Governor Onaga to visit US to lobby Trump administration on base issue
January 17, 2017 Ryukyu ShimpoGovernor Takeshi Onaga is scheduled to visit the United States from January 30 to February 5, according to an announcement from the Okinawa prefectural office on January 16.
The Trump administration will be inaugurated in the United States on January 20. Before the administration decides on its policies, Onaga aims to convey the Okinawa government’s stance on the construction of the new U.S. base at Henoko in Nago, seeking a review of the plan to build a replacement facility in Henoko for the Marine Corps’ Futenma air base in Ginowan City.
The prefectural office is working to make arrange meetings with the new U.S. government officials, the members of the U.S. congress and think tanks that can influence the government’s security policy.
The governor is scheduled to leave Naha Airport on the afternoon of January 30 and will arrive in Washington D.C. on the morning of January 31.
On February 2 at The George Washington University, Onaga will give a lecture on the Okinawa base issue and Moritake Tomikawa, a policy adviser to the prefectural government and a former professor of Okinawa International University will give a talk about the relationship between economics and the base issue.
Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine and president of Kanehide Group Morimasa Goya, who are co-representatives of the All Okinawa Council which aims to never allow the new base to be built, will visit Washington D.C. with the governor.
Kiichiro Jahana, the head of the Executive Office of the Governor, said, “Conveying the prefectural stance to the United States congress members and key figures when the new U.S. movement’s policy is about to be formed will be an effective approach. Staff members employed by the new administration may want information from outside sources.”
He added, “The Supreme Court ruled against the governor’s attempt to block the landfill work. However, it is important to convey to the new U.S. administration, the prefectural government’s policy on not allowing the new base in Henoko to be built.”
(English translation by T&CT)
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翁長知事３１日から訪米 新政権に基地問題訴えへ
2017年1月17日 11:10
沖縄県は１６日、翁長雄志知事が１月３０日から２月５日の日程で訪米すると発表した。米国では１月２０日にトランプ新政権が発足する中、新政権の政策方針が固まる前に訪米し、名護市辺野古の新基地建設に反対する県の意思を伝え、米軍普天間飛行場の辺野古移設計画の見直しを求める狙いがある。米政府関係者や連邦議員、安全保障政策などで米政府に影響力を持つシンクタンクの研究者らと面談する方向で調整している。
知事は３０日午後に那覇空港を出発し、３１日午前に米首都ワシントンに到着する。２月２日にジョージ・ワシントン大で沖縄の基地問題について講演する。富川盛武県政策参与も基地経済をテーマに講演する。
辺野古に新基地を造らせない「オール沖縄会議」からも共同代表の稲嶺進名護市長と金秀グループの呉屋守将会長が同行する。
謝花喜一郎知事公室長は「新政権の政策が形成される時期に訪米し、連邦議会議員や有識者に県の立場を伝えることが効果的だ。新たに政府に登用される人たちは外部の情報も求めている」と狙いを説明した。その上で「昨年には最高裁で（埋め立て承認を巡る）判決が示されたが、県としては辺野古に新基地を造らせないとしっかりと新政府に伝えることが重要だ」と述べた。
英文へ→Governor Onaga to visit US to lobby Trump administration on base issue
