Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Thousands of protestors, opposing the US military bases in Okinawa, took to the streets in central Tokyo on Sunday — the day that marks the 50th anniversary of the islands’ return to Japan from post-World War II US occupation.

They called for the return of land occupied by the bases and warned against the militarization of Japan.

One of the Okinawan protesters said that since Okinawa was handed back to Japan, the number of military bases had increased and posed risks for the prefecture’s citizens.

Faced with what it considers “threats from China,” the Japanese government has situated missile batteries on islands in the prefecture of Okinawa.

The demonstrators, however, expressed concerns about the possibility of military escalation in the region. They wanted the Japanese government to favor diplomatic and peaceful solutions with the Chinese.

“We want Okinawa to be returned as soon as possible and the dangerous American military bases to be gone,” one slogan said.

Hiroji Yamashiro, a prominent figure in the island’s fight against American bases in Okinawa, made the trip to Tokyo to participate. He expressed negative views of American President Joe Biden during the rally repeating, “Don’t come (to Japan). I hate you very much, Biden! Don’t come.” Biden is scheduled to visit Tokyo later this month.

Another slogan read, “Don’t sacrifice Okinawa any more as a shield for Japan’s national security.”

“Japan should not sacrifice Okinawa. This is a protest against the Japanese government, which is turning our country into a military power together with the United States,” one protestor told Arab News Japan.

During the demonstration, groups of nationalists disrupted the rally claiming the American military presence was necessary because of the intrusions of Chinese ships in Japanese territorial waters.