滝本 匠 
June 24, 2022 Ryukyu Shimpo
By Reiko Akamine
Takamatsu Gushiken, 68, who represents the group “Gamafuya,” which collects the remains of those who dies in the Battle of Okinawa, waged a hunger strike from June 22-23 at Peace Memorial Park in Mabuni, Itoman in Okinawa. The hunger strike is being done to demand that the Japanese government cancel their plan to use soil from the southern region of Okinawa’s main island for land reclamation activity in Henoko Bay in Nago, as it contains the remains of people who died in the Battle of Okinawa. He said that he could “sense the victims of the war were close,” having spent the night in the park where many of the victims of the battle rest. An endless stream of supporters came to the tent where Gushiken was holding his hunger strike to offer their support.
Gushiken, who wears a peaceful expression, said that his anger was brought forth when hearing the remarks of prime minister Fumio Kishida when he attended the memorial service held for all of the victims of the Battle of Okinawa. From the prime minister’s remarks that “the spirits who rest here cannot be at peace,” Gushiken said with chagrin, “I worry about his understanding [of the issue]. The prime minister himself is the one who is dumping the remains of the deceased into the ocean along with the soil, preventing the dead from resting in peace. They should cancel their plan and apologize.”
(English translation by T&CT and Sam Grieb)
