From Abiru Rui’s column “Gokugen Gomen,” published in the Sankei Shimbun on May 21, 2026.
The article examines the fatal capsizing accident involving protest boats off Henoko, the changing statements of Communist Party executives, the party’s relationship with the Helicopter Base Opposition Council, and why such a setting is inappropriate for peace education.

Published on May 21, 2026.
The following is from Abiru Rui’s column “Gokugen Gomen,” published in today’s Sankei Shimbun.
The fatal Henoko capsizing accident exposed the “nature” of the Communist Party.
It is inappropriate for peace education.
Perhaps what has been made visible is the nature and true state of the Communist Party.
It is interesting to see how the words of Communist Party executives have been shifting regarding the accident off Henoko, Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture, in which two “protest boats” capsized and students from Doshisha International High School, who were taking part in peace education, died.
The Communist Party is a member organization of the “Helicopter Base Opposition Council,” which operates the boats, and it seems to have changed course after realizing that feigning ignorance indefinitely would no longer work.
“Putting high school students on a boat during a school trip was itself a grave mistake, and as the Communist Party, which is a member organization of the Helicopter Base Opposition Council, I sincerely apologize.”
Tamura Tomoko, chairwoman of the Communist Party, apologized on behalf of the party at a speech meeting in Naha City on the 17th.
Koike Akira, secretary-general of the party, also said at a press conference on the 18th, referring to the Helicopter Base Opposition Council, “I hope they will move toward making it possible to apologize directly to the bereaved families as soon as possible. I myself would like to do my utmost for that purpose.”
However, although the captain of the “Heiwa Maru,” which carried the student who died, had once run in a local election in Okinawa Prefecture as an official Communist Party candidate, both Tamura and Koike avoided going into that point as follows.
“An investigation is underway, and personal information about the captain has not been reported, so I will refrain from commenting.”
Tamura said.
“I do not particularly intend to hide it, but the Japan Coast Guard and others have not released the individual’s name either. If it comes out publicly, we will respond at that time.”
Koike said.
◎Cutting Off the Lizard’s Tail
Although still far from sufficient, the party’s move to offer an apology may have been made because it judged that its relationship with the Communist Party could no longer be concealed, and decided to protect the organization by cutting off the Helicopter Base Opposition Council like a lizard’s tail.
To begin with, after the accident occurred on March 16, the Communist Party concealed until April 2 the fact that it was a member organization of the Helicopter Base Opposition Council.
At a press conference on March 26, Tamura spoke as if the relationship between the captain of the Heiwa Maru and the party were someone else’s affair.
“The investigative authorities are looking into the accident. Beyond what is required for the investigation, there is nothing I can comment on.”
Koike argued as follows at a press conference on March 23.
“To monitor the base at Henoko, there is no other boat but that one. It is certainly not a boat of the Communist Party alone. It is operated with the involvement of various people.”
Even so, it has also been revealed that party-related figures, including Koike himself and former House of Representatives member Akamine Seiken, had boarded the protest boats.
At first, one can sense that they tried to avoid mentioning the party’s relationship with the matter as much as possible, and, if possible, to shield it.
Moreover, did they themselves board the protest boats and yet fail entirely to notice the disregard for safety and violations of laws and regulations?
If Koike and others had faced the problem squarely and demanded that the operation be reformed, it is even possible that the tragic accident might not have occurred.
Even after the accident, the Communist Party continues to emphasize the importance of peace learning and peace education.
But after having boarded the protest boats themselves, did they truly think that such boats were appropriate as a setting for peace education?
◎The Irresponsibility of Teachers
The German sociologist Max Weber made the following appeal in his lecture “Science as a Vocation.”
“If a teacher were to take advantage of the fact that students must attend his lecture in order to complete the prescribed course, and that there is no one in the classroom confronting him with the eyes of a critic, and were to try to impose his own political views upon them, I would consider that utterly irresponsible as a teacher.”
Given the various problems and the partisan nature of the protest boats that are coming to light one after another, they are wholly inappropriate for peace education.
Editorial writer and political desk editorial committee member.