Base Built in the Middle of ‘Rice Fields’: A Politics of Ignorance in Okinawa

Abstract

This paper explores the role of ignorance in contemporary imperial geopolitics and the political geography of islands. Ignorance and imperialism have gone hand in hand since as early as the European age of 'discovery'. The idea of empty spaces empowered earlier European colonial expansion by ignoring the existence of non-white indigenous people and communities. A few centuries later, the cartographic discourse of empty spaces still appears to be at work today in islands such as Okinawa where US bases have been stationed since the mid-twentieth century. The paper conducts a study of ignorance, or an agnotological study, of Okinawa. There has been a growing interest in studies of ignorance in the past few years, notably in sociology, science and technology studies, and studies of race and racism. Yet, ignorance as a focal point of analysis seems to be underdeveloped in studies of geopolitics and islands despite that the production of ignorance contributes to the maintaining of existing imperial spatial orders. The paper particularly examines the dominant discourses of US officials around the history of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, which often ignore, or disguise at best, the colonial foundation of military bases in Okinawa.

Decolonial encounter with neo‐nationalism: The politics of indigeneity and land rights struggles in Okinawa

“…Onaga's speech took place in the middle of a political debate over the construction of a new American base at Henoko in the northern part of Okinawa Island. The construction plan was part of the Japanese government's attempt to alleviate the decades‐old issue of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, which has long been posing threats to local residents (Hoshino, 2016; Nishiyama, 2022b). In 2013, then governor Hirokazu Nakaima approved the plan, which was welcomed by the government and the United States but ignited anger among many Okinawans.…”

“…On Okinawa Island, in particular, such ongoing colonialism is manifested in the heavy US military presence, which is maintained by Japanese post‐colonial policies. In consequence, Okinawan activists have been engaging in various resistance movements to demilitarise and re‐appropriate their own (is)land (Akibayashi & Takazato, 2009; McCormack & Norimatsu, 2018; Nishiyama, 2022a, 2022b). The Okinawan indigenous movement is one of their resistance movements, which, as the paper will show, has important implications for contemporary debates in the fields of decolonial, indigenous, and island geographies.…”

Base borders: Militarisation and (post-)colonial bordering in Okinawa

“…It has been regarded as 'the world's most dangerous base' as the former secretary of defence Donald Rumsfeld described when he saw the base from above in 2003 (Ginowan City, 2004). Due to its location, Futenma Air Base has been a centre of political discussion in the past few decades (Nishiyama, 2020). While Kadena and Futenma Air Bases are located in the central part of Okinawa Island, Camp Schwab and Camp Hansen are located in the northern part.…”