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Okinawa Marks 80th Anniversary of WWII Battle as Base Explosion Highlights Safety Concerns

Governor Denny Tamaki called for preserving wartime history to foster global peace through disarmament

According to official estimates, only 2,600 bodies from the Battle of Okinawa are yet to be recovered, but residents and long-time volunteers say many more are buried under buildings or farm fields, or hidden in jungles and caves
Takamatsu Gushiken was a 28-year-old scout leader when he was first asked to help search for the war dead, and was shocked to realise there were so many people's remains, in such a vast area
American landing craft arrive on the beaches of Okinawa on April 13, 1945.
Takamatsu Gushiken, a volunteer who recovers the remains of war dead to be reunited with their families, points at the skeletal remains of a person who died in the Battle of Okinawa during World War II, at a forest in Itoman

Overview

  • Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba joined the June 23 memorial at Mabuni Hill to honor those killed and vowed to ensure Okinawa’s peace and prosperity.
  • The 1945 Battle of Okinawa caused about 200,000 deaths—over 188,000 Japanese civilians among them—making it one of the deadliest engagements in the Pacific.
  • Governor Denny Tamaki emphasized Okinawa’s duty to convey war realities to future generations as a foundation for global peace and disarmament.
  • Okinawa hosts roughly 50,000 U.S. troops and 70% of America’s military facilities in Japan, underscoring the island’s strategic role in Pacific security.
  • An explosion last week at a U.S. base storage site injured four Japanese soldiers and renewed concerns over the safety of military installations.