Okinawa Commemorated Victims of War

Okinawa commemorated the 79th anniversary of the end of major battle in the World War II in 1945. Okinawa lost about 200 thousand lives, a quarter of whole population at the time, in the Battle of Okinawa, which was the only ground battle fought in Japan at the World War II. In the ceremony held at the Okinawa Peace Memorial Park, the people in Okinawa prayed for permanent peace of the world.

The Battle of Okinawa started in March, 1945, when the United States Force landed on the main island of Okinawa. In the ground battle and air raid, not only military personnel of Japan’s Imperial Army but a large number of citizens in Okinawa lost their lives.  Okinawa was laid under administration of US until it was returned to Japan in 1972.

 

The government of Japan holds commemoration ceremony on June 23 every year, the day which is remembered as one of the epoch-making days in the World War II, paralleled with the atomic bombing in Hiroshima on August 6, in Nagasaki on August 9 and end of the war on August 15.

 

In the commemoration ceremony held in Okinawa Peace Memorial Park in Itoman City, the Governor of Okinawa, Denny Tamaki, gave a speech titled the Peace Declaration. “I believe that Okinawa can contribute to easing regional tension and confidence building by making itself the basis to create international peace and by exercising regional diplomacy for peace building, mutual progress and solving international issues,” said Tamaki.

 

Citing the statement of the government of Japan at Okinawa’s return to Japan, Tamaki insisted on making Okinawa “the peace island.” “To implement the statement, the base issue in Okinawa should be solved by minimizing US military bases, removing danger from Futenma Air Base and giving up building new base in Henoko,” said Tamaki. He suggested peaceful diplomacy and dialogue based on inclusiveness to understand diversity of value in settling international conflicts such as Russian invasion to Ukraine or war between Israel and Hamas.

 

Kishida attended the ceremony and gave a speech. “I am going to accumulate achievements in minimizing US force’s facilities,” said Kishida without touching on Japanese government’s unilateral proceeding of construction of new base in Henoko. A man chanted that all the people in Okinawa was in anger against the national government, while Kishida was giving a speech, and the man was expelled by the police.

 

In the election of Okinawa Local Assembly, the group supporting Tamaki was defeated by the opposition power mainly led by the Liberal Democratic Party. However, most people in Okinawa are frustrated with unilateral decision of the national government or Kishida administration to make progress in building a new base in Henoko. One thing clear is Kishida has made no particular effort to achieve approval on the base issues in Okinawa.

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