Fall of an Okinawan Star

Newspapers in Japan carried the news of decease of an Okinawan on Tuesday. Former Governor of Okinawa Masahide Ota, who protested both governments of Japan and United States for Okinawan cause, died of respiratory failure and pneumonia at 92 on Monday. Receiving broad anger of the people against a rape on a little girl by U.S. military personnel, Ota rejected cooperation with those governments. Current protests of Okinawa can be said as started when Ota was the governor.

Born in 1925 in Kume Island, Ota was a smart student in school. When he was studying in Normal School in Okinawa, Imperial Army recruited him as a member of young men’s infantry named Iron Blood Company Working for Emperor. During the Battle of Okinawa, he repeatedly witnessed Japanese Army soldiers ousting Okinawan refugees in the trenches with the guns pointing them. “The biggest lesson of Battle of Okinawa is that military at war never protects ordinary people,” later told Ota.

After the war, Ota proceeded to Waseda University in Tokyo and studied journalism in Syracuse University. After the years of Professor of Ryukyu University, Ota won in the gubernatorial election of Okinawa in 1990. In September 1995, three soldiers with U.S. Marine Corp or Navy raped a little girl in Okinawa in her age of 12. Ignited decades-long resentment of the people in Okinawa against U.S. Force exploded. “Okinawa has always been obstructed by U.S. military base,” said Ota in the major rally to protest U.S. Force.

Ota rejected signing a document for allowing national government coercive use of private land for U.S. Force. Backed by firm anger of the people against unilateral rule of U.S. Force, he required reduction of U.S. bases in Okinawa and review of U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement. His firm protest drew an agreement of both governments to return Futenma Air Base to Japan in 1996.

His hope for peace can see in his policy of builiding the memorial in Itoman city, called Basis of Peace, on which the names of victims in Battle of Okinawa is engraved. Current Governor of Okinawa, Takeshi Onaga, praised Ota as devoted himself to policies for peace. “He survived the hell and watched the hell of politics, but still embraced deep sentiment for his classmates died in the war,” told former member of House of Councillors, Tokushin Yamauchi.

Leaders of Shinzo Abe administration could not ignore the fall of a great figure in Okinawa. “He worked hard on the issue of U.S. military bases or development in Okinawa” told Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga. The achievement of Ota definitely met national interest of Japan.