A world acclaimed animation movie director Hayao Miyazaki has joined Henoko Kikin group that is dedicated for collecting funds to finance activities opposing the construction of the replacement base in Henoko for MCAS Futenma.

According to Henoko Kikin officials, Miyazaki, who is best known for creating the acclaimed Studio Chibli, will take up the post of a co-leader of Henoko Kikin.  Studio Ghibli officials responded to Ryukyu Shinpo newspaper that Miyazaki had sent a message last November opposing the new base construction at Henoko. His message was a response to a post card campaign by Toshinobu Nakazato, the former chairman of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly that targeted prominent people in and outside of Okinawa asking fr their support for the campaign against the Henoko plan.

So far there are six big-name persons, including the wife of the late Japanese popular actor Bunta Sugawara, and Masaru Sato, a former chief analyst and diplomat at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and currently a novelist, and former Kadena Town Mayor Tokujitu Miyagi who have agreed to become co-leaders of Henoko Kikin.

Nearly 4,000 businesses and individuals have donated so far to the fund that has grown to over ¥100 million in size.

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