Japan: Two arrested as Battle for Okinawa heats up http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/46928

Two anti-base activists were arrested on 20 February at a demonstration outside the US Embassy in Tokyo. The activists were taking part in a demonstration against US military base construction in Okinawa.The relocation of a marine airbase from Futenma, in the middle of a busy urban area, to the village of Henoko has met with stiff opposition from local residents and their supporters all over Japan and the world. The frontline of the battle over US military bases in Okinawa lies in the small community of Takae, in the Yanbaru forest.The Yanbaru forest, which is rich in biodiversity, is already host to 22 US military helipads, part of the huge US Marines Jungle Training Area that occupies 7800 hectares of the forest. The frequent use of these helipads causes numerous problems for the residents of communities scattered throughout the forest.