Landfill Work Resumes at U.S. Military Base Site on Okinawa Amid Controversy

The decision by Japan's central government has sparked local and international criticism, with a global petition calling for an end to Okinawa's military colonization.

Japan's central government has forcibly resumed landfill work at the planned relocation site of a disputed U.S. military base on Okinawa, despite ongoing opposition and protests by residents.
The move has drawn international criticism, with claims that it disregards democracy and environmental concerns.
The Fukuoka High Court’s Naha branch recently ordered Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki to approve the central government’s modified landfill plan, allowing the work to resume.
The relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma has been a contentious issue between Tokyo and Okinawa for years, with the latter seeking a significant reduction of U.S. military presence on the island.
A global petition, signed by hundreds of scholars, film directors and ordinary citizens advocating for Okinawans’ autonomy, has called for the island to cease being a military colony of the United States and Japan.