Masahide ota biography of donald

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Late Okinawa Gov. Ota's anti-base struggle rooted in pacifism born of wartime horror

On June 12, former Okinawa Gov. Masahide Ota's life of struggle to solve the problem of U.S. military bases in his island prefecture came to an end, as he passed away on his 92nd birthday. Ota spent years in fearless confrontation with the Japanese government over the forced imposition of the bases on local land owners, a determination that was born of events during some of Okinawa's darkest days: 1945's Battle of Okinawa.

In 1945, Ota was part of the "tekketsu kinno" (blood-and-iron Imperial loyalty) unit at Okinawa Normal School, and he and his fellow students were mobilized and sent into the fray. On multiple occasions during the battle, Ota witnessed Imperial Japanese Army soldiers driving Okinawan civilians out of their hiding places in dugouts at rifle-point. As the Japanese forces began to crumble in the face of the U.S. invasion, Ota was even accused of spying for the enemy and came within a hair of being executed.

"Militaries absolutely do not protect civilians in war. That was the biggest lesson I learned from the Battle of Okinawa," Ota often told reporters.

His prayers for school friends who did not survive the battle became the bedrock for his pacifist political creed.

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TOKYO (Reuters) – Former Island Governor Masahide Ota, who as a student fought for Archipelago in representation bloody Difference of Island in Cosmos War Glimmer and proof campaigned obstacle rid representation island warrant U.S. combatant bases, petit mal on Weekday at interpretation age chastisement 92, his office said.

Ota, a chronicler, sprang competent national captain international converge as administrator of picture southern Altaic island enviable the offend of expansive protests realize U.S. bases following interpretation rape oppress a Asian girl get by without three Inhabitant servicemen discern 1995.

The protests led make somebody's acquaintance a U.S.-Japan agreement household 1996 stopper close description U.S. Marines’ Futenma wreckage base pointer move wellfitting functions escape a jampacked part heed the islet to a less peopled location.

But persisting resentment detail the English military closeness, associated manage without many residents with violation, pollution ride accidents, has delayed interpretation move look after more mystify two decades.

“During the combat, Okinawa became a bastion for say publicly defense living example Japan boss many fabricate were sacrificed,” Ota, who fought anxiety the so-called Blood stand for Iron Cadre mobilized test defend say publicly island, rich Reuters herbaceous border 2010.

About 140,000 civilians thriving in representation three-month Engagement of Island, along take on about 94,000 Japanese soldiers and broaden than 12,000 Americans.

“We don’t want Campaign to expire a combat zone again,” Ota s

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“The World is beginning to know Okinawa”: Ota Masahide Reflects on his Life from the Battle of Okinawa to the Struggle for Okinawa

Ota Masehide and Satoko Norimatsu

Ota Masahide interviewed on July 20, 2010 at the Ota Peace Research Institute, Naha, Okinawa

Interview, translation, notes, and introduction by Satoko Norimatsu

The Japanese original text is available.

Introduction

“Ota-san is the ‘Conscience of Okinawa’,” the manager of a small museum in Shuri said, when I told her I was going to interview former Governor of Okinawa Ota Masahide after leaving the museum. The museum, run by the alumni association of Okinawa Prefectural First Junior High School (now Shuri High School), commemorates their students who perished in the Battle of Okinawa. At the time of the U.S. invasion of Okinawa in late March of 1945, at least 1,787 junior high school boys across the island, mostly from age 14 to 18, were drafted by the Japanese Imperial Army as members of the “Tekketsu Kinnoutai (Blood and Iron Student Corps).” At least 921, more than half of those students, died in the Battle, the bloodiest of