“If war breaks out, it turns into a sea of ​​flames here,” says assistant professor Shoko Oshiro, dismayed. She was born and raised in Okinawa, right next to one of the largest US military bases in the world. The island is crammed with such military installations. “Now both the Japanese and American governments are fighting with China. Ultimately we will be the losers if this continues.”

After World War II, Japan was occupied by the Allies, although in reality it was mostly the Americans. At first, American troops stayed to get rid of the old fascist regime and rebuild the country, but as fear of communism crept in, they began building army bases.

More than half a century later, they are still there. In Okinawa, however, the locals are fed up: more than 70 percent of US military bases in Japan are being built on the small islands. That’s why tens of thousands of soldiers are stationed here, and that creates some problems.

Here is Okinawa:

“Okinawa doesn’t have employee ownership, it’s the only part of Japan that doesn’t have democracy,” explains Oshiro. “The Japanese government and the Americans are not listening to local residents.” For much of post-war history, Okinawa’s politics have been shaped primarily by politicians in Washington and Tokyo. For years, the local economy relied on the flow of dollars that Americans brought with them. In Japan it was also known as Army Base Economy.

“That’s less the case now,” explains Masaki Tomochi. He is Professor of Economics at the International University of Okinawa. His office overlooks Futenma Air Force Base and he still hears the helicopters fly by every day. “Right now they are responsible for about 5 percent of our economy.”

It’s still a significant percentage, Tomochi says, “but right now, Americans are just a hindrance to the advancement of our economy.” The Japanese government doesn’t seem to care: “In Tokyo, they get in our way if we say we no longer want the bases here. They are satisfied with their presence.”

Strategic place

Politicians in Tokyo see Okinawa primarily as a strategic military location. It is an important transit point for the Chinese to the Pacific Ocean and is only 100 kilometers from Taiwan in some places. As China grows more assertive in the South, Russia conducts military drills in the North, and North Korea fires missiles over Japan, such strategic locations become increasingly important in national defense policy.

“Americans use Okinawa as a springboard for almost every conflict they are or have been involved in around the world,” said local journalist Natsuko Shimabukuro. She overlooks Kadena Air Force Base from a lookout tower. Dozens of Osprey helicopters are neatly parked here, fully in view of local residents. “The helicopters were also sent from here to Korea in the 1950s and to Vietnam in the 1970s. There has been war here for more than half a century.”

“More and more houses are empty here. It’s unbearable when a helicopter flies over your house every few minutes,” says Shimabakuro, pointing to the apartments that were built just a few hundred meters from the base. “But Okinawans have little choice of housing, all the good places have been occupied by the Americans.”

The fear of war is also inevitable. “The first point of attack is right here,” Oshiro said. “Then not only will my university be gone, but my own house will also be destroyed.” More than three quarters of the Japanese now believe that China will invade Taiwan, which will also lead Japan to a military conflict.

Not only war danger

But it’s not just the threat of war that fuels fear; the Americans are causing one incident after another. “They polluted the groundwater, helicopters crashed in residential areas, whatever,” Shimabukuro said. Misconduct by American soldiers is not uncommon on Okinawa.

There have also been several cases of rape and murder against US soldiers in the past. The residents are fed up. “It’s about time the Americans left Okinawa,” Oshiro says firmly. “You’ve been here too long.”