Foreigners Prominent in Memorial Activities for Battle of Okinawa Victims; Event Reading Names of Victims to Continue Through Monday
NAHA — Foreign nationals are starting to have a clear presence at events to remember the victims of the Battle of Okinawa, which marked the devastating end of the Pacific War.
People from more than 20 countries are participating in a movement to read out the names of the over 240,000 war dead engraved on the Cornerstone of Peace monument in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture.
The monument was established 30 years ago based on the concept of transforming the 'Typhoon of Steel' — the U.S. forces' heavy artillery shelling and bombing campaign — into waves of peace. It marks its 30th anniversary on Monday, amid continuing prayers for peace both in Japan and internationally.
On June 6, Vincent Rina, a 26-year-old trainee from South Sudan, carefully read out the names and ages of the war victims at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Okinawa Center in Urasoe, Okinawa Prefecture.
The names included those of a 1-year-old baby and two children believed to be three siblings.
'Thinking about the short lives these children had is truly heartbreaking,' said Rina, who lost her father in a conflict in her country. 'By highlighting innocent victims, this event contributes to building peace. It's something I want to bring back to my country.'
Launched in 2022 by an executive committee of local volunteers, the name-reading initiative has had more and more participants every year. This year, applications from foreign organizations have surged, and the total number of participants is expected to exceed last year's record of about 5,800.
For this reason, romaji romanized spellings were added to the names for the first time. The readings have been held daily in a relay format since June 1 and will continue until Monday, the day of the Okinawa Memorial Service for All War Dead, which commemorates the victims of the Battle of Okinawa.
On June 6, about 20 individuals from 14 different countries participated in the reading at JICA, including JICA trainees and international students.
Among them was Fernando Nakasone, a fourth-generation Japanese-Peruvian student from the University of the Ryukyus.
Nakasone's uncle lost two younger sisters, ages 11 and 8, in Okinawa during the Battle of Okinawa. The two girls were killed by a bomb shortly after leaving a cave in search of water. Nakasone heard the story from his uncle when he was a child. 'I want to share this unforgettable history in Peru, too,' he said.
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First, though, they needed to capture Iwo Jima (now known by its prewar name, Iwo To ), as that would provide them with vital airfields to bomb Japan and protect the right flank for the Okinawa invasion. American forces landed on the island on February 19, 1945. Just over a month later, on March 26, American commanders declared the Battle of Iwo Jima over and the island secured. On the same day, Allied forces invaded the Kerama Islands, located just 40 kilometers west of mainland Okinawa, successfully capturing the small archipelago by March 29. This led to mass suicides, as civilians were reportedly brainwashed by the Imperial Japanese military into thinking it was better to take their own lives rather than risk being captured. 'American troops arrive on the beaches of Okinawa,' April 1945 | Wikimedia Commons US Troops Land on the Beaches of Hagushi Bay On April 1 — Easter Sunday — more than 50,000 American troops arrived at Hagushi Beach (also called Toguchi Beach) on the western coast of Okinawa. The majority of the soldiers who landed on the island were from the Tenth United States Army, which included divisions from both the US Army and the US Marine Corps. The unit was commanded by Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr., and was the unit's first operational assignment after being formed in June 1944 at Pearl Harbor. They were expecting a brutal battle at the water's edge. However, the Japanese military decided to change its strategy, and drew the American troops inland instead. Five days after the ships arrived, Japan launched the first of a series of kamikaze attacks. It was the start of Operation Kikusui. 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Foreigners Prominent in Memorial Activities for Battle of Okinawa Victims; Event Reading Names of Victims to Continue Through Monday
NAHA — Foreign nationals are starting to have a clear presence at events to remember the victims of the Battle of Okinawa, which marked the devastating end of the Pacific War. People from more than 20 countries are participating in a movement to read out the names of the over 240,000 war dead engraved on the Cornerstone of Peace monument in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture. The monument was established 30 years ago based on the concept of transforming the 'Typhoon of Steel' — the U.S. forces' heavy artillery shelling and bombing campaign — into waves of peace. It marks its 30th anniversary on Monday, amid continuing prayers for peace both in Japan and internationally. On June 6, Vincent Rina, a 26-year-old trainee from South Sudan, carefully read out the names and ages of the war victims at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Okinawa Center in Urasoe, Okinawa Prefecture. The names included those of a 1-year-old baby and two children believed to be three siblings. 'Thinking about the short lives these children had is truly heartbreaking,' said Rina, who lost her father in a conflict in her country. 'By highlighting innocent victims, this event contributes to building peace. It's something I want to bring back to my country.' Launched in 2022 by an executive committee of local volunteers, the name-reading initiative has had more and more participants every year. This year, applications from foreign organizations have surged, and the total number of participants is expected to exceed last year's record of about 5,800. For this reason, romaji romanized spellings were added to the names for the first time. The readings have been held daily in a relay format since June 1 and will continue until Monday, the day of the Okinawa Memorial Service for All War Dead, which commemorates the victims of the Battle of Okinawa. On June 6, about 20 individuals from 14 different countries participated in the reading at JICA, including JICA trainees and international students. Among them was Fernando Nakasone, a fourth-generation Japanese-Peruvian student from the University of the Ryukyus. Nakasone's uncle lost two younger sisters, ages 11 and 8, in Okinawa during the Battle of Okinawa. The two girls were killed by a bomb shortly after leaving a cave in search of water. Nakasone heard the story from his uncle when he was a child. 'I want to share this unforgettable history in Peru, too,' he said.
