Thousands of people rally against realignment of US forces in Japan

Kyodo News via Yahoo! Asia News
November 13, 2005

(Kyodo) _ Thousands of people demonstrated in Zama and Sagamihara, joint hosts of a U.S. military base, on Sunday to protest against the planned expansion of the base functions.

More than 3,000 people surrounded Camp Zama, headquarters of the U.S. Army Japan, forming a "human chain" to protest against the expansion move, part of the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan.

In Sagamihara, about 1,700 people gathered Sunday morning to protest against the plan.

At Camp Zama, the demonstrators held hands to make a 2.1-kilometer circle three times Sunday afternoon. The demonstration was initiated by a group of assembly members of Sagamihara and Zama. Organizers put the number of demonstrators at Camp Zama at 3,200.

"Given the Iraq war and the deployment of Self-Defense Forces (in Iraq), something is wrong with the relationship between Japan and the United State," said a 31-year-old businessman who participated in the demonstration. "I feel it's dangerous."

Under the planned realignment of the U.S. military presence in Japan, the U.S. Army 1st Corps headquarters will move from Washington State to Camp Zama and a Ground Self-Defense Force headquarters will be newly established in the camp.

Japan and the United States on Oct. 29 adopted a report on the plan to realign the U.S. forces in Japan, which involves U.S. military bases in Kanagawa, Okinawa and other prefectures. Concerned localities have voiced opposition to the plan, which they said would impose more burdens on them.