Okinawa Project

Since Okinawa's reversion to Japan in 1972, there are reported 4700 cases of US Military Bases related crimes and incidents in Okinawa.
These selected 30 memo data are compiled by Kaori Sunagawa of Young Voice, Okinawa

Ie Island
1976
A fact-finding survey into the effects of bomb-release exercises and the roar of F-4 Phantom fighter planes on Ie Village ascertained that school lessons were impossible, people's sleep disturbed and deformed cows were being born.

Ie Island
6.21, 1989
The Harrier Pad construction first planned for Kunigami village was relocated to Ie Island Auxiliary Airfield.

Onna Village
3.18,1996
120 tons of sludge containing eleven kinds of poisonous chemicals of over normal tolerance levels were detected in the returned land of US Onna Communications site.

Onna Village
7.18, 1996
Women's group oppose the relocating of Ginowan Village Futenma Air Base's heliport to Onna Village.

Onna Village
9.6,1989
The national park here was polluted with red soil caused by the forced construction of facilities for urban field training at Camp Hansen.

Kin Town
1972-1996
Live artillary firing exercises over Highway 104. These exercises went for a total of 261 days and over 39,485 direct hits aiming at the mountain.

Kin Town
1972-1995
Central Training Area (CTA), more than 10,957,151 square meters of land were destroyed in 107 instances of forest fires.

Kin Town
10.15, 1988
A stray bullet struck an empty bottle depository in Sakiyama Distillery (Igei Ward), only 2 meters away from a staff member at work in the depository.

Kin Town
7.17, 1996
Rally held. Opposition to the Futenma Air Base's relocating its heliport to Kin Town.

Kin Town
7.17, 1996
An elementary school girl was kidnapped and raped by three servicemen.

Gushigawa City
May-June 1984
A jet discharged its spent fuel, containing the chemical BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) 36400PPM, into the Tengan river.

Okinawa City
1988
A slightly mentally handicapped 26 year old woman was taken away in a car by U.S. servicemen and gang raped for several days at the bachelor's dormitory on base.

Yomitan Village
6.22, 1996
Chibana and the One Tsubo (4 square yards of land) Anti-War Landowners gather at Sobe Communications (Elephant Cage) for Chibana and his family's visit of their land inside the Cage. Chibana has refused to continue leasing his one tsubo land which is now illegally occupied by US Base.

Yomitan Village
4.21, 1981
During parachute drop exercises at the Yomitan Auxiliary Airfield, three servicemen missed the target and went across Furugen Elementary School during its morning assembly.

Yomitan Village
10.28, 1981
Parachute drop exercises at Yomitan Auxiliary Airfield-- 20 servicemen made jumps in the morning and another 12 made jumps between 6:12pm and 7:40pm.

Yomitan Village
June, 1994
Construction of Nikko Alivila Hotel stretches over Tokeshi and Gima coast area.

Kadena Town
An average of 62 times a day, jet noise level exceeding 72 decibels. The jets fly 2445 times a year during the sleeping hours of 8pm and 7am.

Kadena Town
11.15, 1982/1.22, 1984/11.19. 1986/5.18, 1987
Jet and diesel fuels as well as white, oily foul smelling sewage were discharged into the eastern drainage of Yara Elementary School in Kadena.

Kadena Town
2.5, 1968
U.S. military airforce begins the station of B-52 strategic bombers at Kadena Air Base.

Kadena Town
From Mound Ampo, one can observe aircraft take-off and landing at Kadena Airbase. Mound Ampo, Ampo stands for US-Japan Security Treaty, is now a tourist spot and a protest gathering site against U.S. Military bases.

Chatan Town
9.24, 1974
A vast quantity of dead fish were found floating in the sea due to discharge of Daasuban insecticide which had been used on the lawn at Camp Kuwae in Chatan.

Chatan Town
1.31, 1989
Spent jet fuel discharged at Camp Zukeran , Kitamae.

Chatan Town
1996
excessive jet noise levels detected and measured at a herbal tea house.

Chatan Town
7.21, 1996
Demanding "Giving Our Quiet Nights Back!", 660 residents who live around Hamakawa Elementary School in Miyagi District protested against disturbance of US servicemen.
The residents called for late night, off limit areas to be set up.

Ginowan City
8.19, 1982
A U.S. aircraft failed to land due to engine trouble and crashed barely 200 meter away from the Second Futenma Elementary School.

Ginowan City
5.10, 1995
A 24 year old insurance saleswoman died after being repeatedly struck with a hammer on the face by a U.S. serviceman.

Ginowan City
7.18, 1996
The Forest and Water Commitee, a civilian group planning the use of the Futenma Air Base after its return, has called for the replantation of a large scale forest on the land of the air base. The Futenma Air Base land is to be returned to the Ginowan Village in 5 years.

Urasoe City
1973
Discharge of waste oil from Makimoto Service Area. Heavy metal and PCB levels of 614 times greater than normal tolerance levels were detected.

Urasoe City
1976
Local base employee at Makimoto Service Area died from methyl bromide poisoning.

Ishigaki Island
6, 1981
General rally held to hinder the construction of the New Ishigaki Airport at Shiraho village's coral coast.