East Asia Peace March 2025 (Miyako, Ishigaki, Yonaguni 5/20-6/7)
Na mu Myo ho Ren Ge Kyo Unconscious colonialism and structural discrimination Japan's westernmost monument Every year, I walk around Okinawa Island (the main island), the only place in Japan where ground wars took place, in preparation for the Okinawa War Memorial Day. However, this year I decided to walk around Miyako, Ishigaki, and Yonaguni. The reason is that since 2016, militarization has been prominent on these three islands due to anti-China sentiment, and plans are now underway to evacuate the entire island population. It is said that the current situation in Okinawa is similar to the eve of the Battle of Okinawa. During this march, I interacted with and listened to nearly 30 local people. I was able to hear the "real voices" of the people of Miyako and Yaeyama, and get to know Japan from their perspective. By "relatively" comparing Japan and Okinawa, I was able to realize that the military buildup that is taking place in Miyako and Yaeyama against the wi...