Source: The American Conservative
by Doug Bandow
“When I last visited Okinawa, protesters daily gathered outside of the gates of Camp Schwab, one of America’s many military installations on the Japanese island of Okinawa. The site of one of the Second World War’s most horrific battles, Okinawa was occupied for decades by the American military, which loaded the territory with military bases. Today a fifth of Okinawa’s main island remains in US hands, to the frustration of most residents. Just 0.6 percent of Japan’s land mass hosts 70 percent of American military forces in the country. … Although the island was returned in 1972, the U.S. military continues to intrude in island life. Prime real estate and beautiful beaches still are controlled by the Pentagon. Neighborhoods abut bases. Long fences keep Okinawans out of territory once part of their community. The presence of thousands of foreign young men creates social friction, including high-profile crimes.” (09/19/24)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/okinawa-suffers-for-imperial-japans-sins/