Criticize the US military stationed in Japan! The Governor of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan sets off for the United Nations
On the 17th, the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture, Tani Yucheng, set off for Geneva, Switzerland to accuse the US military stationed in Japan of human rights violations and environmental pollution at a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council. He called on the international community to support the Okinawan people's demands and reduce the heavy burden borne by the local US military base in Japan.
Before departing on the afternoon of the 17th, Danny Yucheng told media reporters at Naha Airport in Okinawa Prefecture that he will give a speech at the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting, elaborating on the various burdens that the US military stationed in Japan will bring to Okinawa Prefecture and the relocation of US military bases. Okinawa Prefectural ruling party legislators and other people from all walks of life cheered him off at the airport.
According to the plan, Danny Yucheng will participate in three meetings of the United Nations Human Rights Council. According to Japanese media, Danny Yucheng hopes to gain international support through his speech and force the governments of Japan and the United States to make concessions on the relocation of US military bases. In addition, he will also mention water and soil pollution issues in the vicinity of the US military base in his speech.
A latest survey by the Okinawa Prefectural Government shows that water bodies at 30 locations around the US military base in Okinawa have been found to contain excessive levels of perfluorinated and perfluoroalkyl substances. The Okinawa Prefectural Government is calling on local residents not to drink this water to avoid endangering their health.
The US military stationed in Japan has extraterritorial jurisdiction and is not subject to Japanese jurisdiction. The protests of the Okinawa Prefectural Government and the public often go unnoticed by the Japanese central government and the US military.
The last time the Governor of Okinawa gave a speech at a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council was in 2015. In his speech, then Governor Ong Chang hung chih accused the US and Japanese governments of ignoring and violating the rights of Okinawan residents, and called on the international community to take measures to support the efforts of Okinawan people to fight for their right to self-determination.