"Helipad ira nai Jumin no kai" (Residents against the Helicopter Pad), today announced that they have collected 17,000 signatures against the planned helicopter pads in the vicinity of their community, the village of Takae in Northern Okinawa. Though the press conference was held in a tiny venue far from Naha in rural Okinawa, several local TV stations and major Okinawan newspapers reported.

In addition to the signature collection campaign, "Helipad ira nai Jumin no kai" (Residents against Helicopter Pads) has staged a peaceful and strictly nonviolent sit-in since last July to protest and hinder the construction of new helicopter pads. The area has already about 20 of them, which are regularily used by US military for practice. Residents complain about noise, pollution and a general athmosphere of fear and militarization in their area. They suspect that there are plans to convert the whole area into a military base and that practice conducted in their community serves the war in Iraq.

The group, consisting of 6 families, is the last hold-out of what was once an almost total opposition by local residents and government. In the last 10 years, pay-offs, activism fatigue and shady political manoevering have brought most local residents into a shikata-ga-nai ('what can you do?') attitude.

The area is recognized as home to several endemic species of birds, reptiles and mammals, a beautiful forest and two reservoirs supplying drinking water to many towns on the island. It was once a popular eco-tourism and school trip destination, but has lost all such income due to the helicopter pads. NGOs like the WWF and Greenpeace support the fight of local residents against additional military infrastructure, for removal of the existing helicopter pads, and for protection of the area.

Helipad ira nai Jumin no kai is still collecting signatures, hoping to break the 20,000 mark shortly, and welcomes participants in the sit-in. See their website for details (their newsletter is available for download in English).