“Will it be seen as a ‘throwing stone’ for the defense of the mainland again?” The progress of fortification on Ishigaki Island…Obars lament the memories of war that come back to life: Tokyo Shimbun TOKYO Web

This month, the government selected Ishigaki Port (Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture) as one of 16 airports and ports nationwide that are intended to be used by the Self-Defense Forces and Japan Coast Guard in the event of an emergency. A Ground Self-Defense Force garrison was established on Ishigaki Island last year, and the Sakishima Islands, which includes Ishigaki Island, have also announced plans to formulate evacuation plans and construct shelters for residents in preparation for the risk of future attacks. The islands still have memories of malaria during the Pacific War, and the construction of fortifications is accelerating, raising concerns among residents. (Shintaro Soda, Tomoyuki Morimoto, Kyoko Ando)

◆16 locations nationwide, Naha Port and Ishigaki Port in Okinawa

37 billion yen will be allocated to renovation costs for special use airports and ports this fiscal year, including extending runways and building quays to make them easier for fighter jets and ships to use. It is usually used for civilian purposes, but it is expected to be used for training several times a year.

Of the 38 potential sites, only 16 were selected because they had local consent. Okinawa Prefecture, where the Self-Defense Forces are undergoing a “southwest shift” to strengthen their defense capabilities with China in mind, has the most candidate locations, but only Naha Airport, managed by the government, and Ishigaki Port, managed by Ishigaki City, have been chosen. No agreement was reached for the remaining 10 locations, many of which are managed by prefectures, and discussions continued.

Regarding the development of Ishigaki Port, the Okinawa General Secretariat of the Cabinet Office says that “there have been no concrete discussions yet,” but what is at stake is the use of the U.S. military, which will be integrated in the Japan-U.S. alliance. Although the Japanese government denies this, there have been incidents at the same port that suggest it.

◆A U.S. military warship visited the port last month, “to level the ground for Japan-U.S. military integration…”

On the 11th of last month, the US military’s Aegis destroyer called at the port. The Okinawa Regional Headquarters of the All Japan Longshoremen’s Union staged a protest strike to halt logistics until the destroyer left port on the 13th. A person in charge said, “Ishigaki City, which took us in, didn’t give us any explanation as to whether it was safe or not, so we implemented this because we don’t want our workers to be exposed to danger.”

Last March, a Ground Self-Defense Force camp with a missile unit was established on Ishigaki Island. Masamitsu Uehara (71), representative of the citizen group “Team Ishigaki, Who Doesn’t Need a Base,” said with concern, “Many things are starting to take place in a visible way, such as the Ground Self-Defense Force conducting training for transporting supplies outside of the base for the first time in Ishigaki.” Reveal.

In addition, Ishigaki Port was selected this time. On the island, there is a widespread view that this is “setting the ground for Japan-U.S. military unification.” “It is a common practice of the U.S. military to unilaterally use the idea that ‘the situation has changed’ to make a decision. As the situation on the island has become increasingly military-oriented, the island is becoming increasingly fragmented, which is frustrating,” Uehara said. laments.

◆About 60% of Hateruma Island residents answered “NO” in a survey of residents.

Meanwhile, on Hateruma Island (Taketomi Town), located to the southwest of Ishigaki Island and where Hateruma Airport is a candidate for selection, volunteers conducted a survey asking island residents about their views on special use airports. Of the approximately 460 island residents aged 18 and over, 58% of the 233 respondents expressed opposition.

According to town councilor Hajime Higashikanamine (62), who organized the survey, many islanders expressed concerns about “wanting to live in peace” and “worrying about becoming a target of attack.” The results were submitted to the town in February, and a request was made that “the joint military and civilian use should be stopped.” The mayor reportedly replied, “I respect the will of the people.”

On the 8th of this month, a meeting was held for the first time to exchange opinions between the town and island residents. Approximately 50 people participated, and while some expressed concern, saying, “Will it lead to military reinforcement? I definitely don’t want them to come,” and “Will I be able to raise my children with peace of mind in the future?” others welcomed the event, saying, “We can expect revitalization by extending the runway.” There was also a voice.

“More than half of the island’s residents, according to a survey, are opposed to the designation as an airport, fearing that it will have a negative impact on life on the small island.I want the government to take Hateruma’s feelings seriously,” Higashikanane said.

◆Can “shelters” really evacuate 120,000 people in case of an emergency?

This is not the only move that anticipates China’s maritime expansion and a Taiwanese emergency. In preparation for an emergency, the government and Okinawa Prefecture plan to evacuate approximately 120,000 residents of the Sakishima Islands to Kyushu and Yamaguchi Prefectures. Five municipalities, including Ishigaki City and Taketomi Town, will receive financial support from the government and will also set up “Specified Temporary Evacuation Facilities” (shelters) for the evacuation of residents.

According to Okinawa Prefecture, consideration of evacuation plans in the event of an emergency will begin in fiscal 2022. In the case of Ishigaki Island, one of the most populous islands in the Sakishima Islands, the plan is to transport 50,000 people by bus from gathering points on the island to the port or airport, then evacuate them by private boat and plane, with the plan to complete the evacuation in about six days.

In October last year, then-Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno announced that he would like to finalize a plan to host the program by fiscal 2024. However, many are questioning the feasibility of evacuating 120,000 people.

The scale of the shelters to protect residents is also unclear. In February of this year, Mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama announced a plan to construct a disaster prevention park underground by fiscal 2026, which will be located adjacent to City Hall. According to the city’s Planning and Policy Division, it was previously assumed that approximately 50,000 people would be evacuated throughout the island, but “If we think about it realistically, there is a possibility that city employees who are in charge of transporting citizens will be left behind.” The city is considering how many people it would need, but says “1,000 or 2,000 people would be too large and would be impossible.”

◆Voices of anger from Kawasaki overmates

With no concrete measures in sight to protect residents, a study session titled “We will not let Okinawa become a battlefield again!” was held this month in Kawasaki City, where many Okinawans live. Setsuko Yamazato (87), a resident of Ishigaki Island and a member of the Overseas Association for the Protection of Life and Living, said, “No matter what instructions or orders the government or government gives me, I have no desire to leave this island even for a single step.” ” he complained online.

The island and other Yaeyama Islands still have memories of “war malaria” during the Pacific War. Although there was no fighting like that on the main island where the U.S. military landed, the residents were forcibly evacuated to mountainous areas where malaria-carrying mosquitoes inhabited by orders from the former Japanese military, resulting in more than 3,600 deaths.

Mr. Yamasato, who was 8 years old at the end of the war, contracted malaria while evacuating to the island and was on the verge of death, losing his grandfather and mother. “Nearly 80 years have passed since the end of the war, and there are fewer and fewer people who can experience the horrors of war firsthand,” he said in a telephone interview with the Special News Department.

“Even though we say we are defending the Nansei Islands, it would be impossible to protect the residents if an emergency were to occur, so evacuation plans to leave the islands are being drawn up.Even if we flee to Kyushu, will it be safe and secure?Will we be able to return to the islands? Will we again be seen as a “throwing stone” in the defense of the homeland?”

◆Experts: “We are hiding risks from the public”

Military fortification is progressing on islands where memories of war still remain. Shigeaki Iijima, a professor of constitutional law and peace studies at Nagoya Gakuin University, said regarding special use airports and ports, “Since they are designated for military use in the event of an emergency, it is history that they become targets for attack in the event of a war. It’s military common sense.” Despite this, the government has explained that “it cannot be said that the possibility of being considered as an attack target has increased.” He criticized the government for “covering up the risks and giving false explanations to the public.”

Military commentator Shunji Taoka also questioned the effectiveness of such shelters, saying, “Even if we build a shelter, it takes about seven minutes for a ballistic missile to land from China or North Korea, so we don’t have time to escape.It’s probably better than nothing at all.” look at

In the first place, he says, “Both the government and the media only make an issue of strengthening Okinawa’s defense, but that’s nonsense.” This is to predict that if China and Japan were to go to war, the first target would be bases in Yokosuka (Kanagawa) and Sasebo (Nagasaki), which are the hub of the US military in Japan, as well as the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo. “The best security is not to go to war.Japan has no choice but to prevent the United States and China from going to war, but I can’t see how Japan will do that.”

◆Desk memo

In the Battle of Okinawa, a tragedy occurred in which residents who surrendered to U.S. soldiers were seen as “spies” and killed by Japanese soldiers, leaving us with the lesson that “soldiers do not protect residents.” A woman who was 4 years old when her father was killed said in an interview, “War gives birth to demons.” The words, “Will it be seen as a waste once again in the defense of the homeland?” are too serious. (Kyo)