(Redirected from Okinawa)
is
Japan's southernmost
prefecture, and consists of hundreds of the
Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1,000 km long, which extends southwest from
Kyūshū (the southwesternmost of Japan's main four islands) to
Taiwan. Okinawa's capital,
Naha, is located in the southern part of the largest and most populous island,
Okinawa Island, which is approximately half-way between Kyūshū and Taiwan. The disputed
Senkaku Islands (
Chinese: Diaoyu Islands) are also administered as part of Okinawa Prefecture.
History
The oldest evidence of the human existences in the Ryukyu islands are discovered in
Naha City and
Yaese Town[1]. Some human bones in the
Paleolithic era were unearthed, but there is no clear Paleolith remains. Japanese
Jōmon influences are dominant in the
Okinawa Islands, although clay vessels in the
Sakishima Islands have a commonality with those in
Taiwan.
The first mention of the word ''Ryukyu'' was written in the
Book of Sui. This Ryukyu might refer to the Taiwan island, not Ryukyu islands. ''Okinawa'' was the Japanese word depicting the islands, first seen in the
biography of
Jianzhen, written in 779. Agricultural societies begun in the 8th century, have slowly developed to the 12th century. The islands locate in the center of the
East China Sea and relatively close to
Japan,
China and
South-East Asia. The
Ryūkyū Kingdom became a prosperous trading nation, and many
Gusukus, castle ruins constructed in this period. The Ryūkyū Kingdom had a
tributary relationship with
China in the 15th and 16th century.
In
1609 the
Satsuma clan, which controlled the region that is now
Kagoshima Prefecture invaded the Ryūkyū Kingdom. Following the invasion the Ryūkyū Kingdom surrendered to the Satsuma and was forced to tie a tributary relationship with
Satsuma and the
Tokugawa shogunate, in addition to their previous relationship with China. Ryukyuan sovereignty was maintained since entire absorption would create a problem with China. The Satsuma clan earned considerable profits from trades with China during a period in which foreign trades was heavily restricted by the shogunate.
Though Satsuma maintained strong influence over the islands, the Ryūkyū Kingdom maintained some degrees of domestic political freedom for two hundred years. Four years after the
1868 Meiji Restoration, the Japanese government officially annexed the kingdom and entitled it Okinawa
han. The
Qing Dynasty claimed that the islands had been subjected to China, but later withdrew the demand. The Okinawa han became a prefecture in
1879, while all other hans had became prefectures in
1872.
Following the
Battle of Okinawa and the end of
World War II in
1945, Okinawa was under the
United States administration for 27 years. During the trusteeship rule the USAF established numerous military bases on the Ryukyu islands.
In
1972, the U.S. government returned the islands to Japanese administration. Under the
Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, the
United States Forces Japan (USFJ) have maintained a large military presence there. 27000 personnel, including 15000 Marines, contingents from the Navy, Army and Air Force, and their 22,000 families are stationed in Okinawa.
[2] 18% of the main island was occupied as the US military bases and 75% of all USFJ base are located in Okinawa prefecture.
[3]
Many Okinawans oppose the large presence of the USFJ and demand the consolidation, reduction and removal of US military bases from Okinawa.
[4] Repeated accidents and crimes committed by the U.S. servicemen have deteriorated the local citizens' feeling about the military base. The Japanese and the US government consider the mutual security treaty and the USFJ absolutely necessary and neglected the awkward situation in Okinawa for decades. The
rape of a 12 year old girl by marines in 1995 triggered the large protest campaign in Okinawa and both of the governments agreed to the removal of the
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and minor bases, but the procedure is halted at the present time.
Geography
Major islands
The islands of Okinawa Prefecture.
The set of islands belonging to the prefecture is called Ryūkyū Shotō (琉球諸島). Okinawa's inhabited islands are typically divided into three geographical archipelagos. From northeast to southwest:
★
Okinawa Islands
★
★
Ie-jima
★
★
Kume
★
★
Okinawa Honto
★
★
Tokashiki
★
Miyako Islands
★
★
Miyako-jima
★
Yaeyama Islands
★
★
Iriomote
★
★
Ishigaki
★
★
Yonaguni
Cities
Map of Okinawa Prefecture.
Okinawa Prefecture includes eleven cities.
★
Ginowan
★
Ishigaki
★
Itoman
★
Miyakojima
★
Nago
★
Naha (capital)
★
Nanjo
★
Okinawa
★
Tomigusuku
★
Urasoe
★
Uruma
Towns and villages
These are the towns and villages in each
district.
Mergers
★ On
April 1,
2002, the villages of ''Gushikawa'' and ''Nakazato'' from
Shimajiri merged to form the new town of
Kumejima.
★ On
April 1,
2005, the cities of
Gushikawa and
Ishikawa and the towns of
Katsuren and
Yonashiro (both from
Nakagami District) merged to form the new city of
Uruma. Prior to the merger, both Gushikawa and Ishikawa were forced to merge into one city because both cities weren't making enough revenues for the prefecture
★ On
October 1,
2005, the city of
Hirara and the towns of
Irabu,
Gusukube,
Shimoji and the village of
Ueno (all from
Miyako District) merged to form the new city of
Miyakojima.
★ On
January 1,
2006, the town of
Kochinda and the village of
Gushikami from
Shimajiri District merged to form the new town of
Yaese.
(Merger Information Page)
★ On
January 1,
2006, the town of
Sashiki and the villages of
Tamagusuku,
Chinen and
Ozato (all from
Shimajiri District) merged to form the new city of
Nanjo.
(Merger Information Page)
Demography
Okinawa prefecture age pyramid as of
1 October 2003
(per 1000's of people)
| Age | People |
|---|
| 0-4 |  g50.png  g30.png  g05.png  g03.png  g01.png |
| 5-9 | g50.png g30.png  g10.png |
| 10-14 | g50.png g30.png g10.png g01.png g01.png |
| 15-19 | g50.png g30.png g10.png g05.png g03.png g01.png |
| 20-24 | g50.png g30.png g10.png g05.png g01.png |
| 25-29 |  g100.png g01.png g01.png |
| 30-34 | g100.png g03.png g01.png |
| 35-39 | g50.png g30.png g10.png g01.png g01.png |
| 40-44 | g50.png g30.png g10.png g05.png g01.png |
| 45-49 | g100.png g01.png |
| 50-54 | g100.png g05.png g01.png |
| 55-59 | g50.png g10.png g05.png g01.png g01.png |
| 60-64 | g50.png g10.png g05.png g03.png |
| 65-69 | g50.png g10.png g05.png g03.png g01.png |
| 70-74 | g50.png g05.png g01.png |
| 75-79 | g30.png g05.png g03.png g01.png |
| 80 + | g50.png g05.png g03.png |
Okinawa Prefecture age pyramid, divided by sex, as of
1 October 2003
(per 1000's of people)
| Men | Age | Women |
|---|
43 g30.png g10.png g05.png | 0-4 |  r30.png  r10.png  r03.png |
44 g30.png g10.png g05.png g01.png | 5-9 | r30.png r10.png r03.png |
45 g30.png g10.png g05.png g01.png g01.png | 10-14 | r30.png r10.png r03.png  r01.png |
48 g50.png | 15-19 | r30.png r10.png  r05.png r03.png |
46 g30.png g10.png g05.png g03.png | 20-24 | r30.png r10.png r05.png r01.png r01.png |
49 g50.png g01.png | 25-29 |  r50.png |
49 g50.png g01.png | 30-34 | r50.png r03.png |
43 g30.png g10.png g05.png | 35-39 | r30.png r10.png r05.png r01.png |
46 g30.png g10.png g05.png g03.png | 40-44 | r30.png r10.png r05.png r01.png r01.png |
49 g50.png g01.png | 45-49 | r30.png r10.png r05.png r03.png r01.png |
52 g50.png g05.png | 50-54 | r50.png |
32 g30.png g03.png | 55-59 | r30.png r03.png |
32 g30.png g03.png | 60-64 | r30.png r03.png r01.png |
32 g30.png g03.png | 65-69 | r30.png r05.png r01.png |
24 g10.png g10.png g05.png | 70-74 | r30.png |
14 g10.png g03.png g01.png | 75-79 | r10.png r10.png r03.png r01.png |
17 g10.png g05.png g03.png | 80 + | r30.png r10.png |
★ Source:
Japan Statistics Bureau (総務省 統計局)
Climate and nature
Gusuku ruins.
The island is largely composed of
coral rock, and rainwater filtering through that coral has given the island many
caves, which played an important role in the
Battle of Okinawa.
Gyokusendo, an extensive limestone cave in the southern part of Okinawa's main island, is a popular tourist attraction.
Okinawa is said to have the most beautiful beaches in all of Japan and normally enjoys temperatures above 20 degrees
Celsius for most of the year. Okinawa and the many islands that make up the prefecture boast some of the most abundant coral reefs found in the world. Rare blue corals are found off of Ishigaki and Miyako islands as are numerous species throughout the chain. Many
coral reefs are found in this region of Japan and wildlife is abundant.
Sea turtles return yearly to the southern islands of Okinawa to lay their eggs. The summer months carry warnings to swimmers regarding poisonous
jellyfish and other
dangerous sea creatures. Okinawa is a major producer of
sugar cane,
pineapple,
papaya, and other tropical fruit, and the
Southeast Botanical Gardens represent tropical plant species.
Okinawa has a very large proportion of population living to 100 years of age. This is attributed to their healthy diet rich in vegetables and fish. Okinawa also has the highest life expectancy rate in the world, with native men living on average to 90.1 years and native women living to an average of 93.2 years.
Language and culture
Shisa on a traditional tile roof.
Having historically been a separate nation, Okinawan language and culture differ considerably from that of mainland Japan. There remain numerous
Ryukyuan languages which are more-or-less incomprehensible to
Japanese speakers. These languages are in decline as the Mainland Japanese is being used by the younger generation. Many linguists, at least those outside Japan, consider Ryukyuan languages as different languages from Japanese, while they are generally perceived as "dialects" by mainland Japanese and Okinawans themselves. Standard Japanese is almost always used in formal situations. In informal situations, ''de facto'' everyday language among Okinawans under age 60 is Okinawa-accented mainland Japanese called (''Uchinā Yamatoguchi'' "Okinawan Japanese"), which is often misunderstood as Okinawan language proper, (''Uchināguchi'' "
Okinawan language"). ''Uchināguchi'' still is used in traditional cultural activities, such as
folk music, or . There is a radio news program in the language as well.
[1]
Okinawa also has its own
religious beliefs, generally characterized by ancestor worship and the respecting of relationships between the living, the dead, and the gods and spirits of the natural world.
Okinawan culture bears traces of its various trading partners. One can find
Chinese,
Thai and
Malaysian influences in the island's customs. Perhaps Okinawa's most famous cultural export is
karate, probably a product of the close ties with and influence of China on Okinawan culture. Karate is thought to be a synthesis of Chinese
kung fu with traditional Okinawan martial arts. A ban on weapons in Okinawa for two long periods after the invasion and forced annexation by Japan during the Meiji Restoration period also very likely contributed to its development.
Another traditional Okinawan product that owes its existence to Okinawa's trading history is
awamori—an Okinawan distilled spirit made from ''indica''
rice imported from
Thailand.
The people of Okinawa maintain a strong tradition of
pottery, textiles, and glass making.
Other prominent examples of Okinawan culture include the
sanshin—a three-stringed Okinawan instrument, closely related to the Chinese
sanxian, and ancestor of the Japanese
shamisen, somewhat similar to a
banjo. Its body is often bound with snakeskin (from
pythons, imported from elsewhere in Asia, rather than from Okinawa's poisonous
habu, which are too small for this purpose). Okinawan culture also features the
eisa dance, a traditional drumming dance. A traditional craft, the fabric named
bingata, is made in workshops on the main island and elsewhere.
Karate
Main articles: Karate
Karate originated on Okinawa. There are several styles, among them
Shotokan,
Shorin-Ryu,
Wado Ryu,
Uechi Ryu,
Goju Ryu,
Isshin-Ryu,
Shito-Ryu, Moto bu Ryu,
Shorinji Ryu, and
Shuri-ryu.
Architecture
A traditional Okinawan house
Okinawa has many remains of a unique type of castle or fortress called ''
Gusuku''. These are believed to be the predecessors of Japan's castles.
Whereas most homes in Japan are made with wood and allow free-flow of air to combat humidity, typical modern homes in Okinawa are made from concrete with barred windows (protection from flying plant matter) to deal with regular
typhoons. Roofs are also designed with strong winds in mind, with each tile cemented on and not merely layered as seen with many homes elsewhere in Japan.
Many roofs also display a statue resembling a lion or dragon, called a
''shisa'', which is said to protect the home from danger. Roofs are typically red in color and are inspired by Chinese design.
U.S. military controversy
US. Military Bases in Okinawa
Because the islands are close to mainland
China and
Taiwan, the United States has large military bases in the island. The area of 32 US bases are 233km
2, occupying 18% of the main island. 75% of the
United States Forces Japan base located in the relatively small Okinawa prefecture.
Most of Okinawans oppose the presence of the U.S. military
due to
noise pollution from military
drills,
aircraft accidents,
environmental destruction
[5], and
crimes committed by U.S. military personnel
[6]. The Okinawan prefectural government and all of local municipalities demand the withdrawal of the US militaries for 50 years
[7], but a fundamental solution was never performed by both of the Japanese and U.S. governments.
Consequent problems of military crimes (including
extraterritoriality), a base-dependent local economy, and other issues continue to arise in Okinawa and have their roots in the early post-war period. The
Yumiko Incident is notorious for the
rape and
murder of six-year-old Yumiko, in 1955. Isaac J. Hart, who was accused of the crime, was not convicted. Forty years later, on
September 4,
1995, three U.S. servicemen
abducted and raped a 12-year-old girl. At the time of
the incident, Japanese police could not arrest the men known to be involved because the
U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement gave US servicemen
immunity from local laws. Eventually by the political compromise, the soldiers were tried, and convicted in early 1996.
Anti-military base emotions erupted in some of the largest
protests in recent history.
[8] As a result of this incident
US-Japan agreements which were criticized for being too protective of US servicemen involved in crimes underwent revision and a movement to alleviate
civilian burden by reducing the size of US military bases got under way. In
November of 1995, a group called "Okinawan Women Act Against Military Violence" was organized to raise
awareness of crimes alleged to have been committed by U.S. military personnel on the
island.
Alleged US nuclear arms base
Japanese government strictly restrained the introduction of nuclear arms into the Japanese territory by the
non-nuclear policy (
Three Non-Nuclear Principles). Prior to the reversion of Okinawa to Japanese administration in 1972, it is reported that one thousand two hundred nuclear weapons were deployed in the US bases in Okinawa
[9]. Most of the weapons were stored in ammunition bunkers of the
Kadena Air Base, with
poison gas munitions.
There is wide range speculations that not all the weapons were removed from Okinawa.
[10]
Edwin O. Reischauer, former US ambassador to Japan, in a interview with the
Mainichi Shimbun in 1981, said that US naval ships armed with nukes stopped at Japanese ports on a routine duty, and this was approved by the Japanese government.
In the ''
Bulletin of Atomic Scientists'' in early
2000,
[2] [3] Robert S. Norris,
William M. Arkin, and
William Burr wrote that the
United States has placed
nuclear arms on Okinawa. This is disputed by the
American government.
MCAS Futenma relocation
The governments of the United States and Japan agreed on
October 26,
2005 to move the
Marine Corps Air Station
Futenma base from its location in the densely populated city of
Ginowan to the more northerly and remote
Camp Schwab. Under the plan, thousands of Marines will relocate. The move is partly an attempt to relieve tensions between the people of Okinawa and the Marine Corps. Protests from environmental groups and residents over the
construction of part of a
runway at Camp Schwab, and from businessmen and politicians around
Futenma and
Henoko, have occurred
[4].
The legality of the proposed
heliport relocation has been questioned as being a violation of
International Law, including the
World Heritage Convention, the
Convention on Biological Diversity and the
Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in an article titled
"Boundary Intersections of UNESCO Heritage Conventions: Using Custom and Cultural Landscapes to Save Okinawa’s Dugong Habitat from U.S. Heliport Construction". The article even questions whether the current use of Camp Schwab for
amphibious training violates these three
conventions.
Education
The
public schools in Okinawa are overseen by the
Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. The agency directly operates several public
high schools [5]. The US
Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) operates 12 schools total in Okinawa. Six of these schools are located on Kadena Air Base.
Sports
Soccer
★
F.C. Ryūkyū (
Naha)
In addition, various
baseball teams hold training during the
winter in the prefecture as it is the warmest prefecture of Japan with no
snow and higher
temperatures than other prefectures.
★
Softbank Hawks
★
Yokohama BayStars
★
Chunichi Dragons
★
Yakult Swallows
Transportation
Air transportation
★
Aguni Airport
★
Hateruma Airport
★
Ieshima Airport
★
Ishigaki Airport
★
Kerama Airport
★
Kita Daito Airport
★
Kumejima Airport
★
Minami Daito Airport
★
Miyako Airport
★
Naha Airport
★
Shimojijima Airport
★
Tarama Airport
★
Yonaguni Airport
Highways
★
Okinawa Expressway
★
Naha Airport Expressway
★
Route 58
★
Route 329
★
Route 330
★
Route 331
★
Route 332
★
Route 390
★
Route 449
★
Route 505
★
Route 506
★
Route 507
Rail
★
Okinawa Monorail
Ports
The major
ports of Okinawa include
★
Naha Port [6]
★ Port of
Unten [7]
★ Port of
Kinwan [8]
★
Nakagusukuwan Port [9]
★
Hirara Port [10]
★ Port of
Ishigaki [11]
United States military installations
★
Kadena Air Base
★
Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler
★
★
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
★
★
Camp Courtney
★
★
Camp Foster
★
★
Camp Hansen
★
★
Camp Kinser
★
★
Camp McTureous
★
★
Camp Schwab
★
★
Camp Gonsalves (Northern Training Area, Jungle Warfare Training Center)
★
Naha Military Port
★
Naval Facility White Beach
★
Camp Lester
★
Torii Station
★
Camp Shields
See also
★
Ryukyu Islands
★
Ryukyuan people
★
Ryukyu (Okinawan) Samurai
★
History of Ryukyu Islands
★
Ryukyuan religion
★
Ryukyu independence movement
★
Ryukyu Independent Party
★
Okinawan language
★
Okinawa Island
★
References
1. 山下町第１洞穴出土の旧石器について, 南島考古22
2. 沖縄県の基地の現状, Okinawa Prefectural Government
3. .沖縄に所在する在日米軍施設・区域, Japan Ministry of Defense
4. 語り継ぎたい「沖縄戦」, Okinawa Times, May 13, 2007
5. Impact on the Lives of the Okinawan Pepole (Incidents, Accidents and Environmental Issues), Okinawa Prefectural Government
6. 沖縄・米兵による女性への性犯罪(Rapes and murders by the US military personnel 1945-2000), 基地・軍隊を許さない行動する女たちの会
7. Military base Affairs Division, Okinawa prefecture
8. U.S. servicemen convicted in Okinawa rape, CNN, March 7, 1996
9. 完全撤去の保証を与えよ, Okinawa Times, October 22,1999
10. 疑惑が晴れるのはいつか, Okinawa Times, May 16, 1999
External links
★
Okinawa Prefecture
★
★ class=wikiexternal target=_blank>current=Page_Header&action=Top_Page&mode=isel&lang=en&name=header_en mahae plus - Okinawa Travel Information
★
Okinawa Language - English Dictionary
★
Okinawa Living & Outdoors Information on moving to and living in Okinawa Japan
★
Okinawa Information and Living Guides
News
★
Japan Update, news and information about Okinawa in English (updated every so often)
★
Okinawa 1988-1991 Blog, reporting news about Okinawa.
Geography and maps
★
Google Maps
Photographs
★
Okinawa HDR Photography
★
Pictures & Slideshows of Okinawa
★
Wonder Okinawa
Culture
★
Ryukyu Cultural Archives
★
Okinawa Prefecture Official Home-page
★
The Okinawa Centenarian Study
★
Okinawa Web Radio(BRAZIL)
History
Misc
★
The Contemporary Okinawa Website - History, culture, news, book reviews, historical documents, links, opinions
★
Okinawa Geocaching - site for
geocaching (treasure hunt with
GPS) in Okinawa.
Peace
★
Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum
★
Okinawa Peace Network of Los Angeles - Useful information on the U.S. military base controversy.
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