Okinawa lawmaker Katsutoshi Toyama speaks in an interview after talks at Foreign Ministry in Tokyo, Japan, April 25, 2023. A delegation of lawmakers from Japan's Okinawa Prefecture has called on the country's government to engage in peacebuilding through dialogue and diplomacy.
In a resolution submitted to the Defense Ministry, the Cabinet Office and the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo on Monday and Tuesday, the lawmakers also urged efforts to prevent the southernmost prefecture from becoming a battlefield again. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
TOKYO, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A delegation of lawmakers from Japan's Okinawa Prefecture has called on the country's government to engage in peacebuilding through dialogue and diplomacy.
In a resolution submitted to the Defense Ministry, the Cabinet Office and the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo on Monday and Tuesday, the lawmakers also urged efforts to prevent the southernmost prefecture from becoming a battlefield again.
Japan should not attempt to achieve deterrence by deploying missiles or other means to strengthen military power in the southwestern islands region, according to the resolution.
Japan should follow the principles it reached with China in relevant political documents, develop friendly relations with China, and resolve issues peacefully, it added.
The resolution, adopted by the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly on March 30, is the first of its kind seeking peaceful diplomacy and voicing concern over the three updated documents on Japan's security and defense policies, reflecting the collective aspirations of the Okinawa people.
"The Japanese government's excessive reinforcement of defense and military forces has made us feel that Okinawa is at risk of becoming a battlefield again," Okinawa lawmaker Katsutoshi Toyama told the media on Tuesday.
Toyama noted that the central government's response to their visit to Tokyo and the resolution made him feel that their goals had not been achieved.
In December last year, the Japanese government approved three revised security and defense-related documents, including the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy and the Defense Buildup Program, all of which mentioned the need to strengthen the Japan Self-Defense Forces stationed in Okinawa and expand their access to local airports and ports. ■
