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Japan Forward
6 hours ago
- General
- Japan Forward
Okinawa Memorial Day a Timely Reminder of Horrors of War
On Okinawa Memorial Day, June 23, the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa passed with a solemn ceremony. It took place at Peace Memorial Park in Mabuni, Itoman City, on the island of Okinawa. The site was where the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) made its last stand. This is one of Japan's "four days" commemorating victims of the war. It is followed by the anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima (August 6) and Nagasaki (August 9), and finally, August 15, the day the Pacific War ended. Emperor Emeritus Akihito has dedicated himself to making these occasions for the Japanese people to engage in special commemoration of the dead since he was Crown Prince. On this Okinawa Memorial Day, the Emperor and Empress, as well as other members of the Imperial Family, observed a moment of silence. All Japanese should also take this opportunity to offer their sincere condolences to those who lost their lives. US troops land on Okinawa's Aguni Island in June 1945. (Courtesy of US National Archives via Okinawa Prefectural Archives.) The Battle of Okinawa was the bloodiest of the Pacific War. It began on March 26, 1945, when United States forces landed on the Kerama Islands, about 40 kilometers west of Naha City. An overwhelming number of American soldiers landed on Okinawa Island itself on April 1. Dug-in Japanese forces met them, putting up desperate resistance. The fierce ground battle ended up lasting for roughly three months. For the defense of Okinawa Prefecture, the IJA committed its newly formed 120,000-man 32nd Army. More than 2,500 kamikaze ( tokoki ) planes, airborne forces, and a fleet with the battleship Yamato as its flagship set out from mainland Japan. Many Okinawan volunteers and civilians, including middle school students and the famous Himeyuri detachment of student nurses, also lost their lives during the intense fighting. General Mitsuru Ushijima, commander of the 32nd Army, committed ritual suicide by seppuku in his cave headquarters at Mabuni on June 23. His act brought an end to the organized fighting. Around 188,000 Japanese soldiers and more than 12,000 US service members died during the Battle of Okinawa. We must not forget their sacrifices as we enjoy our peaceful lives today. Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and Princess Aiko pay their respects at the Cornerstone of Peace in Peace Memorial Park, Itoman City, Okinawa Prefecture, on June 4. Ahead of Memorial Day, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako traveled to Okinawa. On June 4, they visited the National Cemetery of the War Dead within Peace Memorial Park. And on June 5, they laid flowers at the memorial for the Tsushima Maru . A US submarine sank the ship while it was evacuating over 1,600 children and other civilians to mainland Japan. On both occasions, the imperial couple comforted bereaved family members. Residents of Okinawa Prefecture warmly welcomed the Emperor and Empress, who conveyed a profound awareness of Okinawa's history of hardship. Unfortunately, however, some residents of the prefecture have accepted distorted opinions about the Battle of Okinawa. For example, some local newspapers repeatedly reported that the greatest lesson of the Battle of Okinawa is that "the military did not protect local residents." They also regularly criticized the activities of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, and Princess Aiko speak with war survivors and representatives during their visit to the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum. June 4 in Itoman City, Okinawa Prefecture. However, in reality, many Okinawans were also encouraged to survive by Japanese soldiers who helped them. And the current Self-Defense Forces are also essential for maintaining peace in Japan, including Okinawa. Meanwhile, China is intensifying its military pressure in the waters off Okinawa. This anniversary reminds us that, in addition to diplomacy, Japan absolutely must strengthen its defense capabilities and civil defense operations. (Read the editorial in Japanese .) Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun
The Mainichi
a day ago
- General
- The Mainichi
91-yr-old woman who lost family members in Battle of Okinawa shares painful story
ITOMAN, Okinawa -- Eighty years ago, the Battle of Okinawa claimed the lives of many residents during fierce ground combat between U.S. and Imperial Japanese Army forces. A then 10-year-old girl who lost family members one by one, wandered the battlefield alone. Now in her 90s, the Okinawa resident has shared her experiences, urging the world to learn from history rather than blame it amid ongoing conflicts. On June 22, the day before Okinawa Memorial Day, 91-year-old Rieko Tamaki visited the Mange-no-to Monument in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture. Her paternal grandfather died in the area following an attack by U.S. forces, and the family had to flee, leaving his body behind. "There's no proof, but I believe he's enshrined here," she said, clasping her hands in prayer. Tamaki wonders if her late grandfather was able to meet other members of her family in the afterlife. "Have you met the family you longed to see?" she asked him. In October 1944, Tamaki's family of 10 began their escape. The "Oct. 10 air raid" destroyed her father's hospital in Naha, forcing them to relocate to Ginowan. Tamaki had lost her mother before the war, and when the new year came, her father and uncle were conscripted. She still remembers the rough texture of her father's military uniform as he lifted her up. On April 1, 1945, U.S. forces landed on Okinawa's main island. The remaining eight family members headed south to Shuri, where the headquarters of the Imperial Japanese Army's 32nd Army was located, hoping to find her father. However, not only was there no clue as to her father's whereabouts, but after sneaking into a cave in Shuri, they were told by a Japanese soldier, "This is for military use. Leave at sunset." That night, her maternal grandmother took her own life. The family moved toward the former village of Kochinda, finding a small shelter. However, a shell exploded nearby, instantly killing Tamaki's close friend of the same age. Her brother was severely injured and taken to a field hospital. He had his left arm severed and died, moaning, "I want water." They were forced to leave the Kochinda shelter when a nearby one was hit by a flamethrower. "We were searching for a way to escape when there was nowhere to run," Tamaki recalled. Her grandfather was also attacked. In a farmer's shed, he was hit by gunfire from his back to side. Despite his injuries, he urged the family to hide behind a stone wall. Shortly after, the young Tamaki heard a cry she had never heard before. Her grandfather had taken his own life to avoid being a burden. Her paternal grandmother died instantly in another attack, and Tamaki comforted herself by telling herself that she had died without suffering. "You were lucky," she reflected, addressing her late grandmother. Her aunt and a cousin were also injured, and her immobilized aunt urged her to flee. Alone, Tamaki feared she might be the only survivor in Okinawa. At dusk, she saw a living figure among the corpses and ran to them, staying close without exchanging names. One day, a man noticed the feared Grumman aircraft were no longer flying, and went to investigate. From the top of a hill, he shouted, "Hey, the war is over!" Climbing the hill to see for herself, Tamaki witnessed evacuated people emerging from all directions. "I couldn't believe so many had survived," she thought. This was near the former village of Mabuni, now part of Itoman. After the war, she reunited with her aunt, who had miraculously survived, but her father was confirmed dead, meaning only the two of them had survived. She regrets leaving her family behind and not being able to give her brother water in his final moments. These regrets persist, and she can't sleep without sleeping pills. Despite this, Tamaki continues to share her story, emphasizing the importance of remembering. In early June, she met with Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and their daughter Princess Aiko during their visit to Okinawa, sharing her experiences. Looking at the world today, in addition to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Israel continues to fight against the Islamic organization Hamas and is intensifying its military attacks on Iran. Tamaki said, "Once war begins, the future becomes uncertain. War is the result of nations' insatiable desires." She emphasized, "We must take action before it starts. It is important to work through diplomacy, economic cooperation and cultural exchange."
The Mainichi
05-06-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Remembering 1945: Shuri Church a vestige of harsh Okinawa battle during WWII
NAHA -- In April 1945, U.S. troops landed in the central part of Okinawa's main island and continued their advance southward, approaching Shuri (present-day Naha), the headquarters of the Imperial Japanese Army's 32nd Army, by mid-May. Once the flourishing center of the Ryukyu Kingdom, the ancient city was exposed to intense attacks from U.S. forces. The U.S. military's war history states that an estimated 200,000 artillery shells were fired into Shuri, and 450 tons of bombs were dropped during countless air raids, while thousands of mortar rounds arched down onto Shuri. The town was reduced to ruins, and only the concrete structures of Shuri Church and Okinawa Prefectural Daiichi Junior High School retained their original form. Having already lost the majority of their forces, the Japanese military was pressured with a decision: to engage in a decisive battle at Shuri or to retreat and continue a battle of endurance. The commanding general, Mitsuru Ushijima, decided on May 22, 1945, to withdraw to the southern part of the island. The aim was to draw U.S. forces to Okinawa for as long as possible to delay their invasion of mainland Japan. On May 27, the commander and others left the underground bunker of Shuri Castle and arrived at a bunker in Mabuni (present-day Itoman) on May 30. After this, the southern part of the island became a battlefield where Japanese troops and evacuees were intermingled. People fled in confusion, and the number of casualties continued to rise. (Japanese original by Shinnosuke Kyan, Kyushu Photo and Video Department)
