With the signing of the 1952 San Francisco Treaty, Japan became an independent nation once again, no longer under U.S. military occupation, but Okinawa was left in a gray area. Okinawa was essentially sacrificed by Japan for the sake of getting U.S. protection from the Soviet and Chinese threat. No Okinawan representative was present when the island chains future was discussed and decided. Instead, a Government of Ryukyu Islands (GRI) was established in 1952 with hand picked Okinawans to fill the posts. A United States Civil Administration of Ryukyus (USCAR) was set up, headed by a U.S. High Commissioner, an Army General, and staffed with US State Department officers. USCAR dictated what GRI could or could not do. So, in reality, Okinawa did not have a government, it was the U.S. that controlled everything. Okinawan people held "partial" Japanese citizenship, since under the 1952 Treaty, Japan had "residual sovereignty" over the Ryukyu Islands while the U.S. had a "trusteeship" of sorts.
Needless to say, Okinawans were not happy with this status. They were neither "fish nor fowl," neither Japanese nor U.S. subjects. At the same time, actually even before the 1952 Treaty, the Okinawan Communist Party was established around 1950. It was started by the Japanese Communist Party which continued to have a very strong influence on Okinawan "nationalist" movement. The Okinawan communists were the first ones to start pushing for reversion to Japan. The main interest of Okinawan communist party (as with Japanese communist party) was to get rid of U.S. presence.
When reversion talks started to take place in earnest in the late 1960s and early 1970s, there was a lot of unrest on Okinawa. Okinawa was experiencing an increase in violent crimes committed by American G.I.s, supposedly those who returned from Vietnam. Some of the violence that was attributed to the G.I.s was actually committed by others, most notably the yakuza which had started a war of its own. The Japanese gangs were trying to move in on Okinawa and violence erupted over territorial disputes. At the same time there were demonstrations, pro and con reversion. In Koza, the largest "entertainment" district for American G.I.s, many bar owners held anti reversion demonstrations and they clashed with those who demonstrated for reversion! Anti reversionists started to make their voices heard.
Genwa Nakasone, a respected politician stated that Okinawa made far more progress in several decades under American rule than several centuries under Japanese rule! Those were pretty strong words! Chotoku Ogimi, the founder of Rykyuan Nationalist Party suggested that conditions for Okinawans would be much worst under Japanese, that they would be treated as second class citizens. Ogimi even suggested that Okinawa should push to become a U.S. protectorate and possibly a territory in the future. He wanted to establish mandatory English language classes starting in kindergarten! Akira Arakawa, another noted politician went so far as to say that Japan's only interest in Okinawa was its land, which they could trade with U.S. for its military protection. Arakawa said that Okinawans would be relegated to the bottom of Japanese society! Interestingly, during this entire period when reversion talks were taking place between Japan and the U.S., there was not a single Okinawan representative involved! Japanese government had adamantly opposed any participation by Okinawans in the discussion of their future! Incredible! It seems that even before the reversion took place, Okinawans were already treated as an underclass!
Perhaps the most telling point was the comments made by Okinawa's most respected and famous politician, Junji Nishime. Nishime was one of the rare Okinawans who succeeded in Japan before reversion despite discrimination against Okinawans. He graduated from Todai (Tokyo University), a school that is almost a "must" if you want to succeed in Japanese government. He served in various high posts in Japanese government including in the Diet (Parliament) and was a Mayor of Naha and three time Governor of Okinawa (1978 - 90). He was a true Okinawan success story. Yet, he stated that despite all his achievements, he failed to assimilate Japanese identity! He said he always felt acutely his menzokushugi, Okinawan identity, nationalism!
Despite proclamation by mostly young Okinawans today that they are Japanese, Okinawans refer to themselves as uchina, while anyone from the main islands of Japan are called yamato. Although the Okinawan language (dialect) is not used as widely as before, it is still used in the villages, and the Japanese used on Okinawa is different from Japanese spoken on the main islands.
Recently, UNESCO questioned why there was no attempt by Japanese government to preserve Okinawan culture and language, which is distinctive. The Japanese government has been trying to preserve the Ainu culture and language, but no attempt has been made to do so with Okinawan culture. Okinawans themselves have tried to preserve some of their culture on their own. Apparently the Japanese government does not feel it is important.
The most recent controversy over U.S. bases has to do with the USMC Air Facility in Futenma. It is located in a very crowded area in Ginowan City and has been a bone of contention ever since it was established. The U.S. has agreed to move the facility and Japanese government chose Henoko, in north central Okinawa, just outside of the huge USMC facility, Camp Schwab. The problem is that the new facility is to be built on a piece of land that juts out into the sea, and the runway is to be built over an existing coral reef. The building of the runway will destroy much of the coral reef that is now home to the sea life in Henoko Bay. In January, when Takeshi Onaga, a new socialist Governor of Okinawa was elected, construction was halted. Onaga had run for offie on the platform that he would stop any new base construction. However, Tokyo government ordered that the construction be resumed and it started again on the 16th of this month! In short, the Tokyo government simply overruled the local government, without consultation or any discussion. As local papers said, "Tokyo runs roughshod over Okinawa!"
Okinawa may be a prefecture of Japan and Okinawans Japanese citizens, but it seems that the government in Tokyo thinks otherwise. Okinawa's representatives in Japanese government are apparently powerless to do anything, they are representatives in name only and Okinawan people really do not have any representation!
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