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Mageshima: Not just an uninhabited island　 

I grew up watching the sun set over the rolling ridgeline of Mageshima, and it was a strong desire to protect this precious island that drew me back to my hometown on neighboring Tanegashima where I set up a community café in 2009. In the decade since, the wanton development of Mageshima has torn my heart every time I look out across the sea to this beautiful island.

In my former job at international NGO Peace Boat, I was involved in social issues in various countries and regions around the world. Domestically, controversies surrounding the Rokkasho spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, the construction of Kaminoseki nuclear power plant and the relocation of Futenma U.S. military base to Henoko have highlighted the fact that such issues are not confined to each region but must be dealt with on a national scale. Mageshima can now be added to this list. Despite feeling helpless in the face of the government’s strongarm tactics, my desire to protect Mageshima has only grown stronger over the past few years. 
 Mageshima’s unique natural environment is home to numerous rare and endangered species. Mageshika, an endemic subspecies of Japanese deer, are on the red list of endangered fauna. Their numbers have steadily declined with the destruction of their habitat due to development and numbered around 320 at the latest count in 2021. 

Mageshima is also a spawning ground for endangered loggerhead and green turtles whose reproductive behavior is highly affected by noise and light at night. Nesting areas have already been affected by global warming and sea level rise, and any further loss could be catastrophic for their survival.
 
A Real Treasure Island
Waters surrounding Mageshima are so rich in sea life that local fisherfolk have long called it a ‘Treasure Island.’  Researchers have identified the surrounding waters as especially rich in shellfish diversity, leading the Ministry of the Environment to recognize it as ‘an important area from the perspective of biological diversity.’ Protecting this diversity of marine life and promoting sustainable management should be a top priority.

This tiny island that supports all manner of life has been passed down through the generations and is a reminder of the importance of natural biodiversity. Is our generation really going to be the one that allows this precious environment to be turned into a military base?

Base to Accommodate Field Carrier Landing Practice
Currently US Navy Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) drills are conducted at Iwo Jima through the morning, afternoon and night until 3am. The so-called ‘touch and go’ training for pilots is practice for landing on aircraft carriers. Iwo Jjima is only a temporary location, and due to continued volcanic activity and distance from Iwakuni Base, Mageshima has been chosen as an alternative. 

Previous proposals to move the FCLP drills to Mageshima have been met with strong opposition from local residents mainly due to the accompanying loud noise. 
When drills cannot be conducted at Iwo Jima due to adverse weather, Misawa, Yokota, Atsugi and Iwakuni Bases are all listed as possible alternative sites for training, however each local municipality has requested drills not to be conducted under any circumstances due to the loud noise. 

For years these drills have been a burden on communities around Japan, so what is the reasoning to spend large sums of taxpayer money to move them to an island rich in precious nature, that is neither a base nor industrial wasteland?
Given the opposition of residents, the Japan Self Defense Forces (JSDF) announced a plan to build the ‘Mageshima Self Defense Base.’ While the base is to be used by the JSDF, a consensus document from the recent 2 plus 2 committee meeting clearly states that the US military will have free use of JSDF facilities.
This sort of alliance is unheard of in other countries around the world. Regardless of past conflicts, it is an international norm that all parties have equal standing in an alliance.

Given the grievances of residents near existing bases, the burden on Okinawa and the increased JSDF presence around the Senkaku Islands, now seems a prime time to review the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.
 
Seeking a Sustainable Solution
Since moving back to Tanegashima in 2009 I have tried various methods to convince residents that Mageshima is an important natural treasure that can’t be sold off or exchanged for money. However, opponents of the base took a blow from news that the island had been bought by the government, with many people resigned to the fact that the government would push ahead with their agenda against the will of local residents as they are doing in Henoko. 
The effects of Covid added to the pressure, damaging local industries to the point of desperation. Disease also spread through the island’s main cash crop, sweet potatoes, damaging one of the major production industries. These factors caused the local population to further lose hope against a concerted government push for construction. 

On January 7, 2022, the Minister of Defense announced that the status of Mageshima had changed from a ‘proposed site’ to a ‘site for development.’ The decision, welcomed by the Japan-U.S. Joint Committee, was announced without waiting for environmental assessment, and bypassing deliberation in the national diet. 

Given the economic downturn caused by Covid-19, there is some hope that construction of the base will boost the local economy, however considering noise, environmental impact and the worsening international security situation, there is still strong opposition to a permanent base on Mageshima.

The local mayor, a vocal opponent of the base, was recently re-elected. His request to the defense minister of ‘special consideration of grants for reorganization of U.S. military bases’ was erroneously reported in media as agreement to building the JSDF base on Mageshima, causing additional confusion among parties. 
Reorganizing U.S. military bases in Japan is an issue that needs to be considered on a national level. It is not something that can be decided on Tanegashima alone. 
Dividing the residents of this small community into ‘for’ and ‘against’ and pushing ahead forcibly with construction tramples upon the ideas of local autonomy and governing by law. Since the end of WWII, unwanted facilities have been imposed on municipalities time and again. If we don’t stop now, Mageshima won’t be the last ordeal of this kind. 
Is it really inevitable, just because ‘the government decided,’ or ‘for national security’? 
Will it really ease the burden on Okinawa?
 
Expenditure on construction of the SDF base on Mageshima currently runs over 300 billion yen. 
In addition, reorganization grants to the tune of 29 billion yen will be paid over the next decade and will continue as long as training is conducted at the base. 
As everyone is well aware, the Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on lives and livelihoods around the world. In Japan also, the past two years have seen restrictions on daily life that have been tough on everyone. Despite growing concern about the burden on children, little in the way of solutions has come to fruition. 

Internationally, the world is experiencing extremely volatile regional conflicts. Judging from history, peace attained through military expansion is fraught with troubles. 

With advances in technology, it is now possible to communicate freely over the Internet, increasing the potential for foreign diplomacy based on dialogue. There is also more potential to gather knowledge and ideas to tackle a such wide ranging issues as Covid-19 and natural disasters. 
Mageshima is just a reflection of wider issues facing the world such as biological diversity, climate change and military buildup leading to an arms race. 
Will sacrificing this precious environment and resources really lead to the safety of our citizens?

There is no clear limit to where militarization for national defense turns into military threat. 
The first step to tackle these issues is for more people to realize what is happening on the ground at Mageshima. We must then share ideas and hold meaningful discussions on what kind of society we want to leave for future generations. 
As a starting point, we request the following three things.

1. Withdraw the decision to move ahead with development that was made without deliberation in the national diet
2. Withhold funds for construction in 2022.
3. Conduct a complete and thorough environmental impact assessment, including experts who have researched mageshika deer in the assessment team.