“No US base! Not in Henoko!” 28,000 surround the Diet

“No US base! Not in Henoko!” Chants reverberated in central Tokyo on February 21^st.

28,000 people gathered, forming a human chain action around the Diet Building to stop the construction of the new US base in Henoko, Okinawa. The front gate of the building was packed with people. Similar actions were held in Sapporo, Sendai, Chigasaki, Toyama, Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka. In Tokyo, it was the first time that a rally was jointly called by both the Human Chain Committee for Henoko and the Joint Action against War and for the Defense of Article 9 of Japan’s Peace Constitution. The rally showed the rise of momentum to fight the Security Act together with the Henoko issue. INAMINE Susumu, mayor of Nago City, Okinawa, said, “The reason why we Okinawans have managed to fight on is the support of people outside Okinawa. The struggle against the construction of Henoko base has spread across Japan and to the world. The only place the voices of Okinawa people haven’t reached is the Japanese Diet. The victory in the Upper House election in July will lend strength to stop the Henoko base.” (SASAKI Yumi)

Photo by Shinya

基地をつくるな！辺野古につくるな！～国会を取り巻いた28000人

 「基地をつくるな！辺野古につくるな！」のコールが響き渡った。2月21日午後「止めよ う！辺野古新基地建設」国会大包囲行動が行われ28000人が参加した。国会正門前は立錐の余地なく人で埋め尽くされた。この日は、札幌、仙台、茅ヶ崎、富山、名古屋、京都、大阪でも同時アクションが行われた。東京では、＜「止めよう！辺野古埋め立て」国会包囲委員会＞と＜戦争させない・9条こわすな！総がかり行動実行委員会＞が初めて共催。辺野古問題と戦争法を一体で闘う機運の高まりを感じさせた。沖縄からかけつけた稲嶺進名護市長（写真）は「我々が負けないでがんばってこれたのは、県外からたくさんの支援があるから。辺野古新基地反対は日本中、世界中に広がっている。この声が届かないのは国会だけ。7月参議院選挙で勝利することが基地を止める大きな力になる」と語った。（佐々木有美）
 ＊ 写真＝shinya

15000 surround Diet protesting against construction of new U.S. Base in Henoko

An unprecedented number of protesters, all wearing something blue, gathered at Diet on May 24 to oppose the construction of a new U.S. military base in Henoko, Okinawa. The human chain they formed around the Diet building were double or even triple in some places. Rallies were held in four places where the participants gave talks, played music, chanted slogans or displayed photos. The whole area looked like a ‘liberated zone.’ Nago Mayor INAMINE Susumu took part in the action and spoke in the rally that took place in front of the main gate. ”At present, the Abe administration is forcibly going ahead with the preparation of construction, taking advantage of the approval the previous Okinawa governor gave them. However, they need to get another approval from the governor to start the actual construction. Since it is impossible for them to get a new approval from the incumbent governor, they will never be able to build the new base, “ the mayor stressed in his speech. 15000 participants of the action completely surrounded the Diet building a little after 3 pm, clearly showing that not only people in Okinawa but also many in the mainland are strongly opposed to the construction of the new base in Henoko. (By M)

More photos   Video (no subtitles) 

辺野古の新基地は いらない！～15000人で国会ヒューマンチェーン
 

 5月24日の「辺野古新基地建設に反対 する国会ヒューマンチェーン」はかつてない規模になった。国会周辺の歩道は、シンボルカラーの青を身 につけた人々の二重三重の輪ができた。4つのエリアでは集会が開かれ、 トーク・音楽・コール・写真展示 などがあり賑やか。国会周辺が「解放区」状態になった。稲嶺名護市長が国会正門前集会でマイクを握っ た。「今は前知事の承認をタテに安倍政権は工事を強行しているが、本工事の時に改めて知事の承認が必 要になる。この承認は不可能で、新基地は絶対にできない」と強調した。この日は15000人 が集まり、午後 3時すぎ完全に国会包囲が実現した。「辺野古基地はいら ない」は沖縄の民意だけでなく、本土の人々の民 意でもあることが示された。（M）

 写真速報・動画（6分40秒）

7,000 red cards tied up the Diet—‘Women's protest for peace’ forms a human chain

Hundreds of women wearing something red were brimming with anticipation in and out of the subway station near the Diet in the afternoon of Jan. 17. They were to attend the Women's Rally for Peace and form a human chain around the national Diet building.

 When I was heading for the speakers' corner in front of the Diet building, I came across a lot of acquaintances. While exchanging greetings I realized that only after the Fukushima disaster on March 11, 2011, did I come to know them from the protests against the government’s mishandling of the nuclear disaster at the Diet.

 I saw a woman in a red coat or another one wearing a red cap and a matching muffler, which her friend had knitted for her especially for this day, she said. We casually exchanged praises as if old friends, "The red color suits you so well!"

 Yet another woman with a very intricately appliqued banner was so proud of it for she made it herself during the Nakasone regime, the grand old man of the LDP in the 1980s.

 The speakers made brief but distinctive appeals, and time and again the Nagatacho area reverberated with 7,000 women chanting and raising red cards, which read, "Stop getting involved in other countries’ conflicts." or "Mr. Abe, you should be sent off immediately!"

 It was almost like a flare of women's rage that can never be extinguished.

By KASAHARA Mayumi, follow-up by OZAWA Kuniko;  Photo by NISHINAKA Seiichiro

  Photo&Report by Shinya;

 7000枚のレッドカードが国会を縛り上げた～「女の平和」ヒューマンチェーン

1 月17日、午後1時を少し過ぎていた。地下鉄の駅には、すでに赤を身につけて人々であふれている。正門前のアピールコーナーに急ぐあいだも、たくさんの知 人に会う。挨拶を交わしながら、そのほとんどの人が、原発事故の後に国会周辺で知り合った人なのに、我ながら驚く。しかも、知らない方たちも、仲間の一人 が、この日のために編んでくれたと赤い帽子やマフラーを身につけたり、赤いコートを羽織ったりの人たちに、互いに「あっ、その赤いいね」と旧知のように声 を掛け合ってしまった。手のこんだアップリケの横断幕を持つ女性は、30年前の中曽根の時代に作ったと誇らしげだ。2時を過ぎると、各人のアピールのあい だに、何回かのヒューマンチェーンのコールが永田町に響いた。それは、女性たちの怒りの炎、消すことのできない炎のようでもあった。（笠原眞弓） 続き・報告（尾澤邦子）・TBSニュース・東京新聞・写真報告（shinya）　＊写真＝西中誠一郎