Mikami Chie's The Target Village will be showing at the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival on Oct. 12 and Oct. 15, 2013.
The film follows Okinawan opposition to the construction of U.S. military helipads near the eco-village of Takae, located in an ecologically sensitive area of Yanbaru, a subtropical rainforest in the northern part of the main island.
The US military appropriated land in Yanbaru during the postwar period "Bayonets and Bulldozers" base expansion throughout Okinawa. The beautiful biodiverse region, a World Heritage Site candidate, is used by US Marines for "jungle training." Locals were forced to dress up like Vietnamese during the Vietnam War, for target practice and other war games.
Residents have been protesting V-22 Osprey helipad construction since the plans were announced in 2006. WWF Japan details numerous wildlife, plant life and a gentle way of life under threat.
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