Okinawa marks 80th anniversary of Battle of Okinawa's end
Okinawa marked the 80th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa on Monday, one of the final land battles of World War II, with solemn reflections on the sacrifices made by the island's residents, promises to further reduce the burden of U.S. military bases in the prefecture and expressions of concern about the threat of nuclear war.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba spoke of the horrific ground war involving Okinawan residents, noting that 200,000 lives were lost, or about one in four Okinawans. He paid special tribute to Okinawan children who were killed in battle.
'Young men and women who should have had a hopeful future, such as the Himeyuri nursing corps and the Tekketsu Kinnou-tai (Blood and Iron Corps, which consisted of junior high school students), were driven to the battlefield and sacrificed their lives. Many fathers and mothers passed away amid the vortex of war, hoping for the safety of their children,' Ishiba said.
The battle began on April 1, 1945 , after Allied Forces invaded Okinawa in what became World War II's largest and bloodiest conflict in the Pacific Theater. About 102,000 U.S. Army soldiers, 88,000 marines, and 18,000 navy personnel were joined by forces from the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
'It is an important responsibility for our nation to reflect on the deep wounds suffered by Okinawa, to look squarely at the foolishness and tragedy of war, and to do everything in our power to realize a peaceful and prosperous Okinawa,' Ishiba said.
Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki, in the prefecture's annual peace declaration, spoke of the desire to ensure the testimonies of the survivors would be heard by future generations.
'The reality and lessons of the Battle of Okinawa have been preserved through the stories of war survivors and validated by numerous studies. It is our mission, as those living in the present, to preserve and pass on the reality and lessons,' Tamaki said.
The governor also touched on present and future concerns on the global stage when he spoke of Okinawa's support for the abolishment of nuclear weapons.
Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki speaks at a ceremony in the Peace Memorial Park in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, on Monday. |
JIJI
'Looking at the world today, the number of war conflicts worldwide is said to be the highest since World War II, and the security environment has become even more complex, with nuclear powers indicating the possibility of using nuclear weapons. Okinawa, with its history of hardship, values, and spirit of creativity, earnestly hopes for a peaceful world without conflict,' Tamaki said.
The governor also touched on the presence of U.S. bases on the island. A total of 70.3% of Japanese land set aside for exclusive use by the U.S. military is concentrated in Okinawa Prefecture, a source of longstanding controversy between Okinawa and the central government.
'The people of Okinawa still bear a heavy burden from the concentration of U.S. military bases,' Ishiba said.
The prime minister noted the efforts to reduce that burden have yielded some results, pointing to the opening of a new advanced medical research facility in March on a former U.S. military residential complex near the U.S. Marine Futenma Air Base that was returned to Japan.
In addition, he said, the Okinawa business community announced plans last month for the economic redevelopment of land that will be returned by the U.S. to the prefecture. In recent years, Okinawa's economy has been helped by tourism, with over 9.9 million visitors in fiscal 2024, a more than 16% increase from the previous year.
But the base issue remains a point of concern for many Okinawans. Futenma Air Base, which lies in Ginowan, in the central part of the main island of Okinawa, is due to be relocated to Henoko, in the northern part of the prefecture, once a replacement facility is completed.
Construction continues, and no firm date for the facility's completion has been announced.
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