2011年10月18日火曜日

C'mon, guys, let's have some truth (3)

Remember Agent Orange, the chemical defoliant used extensively in Viet Nam, the one that delivers cancer and misery to the human beings it contacts?

It's time for some truth about how it was used when the US was "protecting" Japan's Okinawa Prefecture. The Japan Times continues the story it brought to light last summer.


Agent Orange revelations raise Futenma stakes
Toxic defoliant stored, possibly buried in camp slated as relocation site for contentious air base in Okinawa, ailing U.S. veteran claims

By JON MITCHELL

On Sept. 26, Nago City Council became the first municipality on Okinawa to adopt an official resolution calling for the governments of Japan and the United States to conduct an investigation into the spraying and storage of Agent Orange on the island.

The councilors' unanimous decision came in the wake of three months of extensive media coverage — including from The Japan Times — alleging the use of the toxic defoliant on more than a dozen bases during the 1960s and '70s. Citing the potential threats posed to residents' health and the environment, the resolution called for immediate action under a 1973 Japan-U.S. Joint Committee agreement which states that local authorities "may request the local base commander to make an investigation, the results of which should be made known . . . as promptly as possible."