米軍キャンプ・シュワブ陸上部での生コンプラント建設が始まった造成地（中央の赤土部分）。重機で地面をならすような作業が確認できる＝１７日午後６時すぎ、名護市辺野古（小型無線ヘリで撮影）
米軍普天間飛行場の名護市辺野古移設に伴い米軍キャンプ・シュワブ陸上部で進められている関連施設の建設に絡み、沖縄防衛局が工事加速のために生コンクリートプラント（製造機）の建設に着工したことが１７日までに分かった。生コン製造機を巡って防衛局は、シュワブ陸上部の工事のために建設すると県に説明してきた。これに対して県や市民団体はシュワブ沿岸部で進む辺野古新基地建設の埋め立て工事にも将来的に転用される懸念があるなどと指摘し反対してきたが、防衛局は着工に踏み切った。
建設場所はキャンプ・シュワブ内の南側で辺野古漁港側に面した沿岸域に近い付近。１７日は重機が整地のような作業をしている様子が確認された。
昨年３月に辺野古埋め立て承認取り消しを巡る代執行訴訟で政府と県の和解を受け、辺野古新基地建設に関する工事が中断した。その後、防衛局側は埋め立てと無関係の陸上部の隊舎建設などの工事再開で県に理解を求めてきたが、その中に陸上の生コン製造機建設も盛り込まれていた。これに対し県は、基地内で埋め立てに必要な資材が準備される懸念があるとしてプラントの建設には反対の姿勢を示していた。
生コン製造機は抗議運動の影響を避ける目的で和解で作業が止まる前から計画していた。従来から進めていた陸上部の工事では、ゲート前の抗議活動により陸上部の工事に必要な生コン車の出入りが円滑に進まず、生コンが固まって使えなくなる事態が続き、２０１４年１２月ごろから作業を中断していた。
辺野古埋め立てを巡る和解を受けて、県は移設計画に関係する一切の工事は認めないと主張。防衛局は海上作業を中断した。その一環で陸上部の隊舎建設も中止し、陸上の生コン製造機建設も作業を見送っていた。
だが昨年１２月の最高裁判決で県が敗訴したことを受け、政府はプラントの建設に着手した。
Government starts building concrete plant at Henoko, Okinawa concerned it will be used for land reclamation
The site where a construction of a ready-mix concrete plant has begun (red soil part in the center of the photograph) on land at U.S. Camp Schwab. Heavy machines can be seen leveling the ground surface at 6 p.m. on February 17 in Henoko, Nago City (taken by a miniature remote helicopter)
February 18, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
On February 17, it was discovered that the Okinawa Defense Bureau has begun construction of a ready-mix concrete plant (concrete manufacturing machinery) as part of construction it is doing on land at U.S. Camp Schwab of related facilities in conjunction with the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to Henoko, Nago City. The concrete plant is being built to speed up the construction. Regarding the concrete manufacturing machinery, the Defense Bureau explained to the Okinawa prefectural government that it is being built for construction being done on land at Camp Schwab. However, the prefectural government and civic groups have raised concerns that the machinery could be used in the future for the land reclamation being carried out for the construction of the new Henoko base off the coast of Camp Schwab and opposed its construction, but the Defense Bureau commenced construction of it anyway.
The machinery is being built on the south side of Camp Schwab on near the coastline facing the Henoko fishing port. On February 17, heavy machinery was seen leveling the ground at the site.
In March of last year, after the national and prefectural governments came to an out-of-court settlement in a lawsuit brought against Okinawa by the national government over the governor’s cancellation of a permit to reclaim land at Henoko, all construction related to the new Henoko base construction was suspended. Thereafter, the Defense Bureau sought permission from the prefectural government to build barracks and other structures unrelated to the land reclamation in Camp Schwab, one of which was a ready-mix concrete manufacturing machine. The prefectural government responded by opposing the construction of a concrete plant on the grounds that it could be used to prepare materials required for the land reclamation within the base.
Plans were in place to build concrete manufacturing machinery inside Camp Schwab even before construction was suspended following the out-of-court settlement, the aim being to avoid construction delays caused by protesters blocking the gates to the base. Previously, construction on land within the base was not proceeding smoothly because concrete trucks were prevented from entering and exiting by protests in front of the gates, and in many cases the concrete hardened and became unusable before making its way into the base; eventually, the construction was stopped in December 2014.
After the out-of-court settlement regarding the Henoko land reclamation, the prefectural government asserted that it would not accept any construction relating to the base relocation plan. The Defense Bureau suspended all construction at sea. In conjunction it also stopped construction of barracks on land and put off work on the concrete manufacturing machinery.
However, in December of last year the Supreme Court ruled against the Okinawa prefectural government, and the government subsequently began construction of the concrete plant.
(English translation by T&CT and Sandi Aritza)
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