Okinawa Times Asibina
March 8, 2001
Considering the recent spate of crimes and offenses committed by US military personnel in Okinawa which includes indecent acts made against local schoolgirls, theft, and arson, it’s no wonder that the town assembly of Chatan in Okinawa unanimously adopted two resolutions demanding the withdrawal of all US Marines from the prefecture and the resignation of Lt. Gen. Earl Hailston who called the local Okinawan officials “nuts” and a “bunch of wimps.” However, after having passed these resolutions, the Okinawans are certainly going to be considered nuts and wimps if as usual they are not going to actively follow up on their words with forceful action.
Okinawans have made an immeasurable number of sacrifices for the mainland Japanese during and after WWII. Yet they are treated and considered as second-class citizens by their fellow Japanese compatriots. Today, Okinawa is the poorest region in Japan with unemployment rates double the national average. Aside from tourism, the Okinawans have no major indigenous industry to speak of. Many years of handouts from the Japanese central government has helped extinguish a native tradition of entrepreneurship and self-help. As for the US, the comment of Hailston which was made behind the backs of the Okinawan officials and the crude behavior of certain US military servicemen and women as mentioned reflects the feelings of contempt that the American military establishment has towards the Okinawans.
It’s about time that the Okinawans should really do something in stopping such reprehensive treatment from both the Japanese and the Americans and fight for their dignity and their self-respect by unilaterally declaring their independence from Japan and kick out all US bases from Okinawa in the process. This may sound unrealistic, but it is an undeniable fact of history that Okinawa was an independent nation state with its own language, culture, and traditions long before it was brutally conquered by the Japanese in the 17th century. Since then, the Okinawans have had nothing but trouble under Japanese rule. Okinawa was the site of the only ground battle on Japanese homeland soil during WWII with tremendous civilian casualties that could have been completely avoided if the Japanese military authorities were not so much concerned about saving their honor and preserving military rule. Today, largely because of the refusal of the mainland Japanese in having the US military in their own backyard, the Okinawans must put up with having 75% of all US forces in Japan stationed on a quarter of the total land of Okinawa.
Okinawa is, in short, a colonial possession of both Japan and the US who both use the islands for their own self-centered agenda. The people of Okinawa should stop this nonsense, call for self-determination and declare their independence once and for all.
Ko Unoki
Tokyo
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