Photo/Illutration Protesters in face masks stage a sit-in in front of U.S. Camp Schwab in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, as landfill construction work for a new U.S. military base resumes June 12. (Minako Yoshimoto)

NAGO, Okinawa Prefecture--Dozens of protesters were on hand to oppose the resumption of suspended landfill work for a U.S. military base off the Henoko district here on June 12.

Fifty or so protesters staged a sit-in from early morning in front of U.S. Camp Schwab to monitor construction vehicles coming and going.

Work on the site, part of a highly contentious relocation plan for the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan, also in Okinawa Prefecture, was suspended two months ago after a construction worker was confirmed infected with the novel coronavirus.

Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki, a fierce opponent of the project, emerged victorious in the June 7 prefectural assembly election with his ruling bloc majority largely unscathed, strengthening his hand against the central government in a fight that has gone on for years.

Five days later, the central government resumed construction work.

“The resumption of construction is very regrettable,” Tamaki said at the news conference on June 12. “Okinawan voters have repeatedly expressed their opposition to the project in elections, so I believe the will of the people is invincible.”

Construction vehicles began to line up in front of a gate at Camp Schwab before the sitting protesters a little before 9 a.m.

“The base construction is unnecessary and not urgent, so pour the money from the budget into measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” said one protester.

Prefectural riot police used loudspeakers to request the protesters to move.

When they didn't, the police moved in and ushered them some distance away. Some protesters initially tried to resist.

Some urged each other to avoid body contact as they moved away without being prodded.

Local Henoko farmer Hidenori Higa said he sometimes attends the sit-ins, and went again on June 12 after learning that construction work would resume.

“The Abe administration does what it wants, and never listens to the people’s voices,” Higa, 77, said. “He needs to listen to our voices of opposition to the base construction.”

(This article was written by Shohei Okada and Shinichi Fujiwara.)

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