airbase. Steve Shallhorn, Executive Director of Greenpeace Japan, and Mizuki Takana, Oceans Campaigner spoke with the "dugong".

"From an environmental perspective, this airbase should not be built. International politics should not be allowed to over-rule the legal protection afforded the dugong under Japanese law." said Steve Shallhorn, Executive Director of Greenpeace Japan at the press conference. "The heads of the two states should not sign the agreement, it is signing a death warrant for the dugong."

For further information, please contact:
Mizuki Takana, ocean campaigner of Greenpeace Japan
(tel 03-5338-9800)
Keiko Shirokawa, media officer of Greenpeace Japan
(tel 03-5338-9816)