Photo/Illutration This photo of Motobu Port in Okinawa Prefecture, where citizens have been protesting the relocation of a U.S. base since 2019, was taken in January 2022. (Kazuyuki Ito)

MOTOBU, Okinawa Prefecture--Defense Ministry officials are apologizing after an Okinawa bureau staffer hurled invectives at citizens protesting the central government’s project to relocate a U.S. military base. 

The Okinawa Defense Bureau acknowledged the insults, saying that they were “inappropriate and extremely regrettable.”

“We will thoroughly instruct our personnel to conduct appropriate security activities,” it said. “After confirming the facts, we will take appropriate measures regarding (the staff).” 

The incident occurred at Motobu Port here at around 2 p.m. on June 6 as a 59-year-old man was walking slowly in protest in front of a dump truck loaded with soil and sand along with two other people.

The port is where the materials are being transported from for the contentious relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma within the prefecture from Ginowan to the Henoko district of Nago.

The part-time staffer of the bureau in the port disparaged the protesters over a megaphone, including calling them “nutballs.”

After that, the staffer reportedly yelled, “Please stop obstructing traffic,” “You don’t even have any common sense” and “Get out of here.”

The port is located on the west coast of Okinawa’s main island, opposite of the Henoko district on the east coast.

Soil and sand collected in the vicinity are being transported by ship from the port to the Henoko district. Citizens have been protesting here to delay the construction of the new base since 2019.

In addition to security officers, defense bureau personnel are also involved in providing security at the port.

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