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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
