Okinawa’s dilemma: struggles between national security and local interests
With 70 percent of the U.S. military sites in Japan, Okinawa holds both geographic and historical significance, especially as China’s aggression has increased over the past ten years. Yet, issues including the environmental burden of military presence, security concerns, economic struggles, and anti-war sentiment have constantly fueled local opposition and enlarged the gap between the island and mainland Japan.
Since the end of WWII, the U.S. has consistently expanded its military presence around the Okinawa prefecture with military installations and troops. Today, there are 31 military bases in Okinawa; of these, Kadena Air Base and the Futenma Air Station are the most important. It is estimated that there are around 30,000 U.S. soldiers stationed in Okinawa, though the Pentagon has never announced the precise number. For Okinawans, however, American military personnel impede on their daily lives instead of providing protection or security.
It is critical for the U.S.-Japan alliance to sustain American military bases in Okinawa Its strategic location has been used to deter rising Chinese military power and political ambition. Largely due to China’s increasing activities threatening regional stability, Okinawa has transformed into a “combat zone,” according to the Japanese government. Ever since former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, China has heightened the scale of its military drills around the waters near both Taiwan and Okinawa.
The increasing regional tension has pushed the Japanese government and the Pentagon to strengthen Okinawa’s defense readiness. Its location in the First Island Chain - only a 1.5-hour flight to Taiwan - has made Okinawa a critical diplomatic and strategic stronghold. Since 2019, the Japan Self-Defense Force has installed 7 more military bases in Okinawa. Earlier this year, the U.S. deployed the Patriot Advanced Capability-3, an air and missile defense system, on Okinawa’s closest island to Taiwan with the purpose of “countering North Korea”, yet the move is suspected to be deterring acts of Chinese aggression. In the potential Cross-Strait War, Okinawa, with numerous U.S. troops and Japan Self-Defense Force bases, would serve as a midpoint for the international alliance. However, residents are more preoccupied with the direct, current effects the large military presence has.
The debate over how to handle the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma has been a major challenge for the Japanese government. In 1996, former U.S. President, Bill Clinton, promised to return the land due to massive protests following the rape of a 12-year-old by American soldiers. Not willing to risk the evacuation of U.S. troops in Japan, the Japanese government instead planned out the relocation of the base despite local opposition. Japan’s top court has recently approved this move, denying Okinawans' resistance. The government will proceed to relocate the Futenma station from the West to the East of Okinawa Island.
Yet, the overwhelming opposition to the U.S. military occupation still prevails among Okinawa’s civilian residents who carry the trauma of the island’s history. Okinawa experienced severe wartime violence and massive casualties during the Battle of Okinawa during World War II. Civilians were forced to fight in the war at the frontline. Japanese troops even falsely accused locals of espionage and subsequently carried out executions. The history of Okinawa was erased after the war, sowing the seeds of generational trauma. The Battle of Okinawa critically shaped the identity of Okinawa’s residents, and the collective memory of wartime violence has further intensified the anti-military sentiment.
Aside from a reminder of gruesome history, the American military bases have burdened the Okinawans in other aspects, environmental issues being one of the main concerns for residents. The relocation of the Futenma Air Station to Henoko Bay is likely to destroy the fragile seafloor of coral and seagrass with more than 5,000 marine species. The U.S. military installations, moreover, have been revealed to leak PFAs, or “forever chemicals,” into rivers and underground. Non-stop military exercises have also resulted in significant noise pollution and safety concerns. In 2017, debris from a military helicopter fell and injured an elementary school student, provoking public outrage.
Okinawa is also burdened with serious criminal incidents committed by American military personnel. Okinawa’s rage and resentment over the aforementioned rape of a child in 1995 has persisted. According to the organization, Okinawan Women Act Against Military Violence, U.S. service members have committed more than 350 sexual assaults in Okinawa. Crimes conducted by American soldiers only intensify Okinawans’ generational trauma since WWII, enhancing the animosity towards the many military bases.
COVID-19 further amplified locals’ resentment toward the U.S. military sites. American staff were exempt from the required PCR testing to enter Okinawa, fueling infections on the island. Denny Tamaki, governor of Okinawa since 2018, addressed the frustration of the conflict between local interest and national security. “It is extremely regrettable that the infections are rapidly spreading among U.S. personnel when we Okinawans are doing our utmost to contain the infections.” The pandemic outbreak further hindered Okinawa’s tourist industry, frustrating the locals.
While it is widely thought that Okinawa is highly dependent on the economic income brought by the U.S. stations, the main economic source that supports Okinawa is, in fact, tourism. Okinawa does not have a strong economy and is the poorest prefecture in Japan. The island suffers from the lowest average income and highest unemployment rate in the country due to its weak industrial environment. Governor Tamaki and local civic groups argue that land returned by the U.S. can create employment opportunities and promote economic growth. The land in Naha city, for example, was originally a U.S. military base. After its return to the Okinawan government, it is expected to generate 32 times the economic benefits and 93 times the employment rate compared to its previous military use.
Okinawa maintains its position against the U.S. military presence. Besides economic, safety, and criminal issues, what haunts the Okinawa locals the most is the higher risk of becoming a warzone should the conflict between China and the U.S. escalate further. For the Japanese government, the challenge to strike a balance between national security and local public opinion still lies ahead. The regional tension will possibly shape Japan’s next general election in 2025, allowing Okinawans to express their frustrations. From WWII to the U.S.-China competition, they are tired of being the superpowers’ battlefield.
Photo Credit: The Nation