June 23, 2026

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

Okinawa on June 23 observes “Okinawa Memorial Day”. Systematic fighting by the Japanese military, which embroiled the local population and resulted in the loss of countless civilian lives, property, and cultural heritage, ended on this day 81 years ago.

During the 3-month-long battle, more than 122,000 Okinawan residents lost their lives, including 94,000 civilians and 28,228 soldiers, including civilian military employees. This equates to one in every four Okinawans being killed. In addition, 65,908 Japanese soldiers from outside Okinawa Prefecture and 12,520 U.S. soldiers lost their lives.

Facing defeat, the Japanese Imperial Army abandoned Okinawa in order to buy time to prepare for a decisive battle on Japan’s mainland and to wear down the U.S. military. Okinawa was treated as a sacrificial pawn in an attempt to preserve the national polity.

On April 1, 1945, U.S. troops landed on the main island of Okinawa. From that point on, local residents were subjected to fierce attacks by U.S. forces and also fell victim to Japanese soldiers who forced them out of their shelters, looted their food, massacred civilians, including infants and toddlers, and even compelled them to commit mass suicide. This is why the saying “the military doesn’t protect civilians” is prevalent in Okinawa.

The commander of the Okinawa Defensive Force, Ushijima Mitsuru, committed suicide in his command bunker at Mabuni Hill, bringing the Japanese army’s coordinated fighting to a close. However, resistance by Japanese soldiers continued thereafter, and it was not until September 7 that Japanese representatives signed a local instrument of surrender for the Nansei Islands.

The current Japanese government led by Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae is moving forward with plans to increase the deployment of Self-Defense Forces to the Nansei Islands and to strengthen joint Japan-U.S. operational capabilities. It has even drawn up plans to evacuate islanders to the mainland in anticipation of the islands turning into battlefields. It is only natural for Okinawans to cry out, “Don’t let the tragedy of the Battle of Okinawa be repeated.”

Past related articles:
> Akamine & JCP local assemblymembers on Okinawa Memorial Day pledge to work for peace [June 24, 2025]
> Gov’t plans to evacuate 110K residents as well as tourists from Sakishima Islands in case of Taiwan emergency [April 2, 2025]