NYT Article: “In Okinawa, Talk of Break From Japan Turns Serious”

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Chosuke Yara, leader of the Ryuku Independence Party. Source: NYT 5 July 2013.

Chosuke Yara, leader of the Ryuku Independence Party. Source: NYT 5 July 2013.. 

 

On 5 July 2013, the New York Times published an article by Martin Fackler about the recent revival of the Okinawan independence movement.

Mr. Higa and other advocates admit that few islanders would actually seek independence for Okinawa, the southernmost Japanese island chain, which is home to 1.4 million residents and more than half of the 50,000 American troops and sailors based in Japan. But discontent with the heavy American presence and a growing perception that the central government is ignoring Okinawans’ pleas to reduce it have made an increasing number of islanders willing to at least flirt publicly with the idea of breaking apart in a way that local politicians and scholars say they have not seen in decades.

To read more click: Here.

 

 

Summer 2013

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Dear Folks,

Due to many people being off island during the month of July, it has been decided to skip the month of July.

Our next WUB meeting will be:

Date:  Thursday  August 8th

Time:  6-9 pm

Place:  Maple Garden Chinese Restaurant

Topic/Speaker:  Dr. Myles Suehiro, MD  FAARFM (Fellow Anti-Aging Regenerative Functional Medicine)

-Focusing on Metabolic Syndrome: Obesity, Glucose intolerance,
Cardiovascular Disorder, Hypelipdermia seen from System Medicine approach
-Overview of personal health status, life style management, complex
medical problems, looking for common denominator of care in a holistic
approach

YouTube Video of Dr. Suehiro: Click here.

 

OKINAWAN FESTIVAL

Don’t forget that the Okinawan Festival will be August 31 and September 1 at Kapiolani Park.  We will be contacting WUB members for help with scrip sales.  We also need help with goma gumi (rubbish pick up).

Robert Arakaki

Next Meeting: June 19, 2013

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Hawaii Okinawan Center and property across the street

Hawaii Okinawan Center and property across the street

WUB Hawaii Meeting

Time:             6:00 pm        June 19th, 2013   Wednesday

Location:      Maple Garden Restaurant       909 Isenberg Street

Speaker:     Jon Itomura, past HUOA President and Chairman of the Okinawa Plaza project, a property across the current Hawaii Okinawan Center at Waipio.

 

Satellite shot

Satellite shot

Another satellite view

Another satellite view

Okinawa Toyota Commercials

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Okinawa Toyota Commercial. To view: click here.

Okinawa Toyota Commercial — ‘Gosamaru‘ driving. To view: click here.

The blog “A Man With Tea” recently posted “Okinawa Toyota Ads.”  Apparently, Toyota Motor Corporation has come out with four TV commercials featuring Okinawan historical figures like: Shô Hashi, Amawari, Gosamaru, and Momoto Fumiagari.

What this means for Okinawan identity in the twenty first century is not yet clear.  Is it empowering for Okinawan identity or is it a distortion?  Is it exploitative or is it affirmative?  What do you think?

Next Meeting: May 9, 2013

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WUB Hawaii Meeting

Time:             6:00 pm        May 9th, 2013

Location:      Maple Garden Restaurant       909 Isenberg Street

Speakers:     Graduating students of the Akisamiyo! Club.

grad_slides5

Yurukubi! (Congratulations!)

WUB Hawaii congratulates the “new immigrants” (the graduating students) and future leaders of Okinawa as they embark on an exciting adventure into the future!

 

Royal Parades from Okinawa to China

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Historically, the kingdom of the Ryukyus maintained an active relationship with China from the 1300s to the 1800s.  This can be seen in the diplomatic processions between the two countries.  This contrasts with mainland Japan which cut off ties with the outside world during the Tokugawa era.  This relationship with China put Okinawan culture on a different trajectory from mainland Japan.

In February 2013, a symposium was held at the University of Hawaii at Manoa which examined this historic scroll for clues about the political order and cultural ties between Okinawa and China.

University of Hawaii librarian, Tokiko Bazell, recently uploaded papers and PowerPoint presentations from the symposium held in February 2013.  Click here to access the site.

 

Note: “Ryukyu” is the name of the royal kingdom and the island chain; “Okinawa” is the name of the largest island in the Ryukyuan archipelago.  I use the two terms interchangeably because “Okinawa” is more widely known today than the historic name “Ryukyu.”  Hopefully, that will change with the rise of Uchinanchu consciousness.