Myth, Protest and Struggle in Okinawa (The University of Sheffield/Routledge Japanese Studies Series)

Okinawan people have developed a unique tradition of protest in their long history of oppression and marginalization. Beginning with the Ryukyu Kingdom's annexation to Japan in the late nineteenth century, Miyume Tanji charts the devastation caused by the Second World War, followed by the direct occupation of post-war Okinawa and continued presence of the US military forces in the wake of reversion to Japan in 1972. With ever more fragmented organizations, identities and strategies, Tanji explores how the unity of the Okinawan community of protest has come to rest increasingly on the politics of myth and the imagination. Drawing on original interview material with Okinawan protestors and in-depth analysis of protest history, Myth, Protest and Struggle in Okinawa will appeal to scholars of Japanese history and politics, and those working on social movements and protest. This Book Analyses The Various Ways And Reasons People In Okinawa Have Engaged In Protest Against The Us Military Since World War Ii And The Links Between Such Phenomena And Earlier Traditions Of Protest Which Are Popularly Encapsulated In The Idea Of An 'okinawan Struggle'. Introduction : A Community Of Protest In Okinawa -- Diversity And Unity In The Community Of Protest -- Annexation And Assimilation : Ambiguous Origins -- The Battle Of Okinawa And 'okinawan Pacifism' -- The First Wave : Opposition To Us Military Land Acquisition -- The Second Wave : Towards Reversion -- The Anti-war Landowners And The Progressive Coalition : The Constitutional Framing Of Protest -- Kin Bay And Shiraho : Emergence Of New Social Movements -- The Third Wave And Beyond : The Power Of Unai And The Dugongs -- Conclusion. Miyume Tanji. Series Numbering From Publisher's List In Later Volume. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [208]-226) And Index. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 6 Copyright......Page 7 Dedication......Page 8 Contents......Page 10 Maps and figures......Page 11 Acknowledgements......Page 12 Abbreviations......Page 14 Glossary......Page 15 1 Introduction: A community of protest in Okinawa......Page 22 2 Diversity and unity in the community of protest......Page 32 3 Annexation and assimilation: Ambiguous origins......Page 42 4 The Battle of Okinawa and ‘Okinawan pacifism’......Page 57 5 The first wave: Opposition to US military land acquisition......Page 74 6 The second wave: Towards reversion......Page 98 7 The anti-war landowners and the progressive coalition: The constitutional framing of protest......Page 127 8 Kin Bay and Shiraho: Emergence of new social movements......Page 148 9 The third wave and beyond: The power of Unai and the dugongs......Page 171 Conclusion......Page 198 Notes......Page 202 Bibliography......Page 229 Index......Page 248 The author provides an analysis of the various ways and reasons people in Okinawa have engaged in protest against the US military since the Second World War and the link between these events and the cultural tradition of protest in this community.