Election debate moderator Steve Paikin on what he's expecting, how he's preparing
Steve Paikin, TVO journalist and moderator for the English-language leaders' debate, says it takes a lot of research to prepare for the broadcast, but thinking on your feet is vital as well.
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Japan Forward
13 hours ago
- Japan Forward
The Legacy of the Ryukyu Kingdom: An Okinawa History
A new book by historian Kurayoshi Takara explores the history and resilience of the Ryukyu people and region with insights into today's Okinawa. The Legacy of the Ryukyu Kingdom: An Okinawa History (March 2025) is essential reading for anyone interested in East Asian history, maritime diplomacy, and indigenous identity. Available in both English and Japanese, Kurayoshi Takara's work is both a tribute to the resilience of the Ryukyuan people and a reminder of the enduring legacies of cultural encounter and adaptation. It is a vital contribution to the growing body of literature that seeks to restore Ryukyu to its rightful place in regional and global history. I first met the author, Kurayoshi Takara, in 2000. It was around the time Okinawa Prefecture was preparing to help host that year's G8 Summit, as it was then called. It was the fourth time for Japan to host the annual gathering of leaders of the major democratic industrial nations. However, it was the first time the summit was held outside the capital city of Tokyo. As a regular visitor to Okinawa and playing a minor role in some of the events, I vividly recall the excitement. Shuri Castle, Naha, Okinawa. Takara, then a professor at the University of the Ryukyus, was closely involved with the local preparations. One event was a dinner at Shuri Castle. He had played a major role in its reconstruction in the late 1980s and early 1990s, after its destruction in the Battle of Okinawa. The summit was widely seen as a success, despite the passing of Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, who had chosen Okinawa as the main site shortly before. I next met Takara in 2013, after he had retired from the university. He was serving as vice governor of the prefecture, and I was oneral Une of sevited States Marine Corps officials briefing him on an issue of mutual concern. We sat directly across from one another, two scholars-turned-public officials seeking to bridge the gap. Whether as a scholar or an appointed official, I always found Takara, who has authored more than 20 books and countless reports, to be fair, knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. His love for Okinawan history and culture is sincere and deep. And so is his ability to penetrate to the heart of the matter while respecting other opinions. A native of Izena Island, Takara has always been an independent thinker when it comes to his studies of Okinawan ー or Ryukyuan ー history. He asks questions, not knowing where the answers and documents will take him. This takes enormous courage and confidence. As a result, he has been able to develop his own theories on the history of the Ryukyu Kingdom and its tributary and semi-suzerainty relationship under Japan. He makes clear that Okinawa was never a part of China. "Pines and Waves at Ryudo" from the series, "Eight Views of the Ryukyu Islands" by Hokusai (Urasoe Art Museum via Wikimedia Commons) Previously, Takara was a specialist at the Okinawa Historical Materials Editorial Office. He was also director of the Urasoe City Library, chief examiner at Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum, and executive director of the Okinawa History Research Society. In his new book, he examines the formation of Ryukyuan identity over the course of nearly 200 pages. The book was originally published in 1993, after the opening of Shuri Castle and the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Okinawa's reversion to Japan following 27 years of US occupation and administration. It is divided into seven chapters, including an Introduction and Conclusion, accompanied by a number of smaller essays. (Book cover) ForewordPreface to the English EditionIntroductionI Discovering the KingdomII Ancient RyukyuIII Ryukyu in AsiaIV The Kingdom of WritsV The Organization of the KingdomConclusion Postscript Takara also includes a helpful 10-page historical timeline, which compares events in Okinawa to those of mainland Japan and the rest of the region, including China, Korea, and Southeast Asia. In the meantime, he has been busy at work on the restoration of Shuri Castle after a tragic fire destroyed most of it in 2019. The book offers a sweeping yet accessible chronicle of the Ryukyu Kingdom, which thrived from the 15th to the 19th century before its annexation by Japan in 1879. Takara traces the kingdom's development from its early formation under King Shō Hashi to its role as a tributary state to both Ming/Qing China and Tokugawa Japan. One of the central themes is the kingdom's unique position as a maritime hub. It is a small island polity that skillfully navigated the regional power dynamics of East Asia. This history is particularly accessible because Takara and his colleagues carefully gathered documents throughout Okinawa and other parts of the world over the years. Takara personally visited homes in remote locations to uncover writs of appointment to analyze how the Ryukyuan Kingdom was administered. He also traveled to Southeast Asia starting in 1974, and China beginning in 1981, to see how overseas trade developed. As a fellow "boots on the ground" type of writer, I also understand the time, work, and money involved in that kind of research. As such, it would not be an exaggeration to say that without Takara's efforts, much of what we know about Okinawan history would be unknown or long since forgotten. Or worse, it would be misrepresented and misappropriated by China. At the same time, Takara also does not shy away from the more painful aspects of Ryukyuan history. He critically examines the annexation by Meiji Japan and the subsequent erasure of Ryukyuan identity, language, and autonomy. This adds a further poignant layer to the book, inviting readers to reflect on the legacy of colonization and cultural survival in modern Okinawa. US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma reclamation work also continues in Oura Bay off the coast of Henoko, Nago City, in Okinawa. August, 2024. The writing is clear and elegant, with an outstanding translation by Lina J Terrell that retains the nuance of the original Japanese. The inclusion of historical documents, maps, and artwork enriches the text and also offers a more immersive reading experience. Readers will certainly enjoy and benefit from this book, which came out in 2025 on the 80th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa. Title: The Legacy of the Ryukyu Kingdom: An Okinawa History Author: Kurayoshi Takara Translator: Lina J Terrell Publisher: Japan Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture (JPIC International) Versions: Hardcover and E-book, English and Japanese ISBN: 9784866582580 For additional information: Visit the publisher's website or any online bookseller. Reviewed by: Robert D Eldridge, PhD Dr Eldridge is a former political advisor to the US Marine Corps in Japan and author of numerous books on Japanese political and diplomatic history. Previously, he was a 2024 Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Fellow at Tamkang University and is a consultant on a broad spectrum of Japan-related matters.
Winnipeg Free Press
14 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Fix school of choice process — and boost academics
Opinion Winnipeg School Division superintendent Matt Henderson said to the Free Press, 'Parents are the experts of their children and we want the kids to have agency, too, and determine what type of learning environment they would like.' Recent changes to the WSD 'School of Choice' program eliminate all agency for many families. Until this year, the WSD School of Choice process was called grassroots and chaotic. Parents completed forms and submitted them to principals. While time-consuming, parents, teachers and principals advocated for students who needed different options. There were many reasons: bilingual programs, workplace or daycare proximity, and facilitating good learning. The WSD superintendent's office has just created a centralized system. WSD says attending one's neighbourhood catchment school is ideal because 'Children can walk or bike to school and stay with neighbourhood peers.' Acting on this, my household applied to the School of Choice program. We live within easy walking distance and 'within catchment' to a high school if one is in the French program. If a pupil is in the English program, we're out of catchment. Our twins attended a bilingual elementary school, but like many in Ukrainian, Cree, Ojibwa, Filipino, Punjabi, or Hebrew programs, our kids did middle school in English. In February, following instructions, we registered for the required school. We received no confirmation of receipt. In early March, we applied for our chosen high school by email according to the online directions, even though the form instructed applicants to submit directly to the school. There was no confirmation. Getting nervous, we contacted the vice principal at our school of choice. She resubmitted the forms. At the end of March, we finally got email confirmation. In April, we got a call about our application. I explained: our kids want to walk to school and attend with their cohort. We want the chosen school's academic programming, including continuing teacher relationships built through Grade 8 shops and workshops. The WSD employee said she heard my 'excuses' and then corrected to 'reasons.' Although she called about one twin, I included both. I asked when we might know more. She said a principal would notify us in a few weeks. A month later, we'd heard nothing. Directed to contact assistant superintendent Shelley Warkentin, I emailed Henderson and Warkentin on May 2 but got no reply. Ten days later, I called my ward trustee. Later that day, the assistant superintendent informed my husband that our chosen school was full. We wouldn't know more until the end of June. I called back to ask to appear before the board of trustees. I was told that a community liaison would investigate. Meanwhile, I emailed our catchment school asking for course information and graduation rates. The principal didn't answer my questions. He didn't have our February registration, which I provided again. He referred me to the board office. By May 21, one of my 13-year-olds decided to advocate for himself. He already takes Grade 8 shops classes at his chosen high school. While there, he borrowed an office telephone to call the superintendent. Shuffled from clerk to clerk, they took his contact info and promised a response. He's still waiting. On May 28, I spoke again to the community liaison and to Henderson. The school where our children's cohort attend, within walking distance of our home, wasn't open to us. Months of trusting a poorly administered system means we haven't pursued private schools, figured out tuition, or moved house. Our kids must wait uncertainly until the last minute because WSD isn't prioritizing its own goals. Due to few good public options, many students in our city-core neighbourhood attend private schools. WSD loses academic achievers, lowering test scores, because they cannot access the coursework their families value, like an international baccalaureate diploma or advanced placement classes. Some high schools with empty classrooms still seek registrations. However, if parents believe their children should attend the IB program, or another rigorous option, choices are few. Instead of boosting options for excellence, the school division rations them. Public schools meet many needs. It's not cost effective for all schools to offer every program. The Manitoba school choice system exists, according to law, to allow students to meet their specific needs. This effort boosts academic achievement and offerings at all schools. If schools are overcrowded, due to popularity or densification, there are solutions. Replicate the successful offerings elsewhere, at under-enrolled schools. Install portable classrooms to maintain smaller class sizes. Offer schooling in shifts, so more can attend popular schools. Correlate funding models with enrollment and attendance rather than funding based on catchment alone. On June 4, the superintendent wrote our chosen school was closed to grade 9 school of choice pupils. This should have been announced in February. Create a common-sense, transparent system. Allow educators to help students access their best education. We waited five months to learn that the best, nearest public school has been denied because we chose a different elementary bilingual program. We live just 230 metres out of catchment. Many others are in this situation. It's June. Our catchment school didn't respond with information until I appeared as a delegation at a board of trustees meeting. Our twins aren't welcome at the closest school with their cohort and appropriate academic programming. When asked 'What school's next in Grade 9?' – we still don't know. Winnipeg students, including mine, deserve better. Joanne Seiff, a Winnipeg author, has been contributing opinions and analysis to the Free Press since 2009.
Montreal Gazette
21 hours ago
- Montreal Gazette
Letters: CAQ doesn't grasp the immigrant experience
Re: ' CAQ's vision of integration looks disconnected from reality ' (Toula Drimonis, June 6) There seems to be a complete lack of understanding in the Coalition Avenir Québec government about immigrants to Quebec and the need to maintain their mother tongues and cultures at home. This makes the transition much easier, just as it did for previous newcomers. It is a natural and normal dynamic among immigrants. It's so sad the government appears to have no sense of the immigrant experience. Gerry Raven, Hampstead Integration bill is beyond the pale Is it possible that Bill 84, the 'act respecting national integration,' was named in honour of George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984, or is it too much of a stretch to imagine that Immigration, Francization and Integration Minister Jean-François Roberge deigns to read anything conceived in English? Perhaps he is a devotee of the Borg in Star Trek, trying to assimilate the entire population of Quebec. Whatever the reason, this bill is an abomination. Rhonda Shechtman, Côte-St-Luc Let Supreme Court decide on school boards Re: ' Legault government pushes school board dispute to Supreme Court ' (The Gazette, June 1); ' Legault government has learned nothing by taking school board bill to Supreme Court ' (Allison Hanes, June 3) The Quebec English School Boards Association said it is deeply disappointed by the Legault government's decision to appeal the Bill 40 ruling to the Supreme Court of Canada, a move that columnist Allison Hanes noted 'has demonstrated the depth of its contempt for the rights of English-speaking Quebecers.' The QESBA and Hanes should welcome the decision. Should the Supreme Court agree to hear the case, it presents an impactful opportunity to uphold the principles of justice and equality and strengthen everyone's rights within Quebec's public school system. It would examine all perspectives and promote a fair resolution. The Supreme Court holds the ultimate authority to clarify essential constitutional questions that could establish legal precedents to benefit other minority-language groups in Canada. Chris Eustace, Pierrefonds Nunavik students learn priceless lessons Re: ' Trip of a lifetime for Nunavik students who 'deserve the world' ' (Extra, May 31) It's not every day you read a delightful story that leaves you smiling and inspired. Young students from Nunavik earned their way to visit Montreal through commitment, effort and the pride that comes from working toward something meaningful. Their reward wasn't just a fun trip. They also gained an expanded world view, increased confidence and the knowledge that dreams grow stronger with every step toward them. It shows education is about more than tests and textbooks. It's about building character, creating opportunity and helping young people discover they have a place in our world. What their teachers did is a powerful reminder we should teach values with transformative experiences that will echo throughout their lives. It's a model for motivating and empowering our youth. We need more of these inspirational opportunities for students that put a spotlight on growth, hope and achievement. This is what community-building and support look like and what education should always strive for. To the organizers: Bravo. To the students: Keep shining.
