Updated 4th May 2022. This page has sections on:
Okinawa Language and Identity. Q2 Japan, Apr 18, 2018
What's Up With Okinawan Names? - A Language History This video explains that the Ryukyuan languages are separate languages to Japanese though they have a shared origin. It also looks at Okinawan history and the relationships between Okinawan, language, culture and Identity. Unseen Japan, 11 Aug 2020.
US military bases on Okinawa an unwelcome legacy of war with Japan This video looks at opposition to US bases in Okinawa in particular the campaign against the building of Henoko base. It also looks at the impact of the Battle of Okinawa at the end of the Second Work War. France 24, 26 Apr 2019.
Introduction to Okinawa...from actual Okinawans This video is about Okinawan, and Ryukyun, history by Native Ryukyuan historian and human rights activist Robert Kajiwara, at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. 9 Sep 2020.
Ryukyuans (Okinawans) A short overview looking at the history and linguistic distinctiveness of the Ryukyu islands, and current issues facing Ryukyuan people, from the Minority Rights Group. Apr 2018.
Profile: Japan's Okinawa This article looks at the history of Okinawa/the Ryukyu islands, especially relations with Japan, and at the current issue of US bases in Okinawa. BBC News, 13 November 2009.
Still unrecognized: Ryūkyūans This article looks at the history of the Ryukyus, Japanese and American control, and the problems this has caused including US bases, the decline of Ryukuan languages, and the lack of recognition by the Japanese government of the Ryukuans as Indigenous people. Minority Rights Group International
In Japan’s Okinawa, saving indigenous languages is about more than words This article focuses on the current situation Okinawan and other Ryukuan languages, but also looks at Ryukyuan history and identity, and the connections between languages and identity in Okinawa. Washington Post, 29 Nov 2014.
The History and Culture of Okinawa A detailed online guide from the Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education, 2000.
History of Okinawa from the Ryukyu Cultural Archive
A Brief History of the Uchinanchu (Okinawans): Okinawa is a State of Mind By Ryan Masaaki Yokota, member, Okinawa Peace Network - Los Angeles. Looks at the history of Okinawa , as well as at current issues facing Okinawa such as land ownership, environmental problems, the sex trade and the US military presence, and at the issue of Okinawan nationalism.
Okinawans decry discrimination by mainland Japanese Haruka Higa shares a growing sense of frustration among Okinawans that mainland Japanese are discriminating against them. She says she realized Okinawans are not considered equal when she listened to politicians in Tokyo calling for the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma within Okinawa Prefecture. Asahi Shimbun, 11 May, 2012.
Being Okinawan in Japan: The Diaspora Experience This article by Steve Rabson is based on his book, The Okinawan Diaspora in Japan: Crossing the Borders Within, and discusses the history of Okinawan people in mainland Japan, their current situation and attitudes to them, and questions of their identity as Okinawans within Japan. The Asia-Paciifc Journal: Japan Focus, 19 March 2012.
Human Rights Violations in Okinawa, Japan A statement submitted by All-Okinawa Council, Shimin Gaikou Centre, IMADR (International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism) to the 30th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, 17 Sep 2015. See also the 2016 statement to the 31st session of the Human Rights Council.
Japan: Violation of human rights of indigenous peoples of Ryukyus / Okinawa - the issue of militarisation submitted by the International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism
(IMADR), the Association of the Indigenous Peoples in the Ryukyus (AIPR) tro the 21st session of the UN Human Rights Coucil. It discusses how the baes issue affects land rights, right to education, environmental issues, and the right to health, 2015
Rights of Persons Belonging to Minorities: The Issue of Ryukyu and Okinawa A report submitted by the Association of the Indigenous Peoples in the Ryukyus (AIPR), Shimin Gaikou Centre (SGC) and NGO Network for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Japan (ERD Net) to the 111th session of the UN Human Rights Committee. Has information on the 'colonial economic structure' in Okinawa and high unemployment and low pay, low educational performance and lack of education in Okinawan culture and language, the US military bases issues, and discriminatory laws, 2014
Amerasian kids get short shrift in divorce capital of Japan This article looks at the situation of Amerasians - children of mixed American and Asian parentage - in Ginowan, Okinawa, and the problems they face including discrimination, poor education and absentee fathers who don't pay child care. Japan Times, July 20, 2000.
Animistic rituals run deep in Okinawa An article looking at animistic religious practices parts of Okinawa, arguing that, "These places still preserve pockets of animistic beliefs and rites that were once held by the ancient Japanese..."Japan Times, July 17, 2000.
From Assimilation to Bases: NGOs lament Okinawans' plight Three Japanese nongovernmental organizations have submitted a report to the United Nations detailing human rights abuses by the Japanese government and U.S. military forces against the people of Okinawa....they say Okinawans have been "subjected to policies of colonialism and forced assimilation, which have resulted in various forms of ethnic discrimination" since the Ryukyu Kingdom, an independent nation, was forcibly annexed by Japan in 1879. Japan Times, Feb. 3, 2001.
Okinawa drops bid to catch up, pitches own pace This article discusses a new policy in Okinawa in 2002, in which Okinawa focuses on its own unique advantages rather than trying to catch up and become like mainland Japan. This policy is connected with the growing popularity of both Okinawan traditional culture and its new pop music as well as increased Japanese tourism to Okinawa in the early 2000s. Japan Times, 2 Jul 2002.
Okinawa pacifists stay strong amid Japan's drift to right Antiwar activism is still strong in Okinawa, where the devastation of battle and commitment to peace are deeply rooted in the prefecture's identity. But many people in the prefecture, which hosts more than half the U.S. troops in Japan, depend on the bases for income, and some argue more American installations would mean more jobs. Japan Times, 30 May 2005.
Contempt for China leads to insults, conspiracy theories against Okinawans This article discusses how attitudes amongst some mainland Japanese people towards Okinawa are currently becoming hostile, after the 'Okinawa boom' of about ten years ago, and at how Okinawans are sometimes connected with China or South Korea in teh curent territorial disputes. Asahi Shinbun, April 30, 2013.
Okinawa is a Japanese Colony An essay about Okinawa by Dr. Yasukatsu Matsushima, Professor of Ryukoku University and the representative of civil group “Yuimarle Ryukyu no Jichi (autonomy of Ryukyu).”
Ryukyu pro-independence group quietly gathering momentum A tiny but earnest movement is underway to seek independence for Okinawa and the other islands in the Ryukyu Islands chain. Japan Times, Jan 26, 2015,
US military bases fuel Okinawa independence debate Financial Times, 3 Nov, 2015
Okinawan Identity and the Struggle for Self-Determination Since Onaga Takeshi’s successful campaign for governorship of Okinawa last fall, “Okinawan identity” has emerged as a rallying cry for unified opposition to plans for a replacement facility for US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma inside Okinawa Prefecture. Okinawan political scientist and activist Shimabukuro Jun explores the meaning of Okinawan identity in a historical context, focusing on the postwar experience of “structural discrimination.” Nippon.com, 3 Aug 2015
The Okinawa “Base Problem” Today. Nippon.com, 3 Feb 2012
Thinking about Okinawa (1): A Historical Perspective on the US Military Presence A discussion between three academics about the current situation and history of the bases issue. Nippon.com, 16 Sep 2015.
Okinawan Peace Network of Los Angeles has lost of information about the history of Okinawa and American militarization of the islands.
New link added 05 May 2017 Assimilation Policy in Okinawa: Promotion, Resistance, and "Reconstruction" This paper includes a discussion of the promotion of Japanese in Okinawa in the Meiji Period through both top-down and bottom-up assimilation. Japan Policy Research Institute, 1996.
New link added 05 May 2017 Assimilation Practices in Okinawa This piece explains how Japan tried to create a strong sense of Japanese identity in Okinawa from the Meiji Period onwards and how Okinawan languages were suppressed in favour of Japanese. Okinawa Peace network of Los Angeles, 2005.
沖縄の体験から見えること 比屋根照夫（琉球大名誉教授） This is a story of Okinawan men through 同化政策 after the World War II. 朝日新聞
‘Island people are always waiting’ Young people’s everyday lives and future narratives in Okinawa by Firouz Gaini, This article is based on research about young Okinawans' sense of place, identity and culture and how they see the future. ejcjs, 16 Jan 2021.
Allen, M. (2009) ‘Okinawa, ambivalence, identity, and Japan’, in M. Weiner, (Ed). Japan's minorities: the illusion of homogeneity. 2nd Edition. London: Routledge. Available from: Chuo Library 開架 301.45/J35.
Taira, K. (1997). 'Troubled national identity: The Ryukyuans/Okinawans', in M. Weiner (Ed). (1997). Japan's minorities: the illusion of homogeneity. 1st Edition. London: Routledge. Available from: Chuo Library 総合政策 301.45/J35 & Mike. Looks at debates about Okinawan identity and nationalism, and at the history of the Ryukyu islands and people, and their relations with Japan and China, from ancient times to the present.
De Vos, George A & Weatherall, William O. (updated Kaye Stearman). (1983). Japan's minorities: burakumin, Koreans, Ainu, and Okinawans. London : Minority Rights Group. Available from: Chuo Library 総合政策 323.1/D51.
"The Okinawan (Uchinānchu) Indigenous Movement and Its Implications for Intentional/International Action" by Ryan Yokota, 2015. This article discusses claims that the Ryukyu people are an indigenous people, the Association of Indigenous Peoples in the Ryukyus, and the movement for indigenous rights in Okinawa.
Being Okinawan in Japan: The Diaspora Experience This article by Steve Rabson is based on his book, The Okinawan Diaspora in Japan: Crossing the Borders Within, and discusses the history of Okinawan people in mainland Japan, their current situation and attitudes to them, and questions of their identity as Okinawans within Japan. The Asia-Paciifc Journal: Japan Focus, 19 March 2012.
Language Loss and Revitalization in the Ryukyu Islands By Patrick Heinrich. Ryukyuan languages are seriously endangered today and conscious efforts of language revitalization are necessary to ensure their future use. This article is an account of how the Ryukyuan languages came to be endangered and of current efforts for their revitalization. Japan Focus, November 10, 2005.
The Ryukyus and the New, But Endangered, Languages of Japan A long article by Fija Bairon, Matthias Brenzinger and Patrick Heinrich "UNESCO recognizes six languages of the Luchu Islands [Ryukyu Islands] of which two are severely endangered, Yaeyama and Yonaguni, and four are classified as definitely endangered, Amami, Kunigami, Uchinaa [Okinawa] and Miyako". This article looks at languages in the Ryukyuan islands, their use, and issues and language rights and whether there is still palace for these languages. The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus, 9 May 2009.
“Wanne Uchinanchu – I am Okinawan.” Japan, the US and Okinawa’s Endangered Languages Patrick Heinrich interviews Fija Bairon on Okinawa’s endangered languages and culture, and efforts to restore them. "In this article Okinawan language and cultural activist Fija Bairon speaks on the discovery of his Okinawan identity and on his attempts to maintain and revitalize Uchinaguchi, one of five Ryukyuan languages. An introduction addresses issues of Ryukyuan language endangerment and the local attempts of language revitalisation." The Asia-Pacific Journal Japan Focus, 22 Nov, 2007.
琉球民族独立総合研究学会 / Association of Comprehensive Studies for Independence of the Lew Chewans (ACSILs)
沖縄・生物多様性市民ネットのブログ/Citizens' Network for Biodiversity in Okinawa
Okinawan Peace Network of Los Angeles supports the struggles of the indigenous peoples of Okinawa for their rights.
市民外交センター / Shimin Gaikou Centre (Citizens' Diplomatic Centre for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples)