International Petition to Protect the Dugong in Okinawa
There are approximately 100,000 dugong (a species of ocean-inhabiting mammals) living on earth.
Spread out between the western part of the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, their area of habitation is
bordered by Australia to the south and Japan's furthest southwesterlyisland of Okinawa to the north. In the Indian Ocean, they stretch as far as Mozambique on Africa's eastern coast. Sadly, however, these gentle-natured animals - who eat seagrass and share ancestors with the elephant - are decreasing in number. The Okinawan dugong, in particular, number so few as to once have actually been thought to be extinct. They were formerly spotted around AmamiIsland and various coastal regions of the RyukyuIsland chain.But due to such factors as worsening ocean conditions and entrapment within fishing nets, they are now spotted only around
the Okinawan eastern sea coast region and their estimated numbers have shrunk to between a mere ten and fifty in total. The next area of dugong habitation closest to Okinawa is the Philippines, lying 1000 km to the south. In Taiwan, the animal has already been extinct since the 1960's. Moreover, although officially designated in Japan as a natural monument, the rare "northernmost dugong" has yet to receive any type of actual protection to ensure its continued existence.
In 1972, 27 years following the end of World War II, Okinawa was returned to Japan after a period of U.S. rule. However, in accordance with the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty (=the military alliance between Japan and U.S.), 75% of all U.S. bases in Japanare concentrated in Okinawa. As a result, the residents of Okinawa have been continually suffering under the existence of these bases; and Okinawa's natural environmentis being destroyed by nonstop military training exercises. This is not all, however. The sudden and dramatic increase in economic development following Okinawa's return to Japan has resulted in the extreme contamination of Okinawa's waters, which has in turn restricted the dugong's habitat. Moreover, those dugongs that have managed to survive thusfar are now facing new troubles that are threatening to root out their very existence.
On July 29, 2002, the Japanese government officialized plans to construct a substitute facility for the Futenma U.S. marineairbase airport, which is presently located in the central Okinawan city of Ginowan. The proposed new facility lies off the eastern coast of a village called Henoko, which is located in the Yambaru region on the northern part of the same island.
The chosen site is directly atop a coral reef, which is also the precise area where the remaining dugongs have most recently been spotted.Seagrass such as the "Ryukyu Amamo(Cymodocea serrulata)" that the dugong feed upon, are found throughout the Henoko coastal reef area, which is truly the one place where the northernmost dugong may live in peace. This giant military airport facility - 2500 meters long, 1730 meters wide, and 184 hectares (including a 2000 meter runway) in area will consume massive amounts of earth, sand and stone - and in turn pollute the waters surrounding the reef, while simultaneously destroying the nearby delicate ecosystem that had been so gradually created over time. Furthermore, the noise pollution that will occur during the long period of construction of this facility will effectively drive away - and thereby cause the extinction of - the northernmost dugong, which is an internationally protected animal.
Nature preservation organizations in Japan as well as International environmental institutions such as the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources(IUCN) and United Nations Environmental Programme(UNEP)have been expressing their deep misgivings and anxiety to the Japanese government with regard to the construction of this military facility and its impact upon the survival of the dugong. The government, however, has yet to implement any effective policy to ensure the preservation of this animal.
We, the below signatories, as citizens of this earth who have come together as one, urge the government of Japan with regard to the following:
*Please withdraw the existing plans to construct a U.S. military base facility, that will destroy the habitat of the northernmost dugong.
*Please immediately implement a policy addressed at fulfilling the responsibility of the Japanese government to protect the dugong in Okinawa.
Addressed on (date) to
Mr. Junichiro Koizumi
Prime Minister of Japan
This petition is supported by
Kenjo Anzai（Resident Priest of Shinsyu Otani-ha Sennnenn-ji Buddhist Temple）
Moriteru Arasaki（Professor of Okinawa University）
Eiko Asato（Freelance Writer）
Tohru Ikushima（Secretary General of the Association To Protect Shiraho Coral Reef）
Keiko Itokazu（Okinawa Prefectural Assembly Member）
Taro Hosokawa（Dugong Network Okinawa）
Shokichi Kina（Musician）
Chikashi Kinjo（Lawyer）
Tadashi Koshiishi（Presidency of Econet･Chura, Merchant）
C. Douglas Lummis（Political scientist）
Ryuichi Matsushita（Writer）
Ichiro Nishio（RAPAC, Priest）
Keiko Ochiai（Writer, Presidency of the Bookstore for Children - Crayon House)
Itsuko Okabe (Essayist）
Kenichi Otsu（General Secretary of National Christian Council in Japan）
Ai Saotome（Motion Picture Producer）
Shin Sugok（Human Resource Cultivation Consultant）
Seiichi Shirayanagi（Catholic Cardinal）
Masako Suzuki（Representative of Association to Protect Northernmost Dugong）
Osamu Taira（Priest of United Church of Christ of Japan）
Suzuyo Takasato（Naha city council member）
Takao Takeda（Buddhist Monk of Nipponzan Myohoji Temple）
Nobuo Takeshita（Management Committee of Association to Protect Northern-most Dugong）
Seishuu Tanahara（Dugong Network Okinawa, Diver）
Jun Ui（Caretaker of Okinawa Environment Network, Professor of Okinawa University）
Etsuko Urashima（Save the Dugong Foundation, Freelance Writer）
Reiko Yukawa（Music Columnist, Songwriter）
Name / AddressPlease send this form to
Association to Protect Northernmost Dugong
（Secretariat of International Petition for Protection of the Dugong in Okinawa, Japan）
Oppamahigashityou 3-18, Yokosuka 237-0063 JAPAN
Greetings from Japan, where we are experiencing a very cold winter!
We are a small environmental conservation organization in Tokyo, Japan called the Asociation toProtect Northernmost Dugong(an ocean-dwelling mammal). Our members consist of citizens who come from a wide variety of employment backgrounds, as well as researchers in various natural and environmental fields, who are all working together for a common cause.
Dugongs were once thought to be extinct in the Okinawan region. Several years ago, however, a group of nearly fifty dugongs were found to be inhabiting these waters. Our aim is to sharply investigate the ways which human
activity has fored intense pressure on this creature`s way of life and then reverse this trend in order that both species may live together harmoniously.
Since the founding of our group in 1999, we have invited overseas dugong researchers and held international symposia in order to educate ourselves about this animal, of which so little is known in Japan. In addition, we have sponsored public seminars and lectures on topics regarding the various environmental and social problems that also impact the lives of the dugong.
Finally, we have vigorously petitioned the Environmental Ministry, the Okinawan government, and the various other Cabinet ministries of the central Japanese government urging protection of both the Okinawan dugong and the natural environment that they inhabit. As a result of our activities over the past three years, the Environmental Ministry finally rose from its period of inertia this spring in order to begin conducting a study of the Okinawan dugong and their ocean algae food source.
However, officials responsible for Okinawan affairs in Prime Minister Koizumi cabinet voted on July 29, 2002 to build an alternative facility for the Futenma U.S. Naval Air Base in an area that lies just atop a reef off the eastern Okinawan seacoast where the dugong are most frequently spotted. This decision to build a giantic new military base was also made without the consent of local citizenry. And considerable resentment and criticism therefore naturally exist in Okinawa toward this project.
The excessive and extensive greed that has destroyed our natural ecological balanceis threatening the existence of many living beings-including humans themselves. If we do not take this chance to listen to the voices of those who cannot speak, the future of our earth will be one of despair and destruction. Moreover, if we are unable to pass this(our earth, the nost precious of all things) onto future generations, we will have lost everything in its entirety.
We firmly believe in the right of the dugong, a gentle and benign creature, to continue to live in its natural environment just as we believe in the right of human beings to live in happiness on this earth. In order to make known to the world the danger that these creatures face, then and the need for their protection we have created an international petition drive.
We sincerely hope that others will agree with our position, `aims and our objectives, and will decide to join the list of supporters of this campaign. The main sponsor of this campaign is our group, the Association to Protect the Northernmost Dugong, and we expect to continue lobbying until our goals are reached.
We ask those interested in supporting our efforts to please contact the Prime Ministers Office at the following address and/or website in order to demand protection of the Okinawan dugong:
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
1-6-1 Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo, Japan 100-8914
(Japanese)
(English)
We ask that you also please forward a copy to our group at the following addressso that we may keep track of all correspondence:
Association to Protect Northernmost Dugong
c/o Masako Suzuki
5-8-34 Tomioka-Higashi
Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama-shi
236-0051 JAPAN
tel & fax: 045-771-3658
e-mail:
Website: (Japanese only)
In addition, we ask for your assistance in spreading the word internationally regarding the plight of the Okinawan dugong and our campaign to help save them. For information about financial contributions to help support these efforts, please contact us at the address or e-mail address listed above.
Many thanks for your support!