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ジョン・ミッチェル 

Japan Coast Guard violence against peace campaigner 
September 9, 2014

New footage from Henoko Bay, Okinawa, appears to show a member of the Japan Coast Guard assaulting a peace campaigner as onlookers plead with him to stop. 

The 15-second clip was filmed at 12:30pm on September 9 in the waters near the proposed site of the new U.S. military base. 

The young campaigner had apparently approached the area in shallow seas where a drilling survey was taking place. Along with several others, he was seized by the coast guard and dragged onto their rubber boat.


via @SunshineMiyagi 
"The Coast Guard told us they were seizing us for our own safety," said the Okinawan resident who filmed the alleged assault. "The Japanese constitution allows us the right to peaceful protest. But he grabbed the young man and started screaming in his face. We worried he was going to kill him."

The young campaigner was released soon after the incident - but was left with injuries which will require two weeks to recover.

Today's alleged assault is the latest escalation in Japanese government attempts to force through construction of the new U.S. base in the face of overwhelming resistance from Okinawa residents. On Sunday, for example, local elections in the area returned a majority of candidates opposed to the new installation; a government spokesperson said it would not affect construction plans.

For more on the ongoing Henoko civil disobedience campaign see: Nuchi Du Takara, Okinawan Resistance and the Battle for Henoko Bay.