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Ultimate Guide to the Base Issue of Okinawa: Draft, Electric Boogaloo

アズロのデンジャラスゾーン

これまで海外の方とネットでやりとりした中で基地問題を何度か説明しました。稚拙ですが、その英文をここに掲載したいと思います。

I've talked with people from overseas about the base issue of Okinawa online for some time. Here are some of what I've written to explain the issue, and spoiler alert: my English is not very good…

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When it comes to removals, we've been demanding removal of US Marines, but not US Air Force(right now) because the former is less useful for defense. Attempts to use Okinawan islands for the frontline of missile defense is also criticized. Not to mention issues of PFOS and hazardous chemicals, bullets flying in the forests, night flights, general dangerous & noisy training in the middle of residential areas(which would be illegal in the US), Japanese police brutality against anti-base protesters, alignment between Japanese far-right and US military in Okinawa, secret deals between US and Japan that basically let US military personnels who committed crimes with lighter punishments, can be bettered even if we don't succeed in removing bases. And, our focus these days is for moving US bases to mainland Japan(which serves no practical difference in terms of defense.) 

Several experts(like Yara Tomohiro) actually gave proposals that balance the defense and safety of Okinawans for decades, though unfortunately, because we are a very small community, those technical & practical proposals are not very much known outside Japan, or even outside Okinawa. (2020/04/17)

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Okinawan here. I'm happy that Trump didn't get elected, but also weary because we(Okinawans)'ve been protesting against heavy US military presence on this island since the 1950s, but there's still no sign of change. I'm appalled by how little is known about the base issue in the US.

As for Japanese politics, Netouyo(online right-wingers)s have been very influential. Their views include denial of Japanese war crimes during the WW2, bigotry against marginalized groups(Korean Japanese, ethnic & sexual minorities, immigrants), misogyny, admiration for Trump,

And conspiracy theories. LDP(conservative) of Shinzo Abe was both very good at mobilizing them and favored their views. Recently, LDP also often put pressure on journalism, engaged in various corruptions & weakened several labor laws and was very dismissive about Okinawa.

Things have been horrible. The US-Japan SOFA f$!ked up Oki, but most US libs don't know any deeper than shallow "importance of Japan-US alliance" thing. I also envy how young people in other countries are engaged in politics, but I hope that change will be right around the corner. (2021/04/27)

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As an Okinawan, I'm relieved by the fact that there are still artists with decent politics like Miyazaki. When it comes to criticizing Japanese war crimes during the WW2, it is really hard to find celebrities(like Miyazaki) who are vocally critical about it these days and each year we see more and more people catering to bigotry and conspiracy theories against marginalized groups. Moreover, I can't help being truly thankful of his support for our anti-US base movement.(2022/04/14)

何かの役に立つといいな、と思います。

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There's a little bit of difference between the anti-US base movement and how the Okinawan identity came to be. Anti-US base movement started in the 1950s. Interestingly, Okinawan people at the time seemed to be embarrassed to be Okinawans. Japan still had tons of prejudice towards Okinawa, Okinawa was economically behind Japan(mostly due to the WW2.) This is partially why Okinawans at the time wanted reversion to Japan and not independence(then Okinawans were disappointed because reversion increased US bases in Okinawa.)
　How "Okinawan identity" today came to be was kind of rocky one. Initially Ryukyu peacefully resisted the invasion. Japan's biggest mantra before and during the WW2 was assimilation of other countries and races(just like they did to Ainu people), and how Japan would be a perfect leader for the Asian world.(and we know how it turned out.)
　Historians like Iha Fuyū emphasized how Okinawans and Japanese have exact same cultural roots.―these types of views were later utilized for nationalistic propaganda or nationalistic education in Okinawa in the WW2. Like, how Okinawans should sacrifice their lives for the emperor and Imperial Japan. Racism against Okinawan still remained after the WW2 for some time.(ex. Hougen Huda. Speaking Okinawan was shamed in education.) However in the 1990s, Okiawan culture began to be embraced by mainland Japan as a cultural novelty(TV drama Churasan started around this time), and with economic improvement, it probably made Okinawans feel like they didn't have to feel like an offshoot of Japanese.
　It's hard to exactly pin down what Okinawan youth thinks about the whole thing, though. From what I've seen, it's mixed. I'm still young(I think,) and I'm certainly against US bases and kind of for Okinawan identity, but that's just me.
　Sense of "Okinawan identity" certainly seems to be growing, imo.

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