00:00Okinawa is an archipelago in southern Japan, representing only 0.6% of the country's total
00:07area, yet these islands house approximately 70% of all U.S. military assets stationed
00:15on Japanese territory.
00:17Local organizations fear that Okinawa could become a target in future conflicts and oppose
00:22the heavy militarization of the region.
00:25Keiko Ionaha is one of the leaders of the Demilitarization and Peace Movement.
00:29In my opinion, the root of all the problems in Okinawa still lies with the U.S. military
00:39bases.
00:40Recently, even the Self-Defense Forces bases have become part of the problem.
00:45I believe that almost all the problems Okinawa faces stem from these U.S. military bases.
00:52Beyond that, there are issues like sexual assault against women, as well as accidents caused
00:57by American soldiers.
00:59For example, helicopters or jets crashing in Okinawa.
01:04There are also problems like soil contamination.
01:07Phaminawa is a city of nearly 13,000 inhabitants with more than 80% of its territory occupied by
01:19U.S. military bases.
01:21Yoshihiro Fukuchi is one of the leaders of an organization
01:24pursuing legal action to stop the noise pollution
01:28caused by the U.S. aircraft, including F-35.
01:32At least from my perspective, it is highly anomalous
01:37that while the courts acknowledge that local residents
01:39have indeed suffered damages caused by noise generated
01:42within Japan's own territory,
01:44they simultaneously assert that there are no legal remedies available.
01:48This leads us to question,
01:50is Japan truly a sovereign state?
01:53Does Japan lack the rights inherent to any sovereign nation?
01:57We have reflected deeply on this question.
02:02The occupation of the archipelago occurred
02:05after the so-called Battle of Okinawa
02:07at the end of World War II in 1945.
02:10According to the Okinawa prefectural government,
02:13more than 100,000 civilians died,
02:15victims of the U.S. or Japanese forces,
02:18forced suicides, starvation, and disease.
02:22After Japan's defeat, Okinawa remained under direct
02:25U.S. military administration for 27 years, until 1972.
02:31Takamatsu Gushiken from the organization
02:33No More Battle of Okinawa
02:34is dedicated to recovering the remains of war victims.
02:38The reason I oppose military bases in Okinawa
02:43is to prevent Okinawa from becoming a battlefield again.
02:48This comes from my own experience.
02:50From the age of 28 until now, at 71,
02:54I have long dedicated myself
02:56to collecting the remains of those who died in the Battle of Okinawa.
02:59This work involves returning the remains to their families.
03:04And throughout this process,
03:06I have constantly felt a profound problem.
03:09Those who became victims were not just soldiers.
03:13There were ordinary residents,
03:15elderly people, children, and women.
03:17From Beijing in China,
03:20Mauro Ramos reporting for Telescope.
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