From Abiru Rui’s column “Gokugen Gomen,” published in the Sankei Shimbun on May 14, 2026.
The article examines the fatal accident involving a high school student off Henoko, Nago City, Okinawa, and questions the reality of anti-base activism conducted under the name of peace education, the involvement of extreme left-wing violent groups, and the responsibility of schools.

Published on May 14, 2026.
The following is from Abiru Rui’s column “Gokugen Gomen,” published in the Sankei Shimbun on May 14, 2026.
Can an extreme left-wing violent group be called peace education?
Schools cannot excuse themselves by saying, “We did not know.”
There are people in this world who firmly believe that whatever they do, they are not at fault.
The words spoken by Urashima Etsuko, co-representative of the “Helicopter Base Opposition Council,” which operated the boats involved in the tragic accident off Henoko, Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture, in which two boats capsized and a student from Doshisha International High School, who was taking part in peace education, died, perfectly express this type of person.
About one month after the accident, on April 18, Urashima criticized the Sankei Shimbun and others that had continued reporting on the accident, during a course run by the Ryukyu Shimpo and others to train peace guides and storytellers.
She said the following.
“They are adding tails and fins to small matters and reporting them in a different direction. When you encounter such reports, I want you not to swallow them whole, but to think for yourself.”
Also, on the 7th, the “All Okinawa Council,” which cooperates with the Helicopter Base Opposition Council and opposes the relocation of the U.S. military’s Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City to Henoko, resumed protest activities using microphones and loudspeakers just as it had before the accident.
In a statement dated April 30, the All Okinawa Council emphasized the importance of peace education, saying, “Taking this accident as an opportunity, there are movements in some quarters that deny the value of peace education itself or approve of interference in thought.”
But can an activity that results in the death of a promising high school student truly deserve to be called peace education?
Do they have the right to play the victim without even showing adequate reflection?
To begin with, what kind of people are carrying out the anti-base movement?
On this point, I would like to introduce again the striking exchange conducted by Wada Masamune of the Sanseitō Party at the House of Representatives Judicial Affairs Committee on the 8th.
Wada drew the following words from Suzuki Toshio, Councilor of the Commissioner-General’s Secretariat of the National Police Agency.
“Among those engaged in anti-base movements in Okinawa, some extreme left-wing violent groups have also been confirmed.”
When Wada asked, “What kind of groups are extreme left-wing violent groups?” Suzuki replied as follows.
“They are groups that aim to realize a communist society through violent revolution. Since 1972, when statistics began, there have been 1,161 incidents of terrorism and guerrilla activity by extreme left-wing violent groups. These groups seek to maintain and expand their organizations, concealing their violence and factional nature while engaging in mass movements and labor movements.”
It would be appropriate to apply the phrase “mass movements and labor movements” here to peace education as well.
In other words, under the fine name of peace education, they are seeking to maintain and expand their organizations.
The main sects of extreme left-wing violent groups include Kakumaru-ha, Chūkaku-ha, and Kakurōkyō.
In any case, I cannot think that a place where groups, even in part, that have repeatedly engaged in terrorism, guerrilla activity, and internal violence come and go is suitable as a destination for junior high and high school students’ school trips or training trips.
In the questioning on that day, Horino Shōzō, Councilor for Learning Infrastructure at the Minister’s Secretariat of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, also gave the following answer regarding the fact that Doshisha International High School had not conducted an on-site inspection.
“In order to provide education without a certain kind of bias, meetings should originally have been held, but I believe that sufficient measures may not have been taken in that respect either.”
“When asking someone to serve as a lecturer, it should be carried out only after thoroughly holding advance meetings about what kind of views that person holds.”
There are many junior high and high schools that choose Okinawa Prefecture as a destination for school trips.
Schools have a duty to properly understand and supervise whether the place is safe, what kind of voices the students will hear, and what kind of experiences they will have.
Wada also spoke of his own experience in 2016, when he was assaulted in Henoko by three male anti-base activists.
This is a publicly known matter.
Schools cannot excuse themselves by saying they did not know.
Editorial writer and political desk editorial committee member.