Thousands surround Japan parliament in protest at US base plan
from Channel News Asia: Thousands of protesters formed a human chain around Japan's parliamentSunday (Feb 21) in protest at the planned construction of a new US base on the southern island of Okinawa.
Some 28,000 people, according to local media, surrounded the building holding banners reading "No more US bases in Okinawa" and "Follow the will of Okinawa". Many wore blue, the colour symbolising support for the island.
Police did not give an estimate of the number taking part in rhe rally, the latest in a long series of protests. The dispute has intensified mistrust between the central government and the southern island chain.
Okinawa accounts for less than one per cent of Japan's total land area but hosts about 75 percent of US military facilities in the country.
The central government wants to construct a new US Marine air base in a remote part of the island to replace the existing US Futenma air base in heavily populated Ginowan, where it is widely seen as a potential danger to residents.
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