|
|
|
|
|
|
Special Report |
LAST UPDATE July 19, 2006
|
|
| site design imagesparkle.com |
| June 23, 2006 |
Okinawa Day |
|
| |
 |
| A moment of silence held for the lives lost in the Battle of Okinawa |
When the cicadas begin to sing, the locals of Okinawa know that another hot summer has arrived to their islands. The beginning of the summer season also marks the end of a bloody battle that was fought on its shores 61 years ago. Even before the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Battle of Okinawa raged through Japan's most Southern Prefecture for a total of 82 days. Each year on June 23rd, the people of Okinawa honor the Irei no Hi, the day of consoling spirits, as the end of the battle. This day memorialize the end of the battle that is often called the “Battle of Steel”, named for the intensity of gunfire used and the countless warships that spotted the Okinawan coastline. As the only combat to take place on Japanese soil during World War II, the casualties were high. Over 250,000 civilians, US and Japanese forces lost their lives in the battle. With many Peace Boat participants form Okinawa, a day of remembrance was held onboard the TSS Topaz.
At 11:50 am, over a hundred participants gathered at the front deck. Under clear blue skies, they faced South West, towards Okinawa and held a moment of silence in honor of those who lost their lives. |
site design imagesparkle.com |
 |
| Yeong Hwan Kim, Hiroaki Idaka and Yoshikatsu Tsukayama discuss the current US military presence in Okinawa and South Korea |
The day of honoring continued into the afternoon as a two part symposium was held. In the first session, two friends of over thirty years discussed the circumstances that lead up to the Battle of Okinawa. Guest Educator Hiroaki Idaka, former Kyodo News Journalist, and Yoshikatsu Tsukayama, former Okinawa Television Political Reporter recounted a brief history of Okinawa and brought the audience up to speed on the current situation. They share that the history of US involvement in the Okinawan islands did not end with World War II. Instead, the islands were handed over by the Japanese government to the United States in the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty. Recognizing that they played a strategic role in security in the Pacific Region, the US began to build military bases to station US forces there. Consequently many major military operations for the Korean and Vietnam War were launched form there. “Okinawa became a place of sacrifice,” said Mr. Tsukayama. |
| |
 |
| Participants play the traditional Okinawan string instrument Sanshin |
As Mr. Idaka was stationed in Naha, Okinawa for three years early in his journalism career, he covered news mostly of US military bases and its constant clash with locals. Idaka spoke of the strong opposition of the local peoples to the US military bases. “In 1970, Okinawan people burned US cars in protest,” he said. Mr.Idaka shared that even when the US administration presence withdrew in 1972, its military presence remained. A presence that has caused much disturbance, resentment and turmoil for the local population even today.
The second half of the symposium was started with the screening of the fifteen minute documentary “Marines Go Home.” In the film, a group of Okinawan locals canoed out to sea for 262 days to stop the building the newest US base. The film served as an example of the direct actions locals have taken to show their opposition to the US military presence. Guest Educator Yeong Hwan Kim, a Korean peace activist living in Japan, was invited on stage to talk about the growing influence of the US military presence in the Pacific region including South Korea. Together they discussed the necessity of military bases in Asia. |
| |
 |
| A traditional Okinawan performance complete with drums and summer kimonos |
In the evening, several youth from Okinawa organized an evening concert to share Okinawan culture with other Peace Boat participants. Ryuku style Karate was performed by GET teacher James Benson. Okinawa songs were sung and danced. Participants who had been practicing the traditional Japanese string instrument Sanshin for weeks performed.
Sisters Shouko and Atsuko Irei from Okinawa shared the unique Okinawana words of peace. “Yuimaru means to help one another. If we care about other people like the way we care about our families everyone in the world would be nice to each other. Nuchidoutakara means life is a treasure. Your life and my life are both precious, so we should value all our lives. If everyone holds these words in mind and put them into action then maybe peace is not such a difficult thing to achieve” said Atsuko.
On the vast Pacific Ocean, under the velvet blanket of stars, Peace Boat spent the night honoring Irei no Hi. “We are really happy that we have met people on this voyage and could spend today honoring this memorial day. We hope that today, June 23rd, will be remembered as a special day for peace, as it is a special day for Okinawans,” said Shouko. |
| |
|
|
|
