Special Note: #OkinawaReferendum - Struggle of a disenfranchised young Okinawan fighting for democracy

Last Updated: 1/22/2019

"Be it through elections or referendums or demonstrations and/or rallies or hunger strikes or lawsuits or appeals and/or petitions or speeches or studies or handing out fliers and/or leaflets, or just tweeting, whatever the means, committing to a social or political cause through any means possible IS what democracy is all about." - Kazuhiro Soda, filmmaker.

January 21, 2019
Office BALES News, special to the note

It was not until his doctor intervened to stop him in the 105th hour for critical reasons that a 27-year-old native of the city of Ginowan continued with his hunger strike to appeal against his mayor's decision not to participate in the referendum in Okinawa to vote on the issue of land reclamation in the Oura Bay, Henoko, Nago city.

The Ginowan native, Jinshiro Motoyama and his citizens group began staging a hunger strike six days ago, on the morning of January 15. His action was backed by over 93,000 certified signatures on record in favor of a petition launched by his group that materialized into the enactment of prefectural ordinance establishing that a referendum would take place on February 24 for all residents in Okinawa.

Okinawa activist launches hunger strike to protest cities staying out of vote on Henoko U.S. base plan | The Japan Times

Background report by Tim Shorrock, The Nation

The United States Is Building a New Military Base in Okinawa, Despite Overwhelming Local Opposition

Four other municipalities aside from his own, Ginowan, has opted out of the referendum, speaking almost in unison against it for 'democratic' reasons or for the 'peculiarity' of the referendum asking only Yes-or-No question, which is in fact a standard practice of any referendum in the world asking the voters to decide on either of the choices given. The five opted-out municipalities include the city of Okinawa, Uruma, Ginowan, Miyakojima and Ishigaki.

Having to stop his hunger strike, Motoyama, the founder and representative of the civil group Henoko Referendum Committee, reportedly said this in disappointment, according to the Asahi Shimbun.

“I feel very disappointed, but I will end my protest with hopes for the prefectural assembly’s backdoor negotiations (to allow all Okinawa voters to participate).”

Okinawa activist forced to end hunger strike over referendum：The Asahi Shimbun

However, the "backdoor negotiations" he has hoped for has gone a bit astray. According to a most recent report by Asahi, the prefectural assembly is now mulling the possibility of introducing a 'multiple-choice' referendum instead of 'yes-or-no', including options such as "I don't know" or "There is no choice".

But mayors of five municipalities--Okinawa city, Uruma, Ginowan, Miyakojima and Ishigaki--have opted out of the referendum. Some have stated that the ballot measure, which will ask if voters support moving the Futenma base to Henoko, should allow them to choose from more responses. Some assembly members, including those belonging to the ruling parties, have talked about adding responses on the ballot such as “I don’t know” and “There is no choice.”

Okinawa mulls multiple-choice referendum on U.S. base move：The Asahi Shimbun

While there appears to be "ideas" floating around in the prefectural assembly on possibly negotiating with the five opposing municipalities, Governor Denny Tamaki flatly denied on Sunday the presumption that his government is embracing this 'multiple choice' idea. In a recent video interview with an Okinawan resident, the Governor replied that though there are reports about the assembly mulling the possibility to make a compromise, the prefecture "has not changed its decision on the content of the referendum nor is considering the proposal".

Motoyama, before staging the strike said this in an interview with the local Ryukyu Shimpo:

“Every Okinawan has a right to vote. How can politics deny us of that? As a citizen, the fact that I’m disenfranchised is frustrating. I want all Okinawans to vote together.”

Political disenfranchisement; Referendum committee representative launches hunger strike, petition campaign

Russian national news service Sputnik also had an exclusive interview with Motoyama month before he decided to go on a hunger strike but right after the Japanese government started to enforce the land reclamation effort in Henoko, questioning the act as casting "doubt on the principles of democracy in Japan."

"I am very upset that, despite this outcome of the elections, the construction of the embankment in Henoko still began on 14 December. Such actions cast doubt on the principles of democracy in Japan."

Action Group Chairman on US Base: Okinawans Have Right to File Direct Referendum

Citing the requirements for constitutional amendment, Motoyama maintains that it is "imperative to ask for people's opinion."

"I believe that priority should be given to direct democracy, that is, the direct demand of citizens, and not the decision taken by a group of people elected to be representatives. For example, it is impossible to amend the Constitution without holding a general referendum, even the consent of all members of the Japanese Parliament to amend the Constitution will not be enough. It is imperative to ask for people's opinion."

While a popular referendum sponsored by the prefectural government is the only credible means of asking for such people's opinion in Okinawa, it is likely that the referendum will take place minus the participation of residents from the five opted-out municipalities, including Representative Motoyama and Governor Tamaki themselves. It is said that only 70 percent of the Okinawan residents will be eligible to vote in the February referendum while over 77% wants to cast a vote, according to a joint local survey.

Okinawa poll shows solid majority intends to attend land reclamation referendum, desires availability in all municipalities

Motoyama's struggle for democracy in Okinawa continues.

A day after he was stopped by the doctor from hunger striking, he posted the "Serenity Prayer" by Reinhold Niebuhr, saying it was 'derived' by solving the question posed by his high-school mentor:

[UPDATE] Other residents in Ginowan have lined up to join the fight with Motoyama. With stories about ruling party lawmaker giving hints on how to defy the prefectural mandate for a popular referendum in the local councils, local citizens group have decided to file a lawsuit against the city for damages in depriving them of the right to vote.  According to Tokyo Shimbun, the citizens group "2.24 Prefecture Referendum Jino-nchu (Ginowan native) Group" held a press conference on January 15 for a small sum of damages (less than USD 95.00) per each plaintiff. They are recruiting native Ginowans who would join the lawsuit and the charges will be filed in March.

(Japanese reports only as of today).

県民投票不参加、提訴へ　市民団体　宜野湾市に「投票権侵害」

During the study meeting Miyazaki distributed materials calling for rejection of the budget to hold a prefectural referendum, bearing words such as, “Assembly members bear no legal responsibility in matters such as compensation for damages.” It is likely that Miyazaki’s claims will sway assemblies’ members toward rejection of the budget. Some of these materials obtained by the Ryukyu Shimpo read, “We should call attention to the impropriety of the prefectural referendum, and make our best efforts to reject the draft budget.”

LDP Diet politician instructs Okinawa local assembly members to reject prefectural referendum budget

See here for Motoyama's most recent note on his hunger strike.