Okinawa Memorial Day: Excessive Burdens of Bases Must Be Reduced

Editorial

14:59 JST, June 24, 2025

June 23 is designated as “Memorial Day,” as that is the day on which systematic fighting by the former Japanese military in Okinawa Prefecture is deemed to have ended. This year’s Memorial Day fell on Monday, and a memorial service was held that day in the city of Itoman in the prefecture for all the war dead.

Eighty years have passed since the end of the Battle of Okinawa, which took place during the final days of the Pacific War. The resolve never to repeat such a tragic war must be renewed, and this commitment needs to be passed on to future generations.

Even as long as eight decades after the end of World War II, the wounds of battle have not become a thing of the past.

On June 9, an unexploded ordnance believed to have been used by the U.S. military during the Battle of Okinawa exploded in the village of Yomitan, and four members of the Ground Self-Defense Force who were checking the ordnance were taken to the hospital. About 1,900 tons of unexploded munitions are estimated to remain in the prefecture.

The Self-Defense Forces are urged to make every effort to eliminate the danger posed by unexploded ordnance while taking all necessary safety precautions.

Over 200,000 people lost their lives during the Battle of Okinawa, including Japanese and American military personnel and Okinawan residents. One in four Okinawan residents are believed to have died.

The Japanese military retreated to the southern part of the main Okinawa island as it continued to resist in an attempt to delay a decisive mainland battle. This is said to have increased the suffering of the residents. As a result, the people of Okinawa feel strongly that they sacrificed themselves for mainland Japan.

In addition, 70% of U.S. military facilities in Japan are still concentrated in Okinawa Prefecture. Some of the U.S. military units stationed in Okinawa, such as those of the U.S. Marine Corps, are essential for the defense of the Nansei Islands. However, the situation in which 70% of the bases are located in Okinawa Prefecture, which accounts for only 0.6% of Japan’s total land area, must be improved.

The government must steadily work toward the reduction of U.S. military bases in the prefecture and the relocation of exercises outside the prefecture. It is important to empathize with the feelings of the people of Okinawa and strive to reduce their burden.

At the same time, the government must face the reality that the security environment around Okinawa Prefecture is rapidly deteriorating. China is increasing its military pressure on Taiwan. It has repeatedly intruded into Japan’s territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands of Okinawa Prefecture, and it does not hide its ambition to change the status quo by force.

To prevent Okinawa Prefecture from again becoming a battlefield, it is important to strengthen the defense capabilities of the Nansei Islands to prepare for a contingency.

The government is considering renovating the airport on Ishigakijima Island, including extending the runway, to enable the SDF to use it in a contingency. However, progress has not been made due to opposition from the prefecture, which manages the airport.

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki opposes the enhancement of defense capabilities, arguing that U.S. military bases and SDF camps could become targets of attack. However, merely asserting this “theory of entrapment” will not ensure the safety of the people of Okinawa.

The government also lacks sufficient willingness to engage in dialogue with the prefecture. It is important to persistently explain that strengthening deterrence is also in the interest of Okinawa.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 24, 2025)