Okinawa Holds Funeral for Late Gov. Onaga

October 10, 2018

Naha, Okinawa Pref.- Some 3,000 people attended a prefectural funeral for the late Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga in Naha, the capital of the southernmost Japan prefecture, on Tuesday.

Onaga, who died of cancer at the age of 67 on Aug. 8, was a staunch opponent of the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma air station in Ginowan, Okinawa, to the Henoko coastal area in Nago, another Okinawa city.

The late governor "upheld the wills of Okinawa residents while confronting with the state, and won the understanding of many locals," new Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki said in a speech at the funeral, held at a prefectural martial arts arena.

"We'll take over your wishes and unite to continue efforts to pass down a peaceful, wealthy and honorable Okinawa to children and young people," said Tamaki, who served as head of a committee to arrange the funeral.

Onaga repeatedly demanded that the Futenma base be moved out of Okinawa.

During the funeral, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga read a message from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

"I express my respect from the bottom of my heart for the late governor's desperate efforts for the development of Okinawa and his achievements," the top Japanese government spokesman said on behalf of the prime minister, while emphasizing the central government's resolve to do everything it can to reduce the prefecture's burdens of hosting U.S. bases.

The message drew boos from some local attendees and calls for residents' wishes to be respected.

Morimasa Goya, a local businessman who supported Onaga as a coleader of the All Okinawa movement opposing the Futenma transfer to Henoko, represented Onaga's friends at the funeral.

Goya expressed his regret for the stress Onaga experienced over the base relocation issue, noting that it may have affected his health. Jiji Press