From June 21 to 23, RENGO conducted its 2002 Peace Action in Okinawa under the slogan of ‘Build a Peaceful World in the 21st Century.’ This year marks the 30th anniversary of Okinawa’s reversion to Japanese administration and participants offered their heartfelt condolences to the more than 200,000 victims of the Battle of Okinawa on Okinawa “Memorial Day.” At the same time, they recommitted themselves to pour all their energy into activities that seek peace, arms reduction, abolishment of nuclear weapons, and the scaling back of US military bases in Okinawa. During this 3-day action, 2000 people from all over Japan gathered for the 2002 RENGO Peace Rally in Okinawa, 500 participants for three sub sessions including a lecture on the Japan/US Status of Forces Agreement, and 220 people for a tour of US military base.

Photo: President Sasamori attesting to the importance of peace. (Jun. 22, Naha.)

2002 RENGO Peace Rally in Okinawa took place at Naha-city civic gymnasium on June 22, where attendees included RENGO President Sasamori, RENGO Okinawa President Karimata, Okinawa Prefectural Governor Inamine, Naha-city Mayor Onaga, and ICFTU Asia and Pacific Regional Organization (APRO) General Secretary Suzuki.
After a brief silent prayer, President Sasamori gave a speech representing the organizers, in which he made reference to some of his own childhood war memories. He warned that an “awareness of the preciousness of peace is beginning to disintegrate. We should reaffirm the fact that peace is the most important thing for all humankind,” and appealed for peace movements in the workplace and at local areas. Furthermore, he touched on the three emergency defense related bills and the Privacy Protection Bill, criticizing them as ‘flaw and defective in content’ and renewed his determination to stop the legislation of these bills during the ongoing Diet session at all costs.
Governor Inamine pointed out that “it is our duty to learn from the troubling history of the past and see that the preciousness of peace is faithfully passed on to the next generation, and that this message sends the soul of Okinawa out to the world.”
Further, the heartrending war experience of Toshiko Shimabukuro, a witness at the Himeyuri Peace Museum, a screening of a documentary on the Battle of Okinawa, a concert by HARU called “Soulful Songs from Nagasaki”, were held as messages of peace. In conclusion, the “2002 Okinawa Peace Appeal” was adopted and the rally was closed.

Three sub-events were held during the three-day peace action on June 21 including: a lecture by military analyst Kazuhisa Ogawa entitled “Verify! Japan/US Status of Forces Agreement;” a panel discussion on ‘the 30th Anniversary of the Reversion to Japanese Administration: US Military Bases, Economy, and Employment’; and a ‘Working Peace Tour of the Southern Battle Site’ where participants learned about the Battle of Okinawa. On June 23, the 57th Anniversary of the day of the battle, attendees toured the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station and the Kadena Air Force Base. On that day President Sasamori and others attended the Okinawa Memorial Service for the War Dead hosted by the Okinawa Prefecture.

2002 Okinawa Peace Appeal

57 years ago on June 23, Okinawa became the only site in Japan to see a grueling land battle that entangled its civilians. More than 200,000 precious lives were lost and the lush island greenery was burned mercilessly to the ground. This year, on the 30th anniversary of reversion to Japanese administration, at the Peace Memorial Park in Mabuni, Itoman-city, hosted by Okinawa prefecture the Okinawa Memorial Service for the War Dead is held with a renewed pledge for the repose of souls of the victims and to renounce war forever. The significance of holding the “2002 RENGO Peace Rally in Okinawa” to coincide with this Memorial Service is to keep the tragic history of the Battle of Okinawa firmly in our heart, and unite our 8 million RENGO members under a recommitment for the realization of lasting global peace. Okinawan people have been hoping to reestablish peace in the islands ever since the end of the war. However, it has been 60 years and the reality is that 75% of all US military facilities in Japan are located in a prefecture which only covers 0.6% space of Japan's total landmass. Okinawan citizens are forced to continue to endure the stress of military bases as well as suffer the frequent incidents and accidents incurred on them by US Military and its personnel. Why seek a reduction of the US military bases in Okinawa? Because their very existence places a an extremely taxing burden on the citizens of Okinawa prefecture, threatening not only their lifestyles but also their lives and their human rights. Okinawa’s citizens continue to hope for the possible earliest reduction of US Military bases and a drastic review of the Japan/US Status of Forces Agreement. However, undercutting their hopes, the government has introduced three emergency defense related bills at the 154th ordinary Diet session. This sort of behavior on the part of the Japanese government threatens to impose and demand new sacrifices from the people of Okinawa. RENGO, along with the people of the prefecture of Okinawa, offers its sincere condolences to the all the victims of the Battle of Okinawa on Okinawa Memorial Day. RENGO pledges to go forward undaunted for building a peaceful 21st century and realizing lasting world peace pouring all our collective energy into our activities for peace, arms control, abolition of nuclear weapons, and the reduction of US military base in Okinawa.