But even after the reversion of Okinawa to Japan, the bases continued to exist and violence against the people of Okinawa by American soldiers continued—that is, violence in the form of murders, rapes, etc. The modern nation-state that formed in immediately started destroying cultural diversity, aiming to standardize much of the country, but linguistic diversity has stubbornly persisted. And more, the roots of this war go back to the divisions that began in when Koreans began an intense anti-colonialist struggle against Japanese colonizers in Manchuria.
Their struggle against Japanese colonialism became a struggle against American neo-colonialism and the dictator Syngman Rhee in the late s. The bases in Okinawa were also used for the bombing runs to Vietnam.
This made it difficult for Japan to apologize and engage in reconciliation with its neighbors. Peace-making was delayed. And ostensibly independent Japan was propelled into a posture of looking east across the Pacific to America for security and, indeed, for its very identity as a nation.
Japanese discrimination against Koreans and Chinese is well-known, but few people understand that Washington is also to blame. In the Korean War ended with a huge failure. Washington did not win, just as it has not won most of the major wars since The armistice left open the possibility of the War being restarted at any time.
This fact, that the war did not result in a peaceful resolution of the civil conflict, is only one of its tragedies and it must be considered one of the most brutal wars in modern times. With the armistice, Koreans both north and south have been able to enjoy some peace, but their peace has been temporary and uncertain.
There is some disagreement about whether the Korean War , the conventional dates for the War that favor a narrative biased in favor of Washington was a civil war or a proxy war.
One element in this war that is hardly discussed but one extremely important cause of the war is the hope of many Koreans for a fairer distribution of the wealth. Slavery was not abolished until the end of the 19th century, a few decades after it was abolished in the US. Kawaguchi Mayumi, singer songwriter and anti-base activist from Kyoto. She is one of the most prominent singers campaigning against the bases, but there are many other excellent, creative musicians who have allied themselves with the movement, producing music in many different genres including folk music, rock, drumming, and experimental music.
Marine from to , according to his lawyers and the U. Defense Department. The possible complexities of this case are not mentioned in the article. I have been living in Itoman City in southern Okinawa for two and a half years. It makes numerous exaggerations and gives a very misconstrued picture of the reality that is here. I was thinking the one way to make sure there is no more war on the island is for Japan and the US to transfer their rights to China which claims these islands as well.
I was going to ask if they would be for that, but when I saw that they objected to the characterization the North Korea invaded South Korea I realized there answer would be a loud yes, we want to join communist China. Your email address will not be published.
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Learn how your comment data is processed. We thank our recurring donors on our website. See More Events and Map. Discrimination toward Okinawans Okinawans are severely discriminated against by Japanese and Americans. Sexual Violence Since , after Tokyo regained control over Okinawa, there have been over one hundred rape cases reported to police there.
But before Okinawa was annexed by Japan in , the Ryukyu archipelago had been an independent kingdom, so Okinawans were not all overjoyed to be returned to Japanese control and many continued to long for independence. Or so I have heard.
The rape of a year-old girl, which led to a great intensification of the anti-base movement, was just one of hundreds of reported rapes. Of course, the actual number of rapes in Okinawa dwarfs the number of reported rapes, as is the case in Japan in general, where the police often? The abuse of children has received a fair amount of focus in Japan during the last 10 years or so and the movement against sexual harassment in Japan gained energy during the s. Soldiers also sometimes commit acts of sexual violence against Japanese on the four main islands, almost always near bases, such as the Yokosuka base and Misawa in Aomori, but my impression is that there is stricter discipline of soldiers on these islands and it happens far less frequently than in Okinawa—just based on casual observation of newspaper reports over the years.
The bases are supposed to enhance the security of Japanese but with all the rapes and murders that have happened around the bases, and the US escalating tension with other countries, such as North Korea, who could some day target Okinawa bases with long-range missiles, many Okinawans feel that the bases endanger their lives.
The vast majority of Okinawans want all the bases off their island. The old argument that the bases are good for the economy does not satisfy many Okinawans these days.
Tourism is a big industry in Okinawa. There are a lot of visitors from other parts of Asia, such as Chinese, who spend a lot of money in Japan in general but also in Okinawa. So they have other options for wealth generation, and they are not as materialistic as people on the four main islands anyway. As you may have heard, they have a very healthy diet, and have one of the longest life expectancies in the world. Environmental Consequences Weapons of mass destruction have been stored in Okinawa for long periods over the course of the last several decades, including chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.
Leaks of chemical and biological weapons have damaged the environment. This has been reported many times. There have also been accidents involving nuclear weapons, causing death or injury to American soldiers there.
The story about the nuclear weapons is just starting to come out. The Japanese government lied to its citizens about this. Okinawa has beautiful coral reefs and the new Henoko base construction has already caused much destruction of the coral reef there. The coral reef will probably be killed completely under and around the base. Some of the base will extend out into the water. The dugong is a large, beautiful, fascinating sea mammal that feeds on sea grass. Okinawan love of nature causes them to put the health of other animals and species at the forefront of their struggle.
Many antiwar films in Okinawa begin by talking about the plants and animals living in the sea surrounding Ryukyuan islands, the natural environment that has long been a big part of the Ryukyuan way of life that is threatened by the construction of more bases there.
The Henoko and Takae base construction projects remind me of the Exxon Valdez disaster in that sense, and how that disaster ruined the livelihoods and the whole way of life of thousands of Native Americans in Alaska. But as mentioned above, the Okinawan English-language papers, such as Okinawa Times and Ryukyu Shimpo , cover the anti-base movement in a much more thorough, in-depth way than the Japan Times or any other English-language papers outside of Okinawa.
Music for inspiration: Kawaguchi Mayumi, singer songwriter and anti-base activist from Kyoto. Share on facebook. Be prepared to feel moisture and heat when you step outside. The fall is very nice for it is very warm. Typhoon season is from June-Nov.
Typhoons cause for a lot of wind and rain and the base will usually shut down. Everything here is built to typhoon standards, so when a warning is issued, everyone goes home. Some typhoons cause more damage than others, but with renters insurance, you will be covered. Aquarium: The second largest aquarium in the world is housed here in Okinawa. It is located on the northern end of the island. From Foster to the Aquarium it takes about 90 minutes by car on the tollway.
Ocean: The ocean in Okinawa is truly spectacular. If you have a love for the water, this might just be the place for you! Okinawa is a tropical environment and the water is the most beautiful shade of blue.
It is a huge hotspot for snorkeling and scuba diving. You can get certified for scuba diving once you are here! Sign in. Log into your account. Password recovery. Recover your password. Forgot your password? Get help. USMC Life. Weather We have a very humid climate here because we are surrounded by the water and live in a sub-tropical place.
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