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Okinawa marks 73rd anniversary of end of World War II battle

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Onaga is anti-Japan!

And nothing has developed from NK yet. Nothing at all

3 ( +6 / -3 )

What's with the "Mao" shirt? Okinawa suffered terribly because people like Shinzo refused to face the obvious and surrender.

5 ( +13 / -8 )

"a World War II ground battle that claimed over 200,000 lives, "

Thanks a lot, Japanese Imperial Army. Thank goodness there's no chance of that being resurrected again, right?

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

here a excellent documentary about the battle of Okinawa done by NHK, it shows with documented facts the atrocities the IJA committed against the people of Okinawa.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWP_qhFnXoc

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Okinawa should declare independence from Japan

-7 ( +5 / -12 )

I think Abe was at Osaka this morning and he is already in Okinawa in the afternoon. The hardest working man in Japan. Abe-san "Gokurosama-desu." It is easy people criticize him but nobody will work as hard as Abe.

-7 ( +8 / -15 )

"Okinawa should declare independence from Japan"

A little late for that now, that would be like Scotland declaring independence from the U.K. Wait a minute...

OK, sure, why not? But probably there won't be enough votes for that at this point.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Abe is thinking,

Why do I have to come here?They were not true Japanese only cannon fodder.I better put on a serious face though even though I don't care a fig.

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

CrickyToday  04:13 pm JST

“What's with the "Mao" shirt?”

Okinawan formal wear. But even if it was a “Mao shirt”, what’s your problem with what he’s wearing?

6 ( +7 / -1 )

SchopenhauerToday  04:35 pm JST

“I think Abe was at Osaka this morning and he is already in Okinawa in the afternoon.”

Are you sure? I think he was in Osaka on Thursday the 21st, and in Okinawa on Saturday the 23.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Educaotor60

I saw him in Osaka in front of the wall of the school on NHK TV before noon today. It might have been replay. I am sorry.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Cant understand Japan. Why does Japan put up with lies?

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Three years ago in Okinawa Abe was heckled and told to "go home." The man's a grotesque hypocrite; he'll be sending a "donation" to Yasukuni in August as usual.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/23/japan-pm-shinzo-abe-heckled-okinawa-battle-anniversary

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Serrano, the majority of the death toll is Okinawan civilians. Almost double the combined military fatalities were civilians deaths. 149,193 Civilians perished.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

So sad that imperial Japan sacrificed so many Okinawan citizens then. May the truth not be forgotten.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

The winners of wars tend to want to keep something to show for their victory. The Philippines is an example in the Spanish American War, but the US couldn’t hold on to it. It’s time for the people of Japan to claim its own territory...73 years.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

No problem with fashion that's his mums prerogative, but formal wear is a tad on the Mau Kim side

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

The first speech was from the Gov. Takeshi Onaga and he was as usual against the current Abe's government + USA military bases, something normal from the statements he did in the past. The next speech was from a Jr, High School girl student who expressed what's the meaning of peace almost without checking her script with a very expressive tone, next was PM Abe the same speech I heard all those years he visited Okinawa, he was his head down checking his script and never expressed by heart. Only to see those 3 speeches I felt sad Okinawa to be much a political territory still concerns USA military, and the speech of that girl vanished in this political affair.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Eiki Higa, 82, from the city of Naha who was praying in front of the names of his father and older brothers inscribed on the monument. "I still don't know where my brothers died. We should never have a war again."

It is not hard to sympathize with Higa’s loss. Wanting an end to wars is a natural human emotion- especially from those experiencing the pain of loss an the horrific results of warfare. Yet at the same time it is just as natural for human beings to pursue war or other forms of egregious aggressive tactics for selfish gain. The importance of basing so many American military assets in Okinawa all these years after the most horrific war in history was merely a nod towards the reality of human nature.

The conditions that existed in the immediate aftermath of WWII subsided but China’s quite takeover of strategically important territory in the Western Pacific threaten to put the region right back. Japan is in a quandary. They would be better off copying what the South Koreans have done. Radically build up their own military and reduce American forces to a presence that acts as a trip wire for American involvement in any attacks on Japan.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Abby never misses a photo op!!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

There was an Okinawa Kingdom before 1879! There is not Japan's soil!That battle just erased everything the authenic Okianawa civilization had left, this is the thing should be honoured not tgat 94000 Japanese military personals, they werr invaders!

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

"Developments toward detente have begun," Gov Takeshi Onaga said in his peace declaration, referring to the recent historic summit between the U.S. and North Korean leaders in Singapore, adding that an ongoing plan to relocate a key U.S. military base within the prefecture despite opposition from local people "goes against the trend."

So instead of running to the US or the Hague, where no one listens to you, and while you are jumping on Trumps bandwagon, why not go get a summit with Kim in NK and see what he has to say to you!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

BTW, for the ignorant remarks about the clothes they are wearing, those are formal "kariyushi" wear, the black one's are worn for funerals or solemn events marking the anniversary of a death or like here, Okinawa's Memorial day.

They are most definitely NOT Mao shirts, and I'll bet that the folks who made rude comments about them, can't afford to buy one, hence the comments!

6 ( +7 / -1 )

"...with its governor reiterating calls for the reduction of U.S. forces in the island prefecture, citing easing tensions with North Korea."

He was calling for the reduction when they were increasing, so what of it? He'd call for reduction with a fox, he'd call for it in a box, he'd call for it in the rain, he'd call for it on a train, he'd call for it in the woods if there were no one else to hear.... the man will call for it and say it's for whatever reason suits him at the time, when it's all utter rubbish. And if he is now saying we should reduce the US forces because the threat is easing, will he admit they are necessary when talks break down tomorrow? Nope. He'll say it's the US presence that caused talks to break down.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

The battle didn’t officially start till April 1945. Small correction

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

"There was an Okinawa Kingdom before 1879! There is not Japan's soil!!

Just a little bit of research will teach you that there was a Ryukyu Kingdom, never an Okinawan one!

Okinawa is how the Japanese called/call the Ryukyus; therefore Okinawa is the Japanese name for that same defunct kingdom that "died" de facto in 1609. 

The formal abolishment in 1879, with the consequent establishment of the Prefecture was just that, formality.

As for Okinawa not being Japan, until the day Okinawans have their own Passport saying Okinawa Republic or whatever, they are and will remain Japanese, whether you like it or not!

I sincerely hope you're not suggesting that archipelagos throughout the world are prevented from forming unitary states/countries, or that Alaska and Hawaii are not REALLY part of the US of A.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The battle didn’t officially start till April 1945. Small correction

Typical American point of view and quite wrong as well.

The battle, itself, started on March 26th with the invasion of the Kerama Island's, a part of Okinawa, and a part of the overall battle. Read and learn!

http://warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/wwii/kerama-retto-key-to-victory-at-okinawa/

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I sincerely hope you're not suggesting that archipelagos throughout the world are prevented from forming unitary states/countries, or that Alaska and Hawaii are not REALLY part of the US of A.

Lol! You can ask many Japanese people "Have you ever been to the USA?" Many will answer "No". Then ask them if they have ever traveled abroad, the same will answer, "Yes! I've been to Hawaii!"

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Back on topic please.

And how many of those insisted, even after being kindly enlightened by you of the errors of their ways, that Hawaii is not part of the US of A? How many pointed out that there was once a Kingdom of Hawaii, therefore the only way is independence?!

Okinawa will continue to be Japan until they (plus the rest of the country) decide otherwise.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The winners of wars tend to want to keep something to show for their victory. The Philippines is an example in the Spanish American War, but the US couldn’t hold on to it. It’s time for the people of Japan to claim its own territory...73 years.

Yes they should get rid of the occupation army one day and rebuild their forces :)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Lol! You can ask many Japanese people "Have you ever been to the USA?" Many will answer "No". Then ask them if they have ever traveled abroad, the same will answer, "Yes! I've been to Hawaii!"

Too many rednecks living on Hawaii already acting as 'in charge' and treating the indigenous peeps like pets :)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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