[International Petition: Samsung! Acknowledge the Workers' Occupational Death] A Samsung Worker died in the “Dream Factory” of the Samsung Electronics

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* Please go to the site of the ‘International Petition
-Calling on Samsung to Accept Responsibility for Occupational Deaths’
by the Asian Network for the Rights Of Occupational Accident Victims (ANROAV) (Click above letters)

삼성 노동자들의 산재 사망을 인정하라는 국제 청원이
산재 희생자들의 권리를 위한 아시아 넷워크에 의해 이루어지고 있읍니다.
국문으로 된 청원 및 서명 방법입니다(클릭)
또는 원문 서명 사이트로 직접 가시길(클릭).

* Sanjiv Pandita, Director of the Asia Monitoring Resources Center, AMRC, sent the telegram of condolence upon the death of Park Ji- Yeon. You can see the English after Korean when you scroll down HERE.
아시아 노동감시센터의 감독인 산지브 판디타씨께서 박지연 씨 사망과 관련, 조전을 보내왔습니다. 사이트를 내려가시면 국문과 함께 여기에서 보실 수 있읍니다.
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* This site was thankfully translated by Makiko Sato. See HERE.
위 의 사이트는 마키토 사또에 의해 감사히 번역되었읍니다. 여기를 보시길.
The Labor Net, Japan has also thankfully translated many 'NewsCharm' articles.
일본 Labor Net사이트 역시 많은 '참세상' 기사들을 번역했군요.
If you click each letter, 'K' (original Korean articles) in( ) and 'J'(each Japanese translated article),
you can see the Korean originals and Japanese translations
( ) 안의 'K' (국문 원문) 및 'J' (일본어 번역) 각 글자들을 클릭하시면 각각의 국문 원문과 일본어 번역을 볼 수 있읍니다.
J1(K1), J2 (K2), J3(K3), J4(K4), J5(K5)...
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* Related blogs 관련 블로그들

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2010/04/photo-fw-protesting-against-samsung.html
Saturday, April 3, 2010 2010년 4월 3일
Photos Fw: Protesting against Samsung on April 2, 2010 (including the arrest of the protesters)
사진들: 2010년 4월 2일 삼성에 대한 시위 (시위자들 체포 사진들 포함)

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/11/text-fwd-asian-workers-united-in.html
Nov 21, 2009 2009년 11월 21일
Text Fw: Asian Workers United in Condemnation of Samsung Repression of Workers
삼성의 노동자 억압에 맞서는 아시아 노동자들의 항의 성명 (영문 아래 국문)

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See the Videos HERE and HERE
여기와 여기서 비디오들을 보세요.

See the Hankyoreh article (April 1, 2010)
Samsung denies responsibility for cancer cluster of 23 workers :
Park Ji-yeon marks the eighth victim of the occupational hazards
at Samsung Electronics’ semiconductor factories

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Click the image for larger view

* Image source 이미지 소스 : Banolim (also forwarded from Mr. Kim Seong-Hwan 김성환 on April 1, 2010)

* The below is the translation by Doris, AMRC (from the Banolm site 원문 사이트) (번역: AMRC 도리스씨)

Ms. Park Ji-yeon
Born in 1987.
She entered Samsung Semiconductor Onyang factory 27 December 2004, while still attending Kanggyung High School.
Job duties: inspection in the quality inspection group and experiment inspection using various chemical products in Line 1, especially usual duties of special inspections using X-ray machine.
In August 2007, when she had been working 32 months (nearly 3 years) she suddenly experienced breathing difficulty, dizziness, vomiting, bleeding, and swelling of gums. On 12 September 2007, she was diagnosed with acute myelitic leukemia at Daejeon St. Mary’s Hospital.
No one in her family had ever suffered leukemia or any form of cancer, and before contracting leukemia, Ji-yeon had been so healthy that she rarely even caught a cold.
In October 2007, she was moved to Yeoido St. Mary’s Hospital and received four rounds of chemotherapy.
April 2008, underwent difficult bone marrow transplant operation.
September 2009, a relapse of leukemia.
26 March 2010, her illness suddenly became worse and she was admitted to Kangnam St. Mary’s Hospital.
27 March 2010, she was transferred to BMT- ICU.
31 March 2010, 11 a.m., she passed away.

*Image source: Banolim 반올림 (SHARPs: Supporters for the Health And Rights of People in the Semiconductor industry)

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*All the below image sources: Jang Il-Ho, Sisa In, March 29, 2010 장일호, 시사인, 2010년 3월 29일.
The original source of the third image is "Banolim," 반올림, an activist organization for workers' rights.

* Park Ji-Yeon, 23, a Samsung worker who died on March 31, 2010 has left her letter to an activist,
in her mini homepage on March 20, 2010. The activist organization, Banolim loaded it to its website,
after Park was moved to hospital again on March 26. Park’s health has been rapidly deteriorated
after about a week of her discharge from the hospital.

“[Ms. Lee Jong Ran], I was discharged from the hospital today,,^^
I assume you are doing well, too??
The yellow sand phenomenon is very serious today,,
When I can see you again,,,^^” (translation)

* Parents waiting for the interview with their daughter Ji-Yeon, who were moved to the BMT (Bone Marrow Transplantation), a seriously ill patients’ room, on March 28. The hospital told them with the shocking notification that “We did everything we could do. You, families should prepare for [her funeral]” on the day. (translation)

*A rally for demanding the Samsung’s responsibility for the mass leukemia of the Samsung semi-conduct workers’ in front of Kiheung factory, Samsung Electronics, March 25, the next day of the returning back of the former Samsung President, Lee Gun-Hee to his work. (translation)

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What people in the world know about Samsung? Samsung is probably best known for the computers, monitors and mobile phones that are displayed in sanitary conditions in the electric goods shops around the world.

세계의 사람들은 삼성에 대해 무엇을 아는가? 삼성은 세계 곳곳 전자 상가들에서 위생적인 상태로 전시되는 컴퓨터, 모니터, 모바일 폰등으로 가장 잘 알려져 있을 것이다.

According to Wikipedia, ‘the Samsung Electronics is the world's largest electronics company with a revenue of $117.4 billion in 2009, headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. It is the largest South Korean company and the flagship subsidiary of the Samsung Group.’

위키피디아에 따르면, '삼성 전자는 2009년 예산이 1,174 억 달러에 달한 세계에서 가장 큰 전자 회사로 남한 서울 삼성 타운에 본부를 두고 있다. 남한에서 가장 큰 기업이며 삼성 그룹의 대표적인 소속 회사이다.

Here in Korea, Samsung is the kingdom that controls the politics of South Korea so Koreans call the Republic of Korea as Samsung Republic of Korea. Its nepotism, corruption, and above all, vicious oppression and even threat to workers of death have brought up the Asian workers’ infuriated statement last year and this year, as well.

여기 한국에서, 삼성은 남한의 정치를 통제하는 왕국이라 한국인들은 대한 민국 공화국을 삼성 공화국이라 부른다. 그것의 족벌주의, 부패, 그리고 무엇보다 노동자들에 대한 악의적인 억압과 심지어 노동자들에 대한 죽음위협은 작년과 올해에 분노에 찬 아시아 노동자들의 성명서를 불러 일으켰다.

Samsung is also the company for the cause of the Yongsan Tragedy, with Daerim and POSCO, of which the two former companies would involve the 1st construction part of harbor and bay for the planned Jeju naval base.

삼성은 대림, 포항 제철과 함께 용산 참사의 원인일 뿐 아니라 앞의 두 회사는 예정된 제주 해군 기지의 1단계 공사인 항만 건설에 참여하게 된다.

Samsung is also one of the representing Korean aerospace companies with Hyundae and Daewoo. A heading arms production and sale corporation, as well.

삼성은 현대, 대우와 함께 대표적인 한국의 우주 항공 회사이다. 또한 무기 생산과 판매 회사이기도 하다.

Behind such glamour and sins of Samsung, workers have been silently dieing for the hazardous work environment of the Samsung factories. And Samsung and the government institutions that are controlled by Samsung have never acknowledged their deaths were for the careless environmental cause in the factories of Samsung. The recently returned former Samsung president, Lee Gun-Hee and his Samsung group have formed the kingdom inside the ROK with the horrendous power.

삼성의 그러한 화려함과 죄 뒤에서 노동자들이 삼성 공장의 유해한 환경으로 조용하게 죽어가고 있었다. 그리고 삼성과 삼성에 의해 통제되는 정부 기관들은 그들의 죽음이 삼성 공장의 부주의한 환경적 요인이란 것을 인정하지 않았다. 최근 복귀한 이건희 회장과 그의 삼성 그룹은 무시무시한 권력으로 남한안에 왕국을 형성했다.

This morning, Mr. Kim Seong-Hwan, the Chairman of Samsung General Labor Union informed the sad news as below:

오늘 아침, 삼성 일반 노조 김성환 위원장님께서 아래의 슬픈 소식을 전해 왔다:

Park Ji-Yeon, 23, a three year Samsung Semi-conductor worker in the Samsung Electronics died after the hard struggle against the leukemia in the morning of March 31, 2010. The cause of her illness and death are clearly due to the hazardous work environment of the Samsung Semiconductor factory in Onyang, Gyunggi province.

2010년 3월 31일 오전, 박지연, 23세, 삼성 전자의 3년간 삼성 반도체 노동자가 백혈병에 맞서 힘들게 투쟁한 끝에 사망했다. 그의 질병과 사망은 분명히 경기도 온양 공장 삼성 반도체 의 유해한 작업 환경 때문이다.
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*Below is the arbitrary summary and translation, much referred to article, bu Jang Il-Ho, Sisa In on March 29, 2010. Mr. Kim Seong Hwan thankfully forwarded the article on March 30, as well.
* 아래는 2010년 3월 29일, 장일호님의 시사인 기사를 자의적으로 요약및 번역 한 것입니다. 김성환님께서 3월 30일 역시 포워드하셨읍니다.

The Samsung Electronics is the so called, ‘Dream Factory.’ However, ‘Another family’ is dying in that dream factory, again.

Park Ji-Yeon, 23, has worked in the Onyang factory of the Samsung Electronic, since Dec. 2004 but discovered the symptom in July 2007 when her stomach became to have the problem, sometimes with bloody flux. The first remark by the doctor was, “ Have you touched the chemicals?”

She has recently been discharged from the hospital on March 20 but had to be hospitalized again after a week and been moved to the Bone Marrow Transplantation room that was only for the seriously ill patients on March 26. Since then only 20minutes interview time even with her parents and grandmother has been allowed.

The numbers, counted with only the confirmed, of the cancer patients of the blood-forming problems such as leukemia, lymphoma have reached 22, in the Samsung semi-conduct factories, by Dec. 2009.

Among them, seven workers have been known to die, while symptoms such as loss of hair, miscarriage, and amenorrhea have been innumerably discovered in the many workers in the same factories.

However, the Samsung Electronic has never acknowledged their death as the industrial disaster. And according to the research by The Korea Occupational and Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA), the ‘Leukemia of the workers has nothing to do with the industrial disaster.’

The families of the dead and the current patients have collectively applied the lawsuit against the KOSHA, appealing for the cancellation of the disposal of no- payment to the bereaved families and for the funeral,’ Even though its form was the administrative lawsuit, in fact, it brought up the lawsuit to demand that the KOSHA should acknowledge [workers’ death] by such as leukemia as, “Industrial Disaster.”

The Samsung has paid Park’s hospital cost while talked to her mother that if she would ask help to the activists or be shown in the interview with the press, it would not help her any more. Therefore it was very difficult for her mother who could not pay the expensive hospital cost, to join the lawsuit but she eventually joined it.

“ There should be no more person like Ji-Yeon . The coming people should work in the good environment. If not, more people will be sick, too, like Ji-Yeon. Those children who do such work should have grown-up in the poor families like us.”

Behind the gorgeous screens of Samsung monitors, workers are silently dieing in front of the bloody-tear of their families. How many workers have to die to spread the truth of Samsung’s horrible dealing with its workers, in South Korea or Thailand, or in any other third world countries?

Please boycott Samsung products in your country!

Seogwipo Maritime Police Drill in the Jeju Island Sea against simulated terror

* All the image sources: Seogwipo Daily Newspaper, March 30, 2010

The Seogwipo Daily Newspaper (Jeju Island) on March 30, 2010 says:

The Seogwipo maritime police (Police chief, Oh Sang Kwon) mobilizing its four security vessels, one helicopter, and two high speed boats practiced the drills for the maritime human rescue, terror-suppression and ship-fire–extinguishment. The exercise this time, following the bay defense plan of the Seogwipo harbor and assuming the simulating situation in which the international terror groups illegally occupy the passenger ship, was processed as in the real war, with the drills of the suppression of terror-with the use of a helicopter- by the special attack corps, rescue of passengers who fall down to sea and extinguishment of fire in the passenger ships.

Choenan Navy Ship Sinking Mystery: Due to Key Resove War Drill?

* Image source: New York Times, March 27, 2010

* Image source: Hankyoreh, March 29, 2010

'The illustration shows the layout and probable chain of events of Patrol Combat Corvette (PCC) Cheonan.

Most of the officers in the officers quarters located in the front of the PCC were rescued, while many sailors in the sailors quarters in the stern of the PCC are among those who are missing. From the left, 1. warehouse 2. powder magazine 3. bridge of the ship 4. combat intelligence center 5. fuel tank 6. gas turbine room 7. diesel engine room 8. powder magazine and sleeping quarters

(located between numbers 2 and 4, and between numbers 7 and 8)'

* Image source: Korea Times, March 29, 2010

* Image source: Korea Report, March 29, 2010

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1. Sinking Mystery: Due to the US-SK Key Resolve War-Drill?

The Korea Report blog reported on March 29, 2010 in the article of of South Korean's Choenan Navy Ship Sinking Mystery. It says:

"While the search for the missing 46 Korean sailors continues (as families of the missing eagerly wait for the search results), the mystery over the sinking of South Korean naval ship Choenan [on March 26, 2010] is intensifying. No definitive cause of the sinking has been identified. The South Korean government initially downplayed any possible North Korea's involvement, but now suggests a possibility of North Korean mine, or a mine left over from the Korean War. This is unlikely as the location of the sinking took place south of a South Korean island that is near the disputed sea border with North Korea. And it is more unlikely that Korean War-era mine could have created a blast severe enough to break the large 1200-ton Choenan in half.

* CFC Commander General Walter Sharp said Sunday that just as Cheong Wa Dae announced, the U.S. military did not detect any unusual movements from the North Korean military, viewing the possibility that the incident was caused by a North Korean provocation as low.

(Hankyoreh, March 29, 2010)

Some observers are asking why Choenan, a large ship, was sailing in the part of the West Sea (Yellow Sea) where the water is shallow and currents are rapid. Usually, small and fast boats patrol this area. Could this have been a result of an accident during a military exercise in the area? The South Korean government has not been forthcoming with definitive information on the incident, further fueling doubts and uncertainties. Because this incident took place near the disputed sea border with North Korea, it highlights the dangers of unresolved issues of the Korean War, which is still technically not over (due to the lack of formal peace treaty ending it)."

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2. Search and Rescue Operation with Aegis Destroyers and Cruisers

During the Key Resolve War Drill?

Meanwhile the Korea Times reported on March 29, 2010

Korea, US Mount Largest Joint Rescue Operations
By Park Si-soo, Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporters

A U.S. Navy group of four ships ― three warships and one salvage vessel ― have joined South Korea's rescue and recovery operations for its sunken frigate, the Cheonan.

Their presence has made the latest operation the biggest of its kind.

A total of 22 salvage ships, destroyers and cruisers from the two allies are participating.

Helicopters conducted searches over the presumed scene of the sinking, marked by buoys.

Navy and civilian divers plunged into near-freezing water in a desperate effort to search for survivors, whose chances of survival are growing slim.

Kim Yong-kyu, spokesman for the U.S. Forces in Korea (USFK), provided information on the U.S. Navy's participation in operation.

The spokesman said its participation was made at the request of South Korean authorities.

The four U.S. ships belong to the U.S. 7th Fleet, based just south of Tokyo.

"They were participating in Key Resolve/Foal Eagle Exercise, a joint Korea-U.S. military drill which will continue until the end of April," the spokesman added.

Among the four is the 3,200-ton rescue-and-salvage ship USS Salvor that carries 16 skilled divers and equipment that makes it possible for divers to reach sunken ships under extreme conditions. Rapid currents and poor underwater visibility have blocked Korean navy divers from locating the split hull of the warship or finding any missing sailors.

The 8,300-ton destroyer USS Cultis Wilvur, 9,600-ton cruiser USS Shiloh and 9,200-ton destroyer USS Lassen also joined the operation, according to the USFK.

Scores of ROK Navy ships have already been dispatched to the scene.

"All available warships and support vessels from the 2nd Fleet in Pyeongtaek are participating in the search-and-rescue operations," Cmdr. Bae Myeong-woo said.

Participating ships include the 3,000-ton Gwangyang rescue vessel and two 730-ton minesweepers ― Yangyang and Ongjin.

The 86-meter-long Gwangyang is specialized for recovering sunken ships. It is equipped with deep-sea diving equipment to reach 91 meters deep, a crane and lifting bags.

The minesweepers are used in detecting sea mines or ship wreckage with the help of sonar equipment.

A Navy's Landing Ship, Tank (LST) transport vessel is also participating.

Later in the day, the 14,000-ton Dokdo Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH 6111), the largest helicopter transporter in Asia, arrived at the site.

The 199-meter-long large-deck landing ship, commissioned in 2007, not only serves as a light aircraft carrier but also is used in international peacekeeping and disaster relief.

pss@koreatimes.co.kr
gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr

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3. Psychological Warfare Near the Disputed Border of DMZ?

Meanwhile, the Stars and Stripes reported on March 29, 2010 under the title of "NKorea accuses South of psychological warfare"

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- North Korea warned the U.S. and South Korea on Monday of deadly consequences for engaging in "psychological warfare" by allowing journalists into the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas.

The stern statement was the first from North Korea's military since a South Korean naval ship sank in the tense waters near the Koreas' maritime border under unclear circumstances. It made no mention of the ship, submerged off the South Korean island of Baengnyeong as the mission to rescue 46 missing seamen continued.

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4. Spy of the Families of Missing Soldiers?

The Korean article, Sisa Jeju reported on March 29, 2010. Below is the summary (arbitrary translation)

[Pyeongtaek=Newsis] As it was revealed that the police have committed the intelligence activities through infiltrating the policemen inside the 2nd Fleet Command Headquarter, Pyeongteak, Gyunggi province, where the families of the missing soldiers have stayed right after the incident of the sunken Choenan navy ship, it has created the ripples.

The families, after confirming that the strange men inside the facilities were police, were infuriated as saying that the police were nothing but the spy who reported the activities of families in real time.

The police personnel excused that the military has also known their presence inside the buildings.

What was the need of spy for the families of the missing soldiers? What are the truths that the police, military and government want to hide?

Photo Fw: Protesting police interference

Hankyoreh, March 30, 2010

Protesting police interference

'University students stage a protest to voice public opposition to the fact that police officers requested that some universities submit personal information of certain students who had used specific IP addresses.

Photo by Kim Tae-hyung/The Hankyoreh'

Videos Fwd: Beautiful Sea and People in Okinawa

1. Beautiful Dugons and corals of Okinawa Sea

Makiko Sato thankfully informed the below four videos with the quote information on March 29, 2010. For her excellent summary and translation of 'The presence of the conscience at a Senate hearing ,' which include the Persistent discrimination― contemporary forms of racism― suffered by the people of Okinawa and Pacific Command Hearing including General Walter “Skip” Sharp, Commander, Republic of Korea-United States Combined Forces Command, and Commander, United States Forces Korea, Please see HERE.

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・The Okinawa Dugong - Dugong dugon (Sep.2008) (Youtube URL)
(TV news reporter telling the emergence of two dugons off Henoko)



' Mother and baby dugons swimimg together?...Henoko-inside-Camp Plan is no better than offshore-Henoko Plan for the dugongs.'



・Protecting the Dugong from Habitat Destruction (with audio) （by Earthjustice）(Youtube URL)
(She says that only 10 dugons lives in the Okinawan sea, that is, off-Henoko.)

・Dugong Grazing (Youtube URL)



・Coral spawning (Youtube URL)

(on a full moon night when the temperature of the sea surface surpasses 24℃ in the early summer, all corals spawn )



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2. Beautiful People in Okinawa

The 'Ten Thousand Things' blog loaded the beautiful video on the beautiful people in Okinawa:
"4,000 people rally to protest proposed U.S. Marine & helicopter transfer from Futenma to Tokunoshima Island" on March 29, 2010. Please see HERE.
For comprehensive cover-up of Okinawa's Democracy movement. refer to the excellent blog of Peace Philosophy Center. Please click HERE, Okinawa's Democracy Speaks 沖縄の民意を聞け on March 29, 2010

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Tokunoshima Island "Shima Uta" (Youtube URL)

Video Fwd: Vicenza update: Actists Cutting the Fense of Base

* Image source: in the same link in the quoted

* Below is from Enzo Ciscato, through group email, on March 29, 2010

"Good afternoon, from a sunny Vicenza.

Here below is the link to the latest news with the work done today to clear the riverbank from the recent fence built by the Constructors of the base, without any permission from the Local Authorities.

The Workers of the “Independent Municipality No Dal Molin” have brought a state of free transit on the public land by the river.

http://www.nodalmolin.it/spip.php?article874



Presidio Permanente No Dal Molin

Vicenza – Italy

www.nodalmolin.it"

Jeju Aerospace Museum in the Seogwipo City, by 2013?

* Image source: same as the below link
Design of the Jeju Aerospace museum by Daerim Inc. Consortium

The Seogwipo Daily Newspaper reported on March 23 that the Daerim inc. consortium was selected as the company to build the ‘Aerospace museum’ in Seokwang-ri, Anduk-myeon. City of Seogwipo, Jeju Island.

*The Jeju Free International City Development Center announced on March 22, that the Daerim Inc. Consortium was finally selected before the Samsung C & T inc. consortium, as a result of the bid for the laying out & carrying out the construction of the aerospace museum.

The Daerim inc. consortium is composed of Daerim Industry (42%), Hanwha Construction (20%), Hwasung Industry(18%) and other two companies(each 10%)

* Wait. Daerim Inc. is one of the companies, with Samsung, who have involved in the Yongsan tragedy, and is to take charge of the 1st construction part of bay & harbor for the planned Jeju naval base. Hanwha is infamous for the production & export of the cluster bombs. (For more. click HERE)


The Korea Times has reported on May 5, 2009 as below:


“Tourist haven Jeju Island, famous for flowers, rocks and wind, could become a technology hub when an aerospace museum is completed by 2013.

The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs started construction at Shinhwa Park, Seogwipo, Tuesday with a planned investment of some 130 billion won ($100 million) in the project.

The ministry, the Air Force and the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province have teamed up to bring the museum to fruition.

The 330,000-square-meter complex is to be composed of an ``experience center'' where people can try programs related to the space industry and view ``exhibitions'' showing basic information about air and space, which are still considered largely irrelevant to many people here.

Pilot training, simulators, entertainment facilities, training centers and a three-dimensional cinema and planetarium are to be built to attract the younger generation. A history museum focusing on Korean space studies and the Air Force will appeal to other age groups, the ministry said.

The museum surroundings will feature five theme parks where people can sit in aircraft exhibits.

Simulated Air Force combat, operational training and a military transport for soldiers are also to be exhibited.”


How the story is relevant to the Jeju naval base plan that the ROK government has bluffed out to finish by 2014? ? It is surely one of the attention points.


* Jeju Island is undergoing six major projects to become a ‘Global city’: Health Care Town, English Education City, Jeju Science Park, Resort-type Residential Complex, Myths and History Theme Park, and Seogwipo Tourism Port. With the exception of Health Care Town and English Education City, the four projects have already been initiated.(Architecture Now, May 18, 2009)

Text Fwd: How the Military Bases will bring the environmental damage and Economic Decrement: Overseas Proofs

How the Military Bases will bring the environmental damage
and Economic Decrement: Overseas Proofs
군사 기지들은 어떻게 환경 피해와 경제적 감퇴를 가져올 것인가? " 해외 증거들

Upon the blundering remarks of the Minister of the National Defense, Kim Tae-Young during the talks with the Gangjeong villagers on March 20, that the military bases in Hawaii contributed to the development of Hawaii, No Base Stories of Korea asked the activists in many countries, to provide the facts and proofs that the military bases (mostly U. S. bases) in their countries including Okinawa, Hawaii, Guam, Japan, and United States etc. have actually brought up the economic decrement and environmental damage. Many activists thankfully responded with much information. This site is the collection of the their information provided. Hope many people share the information here for the no bases movement in the world.
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Bruce K. Gagnon on the rocket fuel’s damage on the farming land, in the US bases in the United States (March 24, 2010)
브루스 개그논으로부터, 로켓 연료가 농토에 주는 피해에 대해 (2010 년 3월 24일)

[O]ne key pollution problem at the proposed Navy base on Jeju will be the fuel they put inside of the "missile defense" rockets on board the Aegis ships. All over America this rocket fuel has gotten into the ground water and contaminated it and now the fuel is showing up in milk and lettuce...it is likely that the ground water on Gangjeong would become contaminated and then the tangerines would also become contaminated as a result. The fuel is called perchlorate and we have many articles on the GN web site about it....... http://www.space4peace.org/pollution.htm

Bruce

* http://www.wisn.com/health/19040768/detail.html

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Kyle Kajihirom, Hawai'i, Letter to Koreans (March 24, 2010)
하와이의 카일 카지히로가 한국인들에게 보내는 편지 (2010 년 3월 24일)

The Korean government's argument that militarization has been good for Hawai'i and would be good for Jeju is dead wrong. Militarization led to the loss of Hawai'i's independence as a country; it led to the destruction of the environment and disintegration of Hawaiian culture; it made Hawai'i a target during WWII and the Cold War; it brought the most virulent forms of racism and martial law to the islands; it provided America the platform from which to expand its empire; it continues to distort our development in ways that serve the interests of Empire and not the security of Hawai'i or the region.

In Hawai'i, Ke Awalau o Pu'uloa (Pearl Harbor) was once one of the most productive fisheries for Native Hawaiian people. There was an extensive agriculture-aquaculture complex that fed many thousands on O'ahu island. Ke Awalau o Pu'uloa was the reason America invaded and occupied the Kingdom of Hawai'i, but for its strategic location, not the abundance of its resources. The Navy took this resource and turned the area into a toxic superfund site. There are approximately 749 contaminated sites that the Navy has identified within the Pearl Harbor Naval Complex. There are now signs warning not to eat fish, crabs or shellfish from the waters at Ke Awalau o Pu'uloa. The waters are all off-limits to the public because of military security measures.

There are hundreds of other military contaminated sites. Contamination includes PCB, perchloroethylene, jet fuel and diesel, mercury, lead, radioactive Cobalt 60, unexploded ordance, perchlorate, depleted uranium...

It is partially true that the military has become a major source of revenue in Hawai'i, but at a very high price. The military economy is artificial. It is largely a result of the corrupt processes of the military-industrial-political complex and the game of earmarking defense appropriations for projects in the islands. This is the source of Senator Daniel Inouye's power, his ability to direct federal monies to Hawai'i, even at the expense of the environment, Hawaiian rights and sovereignty and peace in the Asia-Pacific region.

Also, Pearl Harbor has become a major tourist attraction because of its mythical significance in the American psyche.

The questions that we must always ask about the alleged economic benefits of the military in Hawai'i are: "Who gets paid? Who pays the price? What are the real social, cultural and environmental costs of such a dependent economy?" The native people of the land are the ones whose lands are always stolen and destroyed by the military. They live in the toxic shadow of the bases. Other productive capacities wither away as Hawai'i has grown completely dependent on imports (90% of food is imported) and federal spending. Meanwhile those who benefit most from the military economy are the contractors (many who flock to Hawai'i when new appropriations flow in) who feed on the destruction wrought by all this so-called 'prosperity'. Many of these same contractors are lining up to feed on the destruction of Guahan.

Sorry for this rather rambling email.

I hope there's something in Hawai'i's experience that can help to counter the pro-base arguments regarding Jeju.

In Solidarity

Kyle

___________________________________________________________________

Jean Downy, United States, on the various problems of the multiples US bases in the world (March 23, 2010)
미국 진 다우니로부터, 세계의 미국 군사 기지 문제점 (2010년 3월 23일)

* Jean, with many thankful comments, even though I omitted here.


http://www.dmzhawaii.org/?p=5756
Philippines: U.S. military pollution linked to deaths

http://www.japanfocus.org/-Hayashi-Kiminori/3185
Overcoming American Military Base Pollution in Asia: Japan, Okinawa, Philippine

http://www.protecthawaii.ws/
Catherine Lutz: US Bases and Empire – looking at the Asia-Pacific

http://www.dmzhawaii.org/?p=4272
A lie: Local Economy Dependent on US Bases in the below URL

http://www.anatakara.com/petition/peace-to-okinawa-peace-to-guam.html
Peace to Okinawa Peace to Guam

http://japanfocus.org/-Miyume-TANJI/3062
Community, Resistance and Sustainability in an Okinawan Village: Yomitan
Miyume TANJI

The author is a famous Okinawa-born scholor who is now in the US or somewhere.

In the Philippines, for example, only after the US military evacuated the Subic Naval Station and Clark Air Base in 1992 did local communities discover that tons of toxic chemicals had been dumped on the ground and into the water, or buried in uncontrolled landfills, according to the Philippines-based People's Task Force for Base Clean-up in the Philippines, an advocacy organization.

http://www.albionmonitor.com/9809b/copyright/basecleanup.html
US Not Cleaning Up Ex-Military Base Pollution

---------
The U.S. Navy is the largest polluter in the San Diego, California area, having created 100 toxic sites during the last 80 years. Environmental damage caused by the Navy includes spilling over 11,000 gallons of oil into the San Diego Bay in 1988. Fish in the Bay contain high levels of mercury and radioactive compounds that are attributable to Navy pollution of the Bay. (4)

Near the Naval Air Station in Fallon, NV high rates of cancer and rare diseases have probably been linked to the dumping of jet fuel, radio and electronic emissions and the contamination of groundwater with radioactive materials. Fallon has the highest per capita rate of childhood leukemia in the nation. (5)

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0327-21.htm
Military Pollution: The Quintessential Universal Soldier

___________________________________________________________________

Makiko Sato, Japan, on the issues of Okinawa (March 23, 2010)
일본 마끼꼬 사또로부터, 오키나와 관련(2010년 3월 23일)

As for negative effects of a military base:
this is official statistics in Okinawa on military-related incidents and accidents.
http://www3.pref.okinawa.jp/site/view/contview.jsp?cateid=14&id=661&page=1

Furthermore, below info needs much attention especially from women.
http://www.genuinesecurity.org/actions/obamatoguam.html
Letter to Obama Regarding Guam(Feb. 14, 2010)

―' Local women live in fear because of the harassment, crime and violence committed by U.S. military personnel. For example, U.S. troops commit 95% of abductions and rape cases in Okinawa. In February 2008, a U.S. Marine sexually assaulted a 14-year-old Okinawan girl. A week later, a 22-year-old Filipina woman in Okinawa was raped by a U.S. soldier. And these are not isolated cases. '

―'Beyond this issue, a rise in prostitution and trafficking goes hand in hand with U.S. military bases and R&R sites, especially in the Asia Pacific region. Increasingly, poor women are being trafficked into the sex industry, and those working in this industry typically experience life-long trauma. '

1. When Okinawa was returned to Japan after the long occupation, the US had secretly demanded Japan's paying a big sum of money for cleaning up some US bases polluted with its ammunition.

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Still now, in some US bases in Okinawa, soil contamination is feared from depleted uranium bombs and so on, but we don't know how bad it is, as nobody is allowed to enter.
So maybe the US will demand again money for returning their old bases.

In Korea, this kind of thing will surely happen. The US will never return land to Korea for free. They will make Koreans pay for the cleaning up which they are supposed to do. If Korean government cannot afford to pay, then contaminated soil will never be cleaned up, the situation written here again in this URL.

http://www.genuinesecurity.org/actions/obamatoguam.html

―‘Bases that have been closed such as in the Philippines (1992) and the bombing ranges in Vieques (2003) have still not been decontaminated and devolved for use by local communities. Environmental contamination has been linked to high rates of cancer in communities alongside military fence lines.
Guahan and Vieques have no cancer treatment facilities, so people must spend their limited resources to travel elsewhere to receive the costly medical care they need.‘ ―

2. As I wrote in my message to Jeju about the number of port-calls made last year by US nuclear-powered carriers or submarines to Yokosuka, Okinawa, and so on, such port calls are problematic, but recently it is so from the perspective of a newly emerging health issue of minor radioactivity release.

Such US ships or submarines may call at Jeju repeatedly if the planned Navy base is construced there. Local people in places with such ports in Japan are afraid of minor release of radioactivity into the sea from US submarines or other ships, not to mention a possible nuclear disaster. Minor release of radioactivity is now becoming a serious issue among citizens here who are against nuclear power plants.

Fish is strangely abundant at the emission pipe of a nuclear power plant, where cooled water containing minor radioactivity flows out into the ocean. And in the nearby sea, surprisingly big fish, big sea urchins ect. are found. They must be affected by minor radioactivity, which ends up in the bodies of human beings including children.

So from the same reason, port calls by US nuclear-powered submarines or aircraft carries must be dangerous, as they release water contaminated with radioactivity.

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Last Sunday I went for a talk by a long-time famous activist-singer from Okinawa.
(In '70s, he burned our nationa flag out of furor toward our mainland government and got arrested. )
He gave us a good recent story in Okinawa, though his data is somewhat old.
But the situation is further better than in his story, according to an internet news article.

(・The official website of the Prefecture of Okinawa
　　http://www.pref.okinawa.jp/english/index.html

・Military Base Affairs Division
http://www3.pref.okinawa.jp/site/view/contview.jsp?cateid=14&id=662&page=1 )

★=Peace has brought in tourists and permanent new residents, increased revenues, tax revenues, and employment =★ (the title I've cooked up)

＊economic boom after returning of Okinawa US base-related areas in Chatan, Maki, Tengan, Naha
(* data from the handout delivered at his talk meeting
＊This is the date of 2006 alone and some data items are missing
* Specific names related to the US forces are just by my translation)

In 1981 there were returns of some plots of the land occupied by the US bases
　(before → (after)
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
●Hambee (or Hamby) Airfield in Chatan-town, Okinawa(http://www.chatan.jp/), returned in 1981
→　has revived as a tourism spot called 'American Village.'
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8C%97%E8%B0%B7%E7%94%BA
http://gpzagogo.s8.xrea.com/hambyaf.html
http://www.owjc.ac.jp/~s206018/index.html
・population: 16,000 →26,800
・the number of employee: 100→2,259
・tax revenue of the town:　￥3.5million　 →￥108.5 million

＊total investment money in businesses of the economic ripple effects (from the return of the base)~＝￥172,671,000,000 ( about ￥173 billion）

● Residential area at Port Maki → has been changed into'Naha new metropolis
'　・employees : 196 　→7,168
　 ・tax revenue:（no data）→ ￥1,048,000,000（ about￥1.o4 billion for FY'06）
● Tengan communication post
・employees : 4 → 2,431
● supportive facility of the US Air Force and the US navy in Naha
・employees 470 →6,769
。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。

■ average number of annual tourists to Okinawa in total
440,000/year →6.04 million/year　

■ average annual revenue from tourism in Okinawa in total　　　
￥32.4 billion →￥410.4 billion

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Of course it took time. And this dramatic change may have much to do with 9/11, as Japanese tourists, who had once tended to go abroad, stopped doing that, and then began to flock to nearby tourism spots like Okinawa, South Korea, and so on.

Which has brought down the air fare, which in turn has brought more tourists and businesses in a good spiral. The activist-singer said the cheaper air fare has been the biggest contributing factor, and that Okinawa can be financially independent if all the US bases are out. (It may be such a nice place to live in for retirees.)

Even if you have military bases, employments there are only temporary, and local economy is suffocated, not expands,with less tourists, he said.

But still in Okinawa, the unemployment rate is the highest in Japan, because of the big bases and base-related facilities which occupy huge territories there.

___________________________________________________________________

Vanessa Warheit on Guam (March 24, 2010)
바넷사 와히트로부터 구암관련(2010년 3월 24일)

I think the best reference I can think of - wrt the proposed Guam buildup, anyway - is the (highly critical) US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) report that just came out. We Are Guahan has a succinct 10-point summary of the EPA's findings here:
http://weareguahan.com/2010/03/03/10-things-you-should-know-about-us-epas-comment/

Vanessa Warheit
Producer/Director
The Insular Empire: America in the Mariana Islands
http://theinsularempire.blogspot.com
www.theinsularempire.com
visit us on Facebook!

___________________________________________________________________

Martin Frid, Japan, on Okinawa (March 25, 2010)
일본의 마틴 프리드로부터 , 오키나와 관련 (2010 년 3월 25일)

________ Martin Frid’s first email (March 25, 2010)
________ 마틴 프리드의 첫번째 이 메일 (2010년 3월 25일)

There were several Environmental Assesements (EA) for the Henoko base in Okinawa, Japan, but there is little on the Internet. In a rush, I can only find this:

Henoko Ordnance Ammunition Depot: Okinawa, Japan
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/henoko.htm

Call for Action against Henoko Military Base Construction
http://okinawaforum.org/disagreeblog/2007/12/_call_for_action_against_henok.html

Covering Okinawa in Eng., cont
http://okinawaforum.org/disagreeblog/english/

Martin J Frid
Kurashi News from Japan
http://www.martinjapan.blogspot.com

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Some examples of complaints as part of the EA:
- The document on procedures for conducting an environmental impact assessment of the new U.S. Marine Corps Air Station constructed by the Japanese government at coastal Henoko did not go through a proper public hearing process as required by Japanese environmental laws. I would like to request you to call for a public re-examination of the Henoko document.

- The Okinawa Prefecture Environmental Impact Assessment Committee claimed the national government responded vaguely to its 76 questions regarding the document on procedures for conducting an environmental impact assessment of the new U.S. Marine Corps Air Station constructed by the Japanese government at coastal Henoko. I urge that the national government's response to the committee's 76 questions be made public.

- Accepting the flawed document on procedures for conducting an environmental impact assessment of the new U.S. Marine Corps Air Station constructed by the Japanese government at coastal Henoko will subvert the environmental assessment system, and will threaten Okinawa's environment for years. I would like to request you to urge the Japanese government to revise the Henoko document.

Also, Greenpeace Japan (office in Tokyo) has some information in English about the Japanese government's Environmental Assessment in 2007.

http://www.greenpeace.or.jp/campaign/oceans/dugong/en/
http://www.greenpeace.or.jp/press/releases_en/pr20070927_html

Naha, Okinawa, September 27, 2007 --Greenpeace will deliver 30,313 messages from people all over the world saying "Stop the Impact Assessment and save the dugongs" to the Bureau of Defence Policy in Naha at 11:30am and to the Ministry of Environment in Tokyo at 1:45pm today.

Today is the last day the Defence Ministry will accept comments from the public regarding their proposal on how an Environmental Impact Assessment is executed in the two bays at Henoko and Oura, where the two runways are to be built for the U.S. Marine Corps. The 30,313 messages were sent from 155 countries, including more than 5,450 from the United States, in an online-action, which only began on 3 September.

"The construction of the air base will put in danger of extinction the last of the Japanese dugongs. There are some issues that should be put in first place by importance and I think this is one of them. Extinction is forever! Please reconsider the wish of thousands of people around the world, as well as the community of Okinawa, but most of all the wish of these wonderful creatures, the Dugongs." - September 18, from Japan.

"Please think again what is most needed to protect environment. Many people in the world are very conscious about what is important for our children, human-beings, animals and environment in future, in stead of immediate survival of just our generation. Please listen to those views and opinions and do please reconsider the plan to construct air-base over the sea at the expense of precious creatures like dugongs." - September 18, from Japan.

"The worldwide view of Japan's conservation efforts is, rightly or wrongly, a poor one because of your inexcusable stance on whaling. Here is an opportunity to partly rectify this by saving this population of Dugongs. The honour of your country is reflected in its actions. Please do the right thing".


________ Martin Frid’s second email (March 25, 2010)
________ 마틴 프리드의 두번째 이 메일 (2010년 3월 25일)

I also recommend this:
Impact on Okinawan Citizens ( May 24, 2009)
http://usmilitaryinokinawa.blogspot.com/2009/05/impact-on-okinawan-citizens.html


Violent Crimes

Accidents and Noise

Environmental Concerns

Sources: Environmental Assessment Watch Group for the Dugons in Okinawa (Japanese)
http://jaga.way-nifty.com/dugong/

http://jaga.way-nifty.com/dugong/

Makishi, Y
http://www.ryukyu.ne.jp/%7Emaxi (2001).
Okinawaha Moudamasarenai. Tokyo: Koubunken. (His website is in Japanese)
Karan, P, P., (2005). Japan in The 21st Century: Environment, Economy, and Society: Lexington, KY: The University Press of Kentucky.

Okinawa Prefecture Government of Military Base Affairs Division http://www3.pref.okinawa.jp/site/view/contview.jsp?cateid=14&id=592&page=1

Aerial Photographs of U.S. Facilities <38>
http://www3.pref.okinawa.jp/site/view/contview.jsp?cateid=14&id=593&page=1

Sunagawa, K. (2004). Environmental Problems Caused by U.S. Military Bases. U.S. military Bases in Japan,
http://www.jca.apc.org/wsf_support/2004doc/WSFJapUSBaseRepoFinalAll.html
14-15. Retrieved April 7, 2009.

Takazato, S. (2004). Violence Against Women Under Long-Term U.S. Military Station in Okinawa. U.S. Military Bases in Japan
http://www.jca.apc.org/wsf_support/2004doc/WSFJapUSBaseRepoFinalAll.html
11-13. Retrieved April 7, 2009.


________ Martin Frid’s third email (March 25, 2010)
________ 마틴 프리드의 세번째 이 메일 (2010년 3월 25일)

Okinawa prefecture has officially listed some of the environmental damages from US bases 1996 to 2001 here:
http://www3.pref.okinawa.jp/site/view/contview.jsp?cateid=14&id=586&page=1

The existence of the vast U.S. military facilities and areas in our prefecture has had various impact on the Okinawan people's lives and the environment.
　
Hazardous impact on the health of residents living in the vicinity of the bases from daily air craft noise pollution is one of the particular issues we have. Other issues include the impact on the Okinawan people's lives and on the environment from incidents and accidents stemming from military base operations such as military aircraft (fighters, helicopters, etc.) crashes, POL (Petroleum Oil and Lubricants) and red silt outflow as well as mountain forest fires caused by live-firing exercises.
　
Further, there has been more than 5,076 cases of crime caused by the *SOFA status people since the reversion of Okinawa to mainland Japan. This number includes 531 cases of brutal crimes and 955 cases of assaults. Thus, there is fear amongst the peopole of Okinawa as to whether or not security for their daily lives can be maintained and whether their property can be preserved.

Since Okinawas reversion until the end of December 2001, U.S. military aircraft-related accidents have occurred 157 times (of which 39 were aircraft crashes). Aircraft accidents could become a tragic accident involving the lives of the local residents. Thus, these accidents are a concern to the residents living in the vicinity of the base as well as to all the other people of Okinawa.

▲U.S. Marine Corps’ UH-1N helicopter that crashed within Camp Hansen in July 1998.
　
In July 1998, a U.S. Marine UH-1N helicopter crashed within Camp Hansen. In April 1999, a CH-53E helicopter crashed in the waters off the Northern Training Area killing the four crew members on board. In addition, in June of the same year, an AV-8 Harrier crashed on the runway at Kadena Air Base after it took-off. These types of accident have greatly shocked and worries the Okinawan pepole.
　
Each time an accident or incident stemming from the U.S. military base occurs, the Okinawa Prefectural Government has petitioned the administrative organs concerned for the prevention of such accidents or incidents. We will continue to do so and make efforts to prevent damage caused by the military bases.
　
Aircraft noise has been measured at certain spots in the vicinity of Kadena Air Base and Futenma Air Station. It was found that at over half of these measuring spots, noise levels exceeded the standard set by the Environment Agency. Thus, there are concerns that the aircraft noise pollution has a negative impact on the everyday lives and health of residents in the area. Aircraft noise affects residents from an educational standpoint as well, often interrupting classes at schools in the vicinity.
　　
At the training areas in Camp Hansen, repeated live-fire exercises and mountain forest fires caused by these exercises are denuding mountain surfaces of their valuable greenery, causing our irreplaceable natural environment to be lost.
　
In addition, it is expected to take many years and an enormous amount of money to dispose of the countless number of unexploded shells within Camp Hansen.

▲U.S. military exercises often cause forest fires destroying precious greenery.
　
At Onna Communication Site, which was returned in November 1995, contaminated toxic substances, such as polychlorinated biphenyl(PCB) which exceeded the accepted environmental pollution limit, were detected in sludge left inside purification tanks. After detection, the Japanese government had to remove it.
　
In addition, the media reported in July 1998 that there had been a holding pond within Kadena Air Base used as a dumping site for waste oil containing PCB. The U.S. government conducted an environmental survey followed by the Government of Japan conducting a supplementary survey. From the results of these surveys, it was concluded that there was no impact on the health of people. However, this incident has raised the concerns of the local residents about environmental issues stemming from the U.S. military bases.


________ Martin Frid’s forth email (March 25, 2010)
________ 마틴 프리드의 네번째 이 메일 (2010년 3월 25일)

Do you have someone who can read Japanese? WWF Japan has issued several statements and reports in Japanese about the US bases and the huge environmental impact on Okinawa. For example, here is there demand that the helicopter landing strip NOT be located in the Yanbara forest, northern Okinawa, as it is home for a lot of biological diversity and unique wildlife. WWF is a global environmental organization, very respected. They are usually not so radical but WWF Japan has made a lot of effort to campaign against further destruction of Okinawa due to American military activities and US bases.

http://www.wwf.or.jp/activities/2007/06/594914.html

Official English translation (PDF)
http://www.wwf.or.jp/activities/lib/pdf/yanbaru0706e.pdf

Also, below is a translated statement from WWF Japan about Henoko, Okinawa that can be helpful for your efforts:

http://okinawaforum.org/disagreeblog/2007/05/wwfworld_wide_fund_for_nature.html

Martin


WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) Japan Statement

Following is a reproduction of a statement by WWFJapan
http://www.wwf.or.jp/

It states:

Firstly, the Ministry of Defense calls the "pre-survey" ongoing in Henoko VIOLATES Environmental Impact Assessment Law;

Secondly, the Ministry is proceeding the "pre-survey" with the details remain UNPUBLICIZED, although it is ESSENTIAL to consult experts, environmental protection agencies, and local residents in order to ascertain the best methods to adopt, causing the minimum amount of impact on the surveyed environmentsurvey; and if this "pre-survey" affects the environment, later Environmental Impact Assessments inevitablybecome INACCURATE and UNRELIABLE.

Lastly, the dispatch of members and a Maritime Self-Defense Force warship to execute a survey coercively is NOT the action of a DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT.

======================================
"A Statement of Remonstration against the breach of the Environmental Impact Assessment Law by the Japanese Ministry of Defense"
WWF-Japan
======================================

The Ministry of Defense is planning to execute a preliminary survey of the Henoko and Ooura bay, an act which runs against the Japanese Environmental Impact Assessment Law. Moreover, the Ministry is preparing to dispatch a minesweeper tender to Okinawa to aid in the survey.
WWF-Japan strongly opposes this breach of the environmental impact assessment law as well as the action of dispatching a minesweeper tender; WWF-Japan works towards the environmental conservation of the Henoko and Ooura bay, critical habitats for the Okinawan dugong. WWF-Japan hopes to maintain the environmental impact assessment law.

1. The Ministry of Defense plans to execute a preliminary survey before processing the Environmental Impact Assessment. However, this will not be a precise or open environmental assessment, since the appropriate law-abiding procedures will not be/ have not been conducted. By surveying in chambers and not creating a methodological document of the survey as part of the preparatory court pleading and drafting of the evaluation document, the Ministry merely upholds a facade of the Environmental Impact Assessment and disregards the central meaning of the Environmental Impact Assessment Law, tantamount to tort.

2. In order to survey the environment and wildlife to predict and evaluate the impact cause by such a development, it is essential to consult experts, environmental protection agencies, and local residents in order to ascertain the best methods to adopt, causing the minimum amount of impact on the surveyed environment. However, since the Ministry's action is non-disclosure, it is difficult to assess the validity of its investigative methods, as well as the possible influence of the instruments and devices it deploys. Therefore if this preliminary survey affects the environment, later Environmental Impact Assessments inevitably become inaccurate and unreliable.

3. To dispatch members and a Maritime Self-Defense Force warship to execute a survey coercively is not the action of a democratic government. The Ministry of Defense should abandon the plan to dispatch a minesweeper tender and to carry out a irrelevant preliminary survey, and should instead go through the proper legal procedures pertaining to the Environmental Impact Assessment.

For inquiries please contact:
Shin-ichi Hanawa
WWF-Japan, Nature conservation division
3-1-14 Shiba Minato-ku Tokyo 105-0014 Japan
TEL.+81-3-3769-1713，FAX.+81-3-3769-1717

___________________________________________________________________

Makiko Sato, Japan, on Takae (March 26, 2010)
마끼꼬 사또, 일본, 다까에에 관해 (2010년 3월 26일)

I'm Makiko, living in Oita, Kyushu where US military trainings are held principally every year.

This message, June 14th, 2007, of WWF are known only to those concerned here in Japan.

And it is different from the PDF message of WWF Japan which has a Japanese version as well, both of which is general information on the issue of Takae.

The 2007 message was issued to our government, so it has very technical words and was difficult to translate, but I tried as to the latter half into English for I couldn't find its English version.

Here it is, around the middle of the page.

http://www.anatakara.com/petition/judicial-system-is-not-for-oppression.html
Demanding the cancellation of the helipad construction
WWF ジャパン（世界自然保護基金ジャパン）　　　2007年6月14日
（arbitrary translation of excerpt）

But regrettably, our government will not care about such 'environmental' issue.

If they did, they would not have sued those two living in Takae.

And the US, either. Building an off-shore base off-Henoko, as the US still insist on that, will not comply to the USEPA's DEIS, but Gates has said he would challenge that.

However, I think, if the world citizens insist on the elimination of US bases from where the nature should be preserved, their attitude may be changed.