Okinawa: Occupation & Resistance Webinar

For over seven decades, the U.S. military has maintained a massive presence in Okinawa—occupying land, polluting the environment, and endangering local communities in the name of “security.” Today, this occupation is increasingly justified by Washington as a response to the perceived “China threat,” escalating tensions in the region while deepening the burden on Okinawan people.

This webinar will examine the devastating human and ecological costs of U.S. militarism on the island, from toxic PFAS contamination and noise pollution to sexual violence and political disenfranchisement. Okinawan voices have long demanded justice, demilitarization, and sovereignty—demands consistently ignored by both Washington and Tokyo. Join us as we unpack the history and ongoing consequences of this occupation and discuss what solidarity and accountability can look like today.

Speakers

Joseph Essertier is an associate professor at the Nagoya Institute of Technology, a scholar of modern Japanese literature, an editorial board member of the Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus, and an international human rights advocate.

Hideki Yoshikawa is a Nago resident anthropologist teaching at Meio University and the University of the Ryukyus, International director of the Save the Dugong Campaign Center and Director of the Okinawa Environmental Justice Project. He is the author of several major articles at The Asia-Pacific Journal.

Kimiko Miyagi is a professor emeritus of Okinawa University. She specializes in modern Japanese literature, gender studies, and cross-cultural understanding. She has been active in the gender empowerment movement and peace movement in Okinawa. She earned her M.A. in Comparative Literature from Tokyo University and Brown University, where she later served as a visiting lecturer from 1992 to 1994. After teaching at Meio University in Okinawa, she became an associate professor at Okinawa University in 2004.