The Japan Times: Kyodo Nov 29, 2016
The four men are suspected of piling around 1,400 concrete blocks at the gate of the U.S. Marine Corps Camp Schwab from Jan. 28 to 30, blocking the passage of vehicles used for construction work, the police said.
The four also allegedly obstructed the movement of trucks hauling construction materials by standing in front of the vehicles, and had other protesters sit on the blocks on Jan. 30.
Camp Schwab is located close to where Japan is building a replacement facility for Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.
The four are Hiroji Yamashiro, 64, the head of a social activist group opposing to the base relocation, Hiroshi Inaba, 66, Takemasa Kinjo, 59, and Kobun Sasaki, 40. The police did not say whether the four admitted to the charge.
Protesters have staged sit-ins in front of the gate in an attempt to block construction work for the relocation, frequently leading to scuffles with riot police.
Under the relocation plan, which is based on a 1996 agreement between Japan and the United States, the Futenma base is to be transferred from a crowded residential area in Ginowan to the less-populated area of Nago in the Henoko coastal area.
While the central government has maintained that the plan is the only solution to address safety and noise problems posed by aircraft at the base, many Okinawa residents want the base moved outside the prefecture, where the bulk of U.S. military facilities in Japan are located.
Four arrested in Okinawa for obstructing U.S. base transfer work
The Japan Times: Kyodo Nov 29, 2016
琉球新報 2016年11月29日 18:27
沖縄県警は２９日、米軍普天間飛行場（宜野湾市）の名護市辺野古移設に対する抗議活動で、移設先に隣接する米軍キャンプ・シュワブのゲート前にブロックを積んで工事を妨げたとして、威力業務妨害の疑いで、沖縄平和運動センター議長の山城博治容疑者（６４）＝沖縄市＝ら辺野古反対派の４人を逮捕した。
他に逮捕されたのは、いずれも職業不詳の稲葉博（６６）＝宜野座村、金城武政（５９）＝名護市、佐々木弘文（４０）＝同市＝の各容疑者。県警は認否を明らかにしていない。
逮捕容疑は１月２８日から同３０日にかけて、ゲート前に約１４００個のコンクリート製ブロックを積んだ疑い。（共同通信）
逮捕容疑は１月２８日から同３０日にかけて、ゲート前に約１４００個のコンクリート製ブロックを積んだ疑い。（共同通信）
辺野古反対派４人を逮捕 ブロック積み工事妨害の疑い
琉球新報 2016年11月29日 18:27
