The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) announced that the Nishizaki Stadium in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, has been confirmed as the second venue for the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025, presented by RAXUS The stadium has a 12,000-seat capacity and is located about seven kilometres the capital city of the Okinawa Prefecture It is part of the Nishizaki Athletic Park and the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) use the stadium as one of their spring training camp bases The Orix Buffaloes (also NPB) used it as well as their spring training facility until 1992 The Baseball Federation of Japan (BFJ) and NPB Enterprise will co-host the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup from 5 to 14 September in Naha City with the support of the High School Baseball Federation. The Okinawa Cellular Stadium The WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025 will be part of the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War Okinawa aims to promote world peace through sports and international exchange initiatives The 12 participants will split into two groups Samurai Japan will hold a training camp for the first-round candidate players for the U-18 National Team 2025 including those currently participating in the National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament Sitemap Media Data Protection Contacts Avenue Général-Guisan, 45 CH-1009 Pully | Switzerland The WBSC is recognised as the sole competent authority in Baseball and Softball by the International Olympic Committee Japanese troops on Wednesday detonated eight unexploded U.S.-made bombs believed to be from World War II off the coast of southern Okinawa five 3-inch shells and one M60 white phosphorous shell — were detonated in waters near Kitanashiro beach in Itoman city The operation was originally scheduled from 9 a.m a spokesman for the city’s Disaster Prevention Section said by phone Wednesday Members of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force carried out the operation safely underwater Boats were evacuated to a radius of 984 feet and swimming was prohibited within a radius of nearly two miles The evacuation and restrictions were lifted at 11:02 a.m. Japan coast guard and fire department officials kept watch from the surrounding waters an Itoman city spokesman said by phone Tuesday Four 3-inch shells and one 4-inch shell were found Feb The fifth 3-inch shell and the white phosphorous shell were found July 14 near Okaha island in Itoman He declined to provide details on how they were found Some Japanese government officials speak to the press only on condition of anonymity Japanese troops removed and defused a 5-inch U.S.-made WWII shell found in November at a construction site in the Matsuyama district of Naha city U.S.-made shell found in October was removed from the Uebaru district and defused in December The Japanese government has ramped up searches for unexploded ordnance at airports across the country The government began surveys in October at Miyazaki Airport on Kyushu the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands after a WWII-era bomb exploded that month on a taxiway Magnetic surveys began in December at Naha Airport Crews disposed of nearly 22 tons of unexploded ordnance leftover from WWII on Okinawa between April 1 Stars and Stripes reporter Keishi Koja contributed to this report Okinawa on Sunday marked the 79th anniversary of the end of a fierce World War II ground battle between Japanese and U.S was held at the Peace Memorial Park in Itoman where the names of 181 people were added to the list of the war dead inscribed on monuments The fighting from March through June 1945 took a heavy toll on the local civilian population with one in four of the Japanese southern island prefecture's residents killed administration until 1972 and has continued to host the bulk of U.S Kishida acknowledged that Okinawa's residents "bear the heavy burden of having a concentration of U.S pledging to do his best "to ease that burden." But Kishida's remarks come as the central government pushes ahead with its plan to move U.S Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from a densely populated area in Ginowan to the coastal area of Henoko in Nago the state began construction work on a part of the relocation site despite strong local opposition Anti-base sentiment runs deep due to noise and a number of high-profile crimes committed by American service members Japan has also been strengthening its defense capabilities in the prefecture as tensions grow with China over Taiwan and the nearby Senkaku Islands a group of uninhabited islets controlled by Tokyo and claimed by Beijing raising concern among Okinawans that their region could again become the front line in a conflict Japan deployed its first surface-to-ship missile unit on Okinawa's main island amid China's increasing maritime assertiveness "The rapidly expanding presence of (Japan's) Self-Defense Forces in the prefecture along with the tragic memories of the Battle of Okinawa have left residents extremely concerned," Okinawa Gov Denny Tamaki said in his address at the ceremony Many people visited Itoman park from the morning onward to remember family members who lost their lives in the battle said her parents were killed in front of her eyes during a bombardment by a U.S War must not happen again," the resident of Ginowan said as she traced the names of her parents inscribed on one of the monuments at the park and prayed U.S. Marine commandant says littoral regiment to be set up on Guam 1st batch of Marines from Okinawa to have 100 members: Guam governor Bloc backing Okinawa's anti-U.S. base governor fails to win majority To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible Cape Arasaki is Okinawa’s southernmost point but on my recent trip to Itoman I put off seeing it for a different unnamed point along those cliffs to look for a special memorial Looking for that memorial led me to see a part of Okinawa’s landscape from a perspective I may have not otherwise found A wall of thickly grown trees blocked my view of what lay beyond the trail but there was a clear path and a tiny gap teasing a glimpse of sparking blue the sight of endless blue sky and sea opened up before me as I stood at a broad cliff of Ryukyuan limestone The uneven grey-beige expanse was lightly carpeted with green scruff and small white flowers Other southern beach views are from the waterline or at the Peace Park’s well-delineated hand-railed paths I could walk freely on the natural cliffs dozens of meters over the sea with a commanding view of the jagged shoreline with its craggy faces I kept stopping to observe the coastline and how shifting perspective gave different ways to appreciate the same pieces of land and sea Waves crashed hard into the more distant cliffs toward Cape Arasaki but here they seemed to lap pleasantly against the coast like everywhere else in Okinawa was clear on top yet beneath it was a blue-green filter over the tan sand beneath Listening to the ocean and watching it shimmer for a little bit was rather soothing The memorial wasn’t far; I could see the reflection of the placard mounted to the rock There was a slight trace path of bare limestone leading to a set of man-made steps and the occasional patch of cement to keep walkers going the right way and giving them some degree of sure footing The limestone is basically made of dull razor blades so not something you want to fall on and there’s not enough green to cushion any fall The memorial that I’d come to see was for a tragic story from the Battle of Okinawa During the final days of the battle the Imperial Japanese Army turned loose conscripted high school student nurses to find their own way off the battlefield Trapped by encircling American forces moving on the last organized Japanese defenses many fled to the southern shore along with soldiers and civilian refugees These particular conscripts were from the Himeyuri Corps which was composed of students from two of Okinawa’s top girls’ high schools According to the survivor testimony of Miyagi Kikuko in the Himeyuri Peace Museum Guidebook and “Japan at War: An Oral History,” a group were in and around a small cave atop the cliffs when a Japanese soldier ducked into it He’d just attacked some Americans and the American who followed him fired blindly into the cave stopping once they saw it was full of girls Their teacher pulled the pin on a hand grenade killing himself and nine students Between the suicide grenade and gunfire 13 students and one teacher perished 21; the battle officially ended the following day At the beginning of the battle 222 students and 18 teachers had been brought in to serve the Okinawa Army Hospital I visited multiple caves throughout Itoman and Yaese used as makeshift clinics and hospitals conscript student nurses had served in before reaching the cliffs of Arasaki Beach Along the way I re-read testimonies in the guidebook For nearly three months they lived in caves and tunnels artillery and aircraft whenever outside; an exposed cliff like this in daylight was a terrifying place When they clawed their way up these imposing cliffs One of the girls had said that she just wanted to walk freely under the blue sky with no bombs dropping around So it felt appropriate that my trip to see where she and her classmates had lived and died would end at this memorial under a clear blue sky and being appreciative of the peaceful place that Okinawa is today To learn more about the Himeyuri Corps visit the Himeyuri Peace Museum and Cenotaph in Ihara It’s about 15 minutes by car from the cliffs A good Itoman day trip would be starting at the Peace Museum and Park followed by the Himeyuri Museum and ending at this memorial Getting to the cliffs follow your GPS or Google Maps to the coordinates below The road is rutted hard-packed dirt; I parked a little short of the bus stop and walked an extra minute because the ruts had gotten pretty deep near the end Himeyuri Arasaki Beach Memorial (ひめゆり学徒隊散華の跡) The bus stop nearest the trail is at: 26.077608 Read now > Sign up for our weekly newsletter of articles from Japan Call (808-369-3478) to tell us which language you speak Sipwe angei emon chon chiaku ngonuk ese kamo Kokori (808-369-3478) omw kopwe ureni kich meni kapas ka ani Makemake `oe i kokua i pili kekahi `olelo o na `aina `e Makemake la maua i ki`i `oe mea unuhi manuahi E kelepona (808-369-3478)`oe ia la kaua a e ha`ina `oe ia la maua mea `olelo o na `aina `e Masapulyo kadi ti tulong iti sabali a pagsasao (808-369-3478) tapno ibagayo kadakami no ania ti pagsasao nga ar-aramatenyo 私たちは、貴方のために、無料で 通訳を用意で きます。電話番号の、(808-369-3478)に、電話して、私たちに貴方の話されている言語を申し出てください。  Kim naj lewaj juon am dri ukok eo ejjelok wonen (808-369-3478) im kwalok non kim kajin ta eo kwo melele im kenono kake E te mana'o mia se fesosoani i se isi gagana Matou te fesosoani e ave atu fua se faaliliu upu mo oe Vili mai i le numera lea (808-369-3478) pea e mana'o mia se fesosoani mo se faaliliu upu Nosotros le ayudaremos a conseguir un intérprete gratuito Llame al (808-369-3478) y diganos que idioma habla Kailangan ba ninyo ng tulong sa ibang lengguwahe Tumawag sa (808-369-3478) para sabihin kung anong lengguwahe ang nais ninyong gamitin ‘Okú ke fie maʻu tokoni ʻi ha lea fakafonua ʻe taha Temau kumi haʻo taha fakatonulea taʻetotongi Telefoni ki he (808-369-3478) ke fakahā mai ʻa e lea fakafonua ʻokú ke lea aí คุณต้องการความช่วยเหลือทางด้านภาษาหรือไม่ ทางเราจะจัดหาล่ามฟรีให้คุณ โทรที่เบอร์ (808-369-3478) และบอกเราว่าคุณพูดภาษาอะไร Bạn có cần giúp đỡ bằng ngôn ngữ khác không Chúng tôi se yêu cầu một người thông dịch viên miễn phí cho bạn Gọi (808-369-3478)nói cho chúng tôi biết bạn dùng ngôn ngữ nào Gakinahanglan ka ba ug tabang sa imong pinulongan Amo kang mahatagan ug libre nga maghuhubad Tawag sa (808-369-3478) aron magpahibalo kung unsa ang imong sinulti-han A former Rainbow Wahine basketball standout turned female aviator joins the ‘Muthaship’ this week BJ Itoman has been literally soaring to new heights since dazzling fans on the court as an All-WAC point guard for the University of Hawaii Her career as a pilot for Hawaiian Airlines and the Hawaii Air National Guard have taken her on a year-long deployment to Iraq and numerous humanitarian missions around the world The busy mother of two takes looks back on her many sports and career adventures and offers up advice for anyone interested in a career in aviation Link to the podcast The appearance of external hyperlinks did not constitute endorsement by Retiree News Retiree News did not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations some of the sites linked to may limit the number of stories you can access without a paid subscription All links were provided with the intent of meeting the mission of Retiree News By Reece Nagaoka Editors' PicksTitle IX Former Rainbow Wahine basketball star BJ Itoman posed in front of a C-17 transport aircraft last year Former Rainbow Wahine basketball star BJ Itoman sat inside the cockpit of a C-17 transport aircraft BJ Itoman pilots her cargo aircraft with the Mokoli‘i islet in sight last year BJ Itoman dribbles against Minnesota’s Moneeke Bowden during a game in 1998 Already a Honolulu Star-Advertiser subscriber? Log in now to continue reading The stories about BJ Itoman differ depending on who is asked but those who know the University of Hawaii women’s basketball all-time assists leader come to the same general description of her Smart with a strong work ethic — both on and off the court “She’s the hardest-working player we’ve ever had,” former UH coach Vince Goo said Itoman has since made a transition from playmaker to pilot flying in the Air National Guard and commercially for Hawaiian Airlines The 45-year-old is now a lieutenant colonel in charge of a C-17 airlift squadron I took for granted what we are able to do in military flying,” Itoman said in a phone interview last week you’d never get to do on the civilian side.” “It’s been a pretty amazing experience to be able to do what we do and then contribute to the state and national mission while flying around the world and spending time with the people of our squadron who we get to know pretty well over our careers.” Playing professionally or becoming a physical therapist were other paths Itoman contemplated as her playing career at UH wound down but flying was an option that presented itself with some help from her brother Ryan “My brother had come back from pilot training and he talked to me about it,” Itoman said “He thought being a pilot would be something that I would enjoy I hadn’t thought about it until he talked to me about it.” Ryan convinced BJ to apply for the next undergraduate pilot training board for the Hawaii National Guard “That seemed like the better path and fit for me and I have been happy with that,” she said There are different accounts of how many 3-pointers Itoman shot every day of the summer between her freshman and sophomore seasons at UH A Honolulu Star-Bulletin article stated 800 Itoman isn’t too sure which offseason took place “I knew we counted the shots one day for an estimate.,” she said “I remember (assistant coaches) Da (Houl) and Serenda (Valdez) always being my rebounders to help me get the reps in to work on my outside shot The outside shot was perhaps the only weak point of Itoman’s game at that point Itoman was regarded as a nimble defender and playmaker with a high basketball IQ but the outside shot didn’t develop until after her freshman season at UH in which she shot 1-for-19 from behind the 3-point line you made only one more 3-pointer than I did and I didn’t even play,’” Goo recalled “That kind of got her anger up a little bit.” Itoman’s response was not just to work on shooting 3-pointers every day but to also continue her workouts in the weight room and on the track “She would be in the gym for hours and drenched with sweat,” former UH guard Nani Cockett said “We practiced in Klum (Gym) and she’d go through two pairs of practice jerseys because she was soaking wet.” Itoman’s hard work paid off for herself and her teammates as she finished her career in the school’s top five for most 3-pointers made with 84 and then that eased up some of the pressure for myself and for Raylene Howard and Kylie (Page) Galloway,” Cockett added “We were able to take more shots because they couldn’t leave BJ open anymore.” Itoman was one of the quickest and smartest players on the basketball court Her 265 steals are second all-time in program history behind Cockett and she was named to the Western Athletic Conference All-Defensive Team in her final three seasons she was so quick and fast that even against bigs — she’d come in and get rebounds because she was so quick she’d hit it up and take it away from their hands,” Goo said “The best defensive player I ever had,” Goo added “Kind of felt sorry for the other point guards because she’d stay after them the whole game You’d see the point guards come out for the second half like I got to face BJ again.’ She’s really a terror.” “I’d hate to go one-on-one with her full court because she was so scrappy — even in high school — she would dig deep and just defend the ball with the best of them,” Cockett said her reputation as a pest was the opposite of her personality “We did have to get her to speak a lot more on the court because that’s not her role,” Valdez said She did get out of her comfort zone and started speaking up a little bit more “Whenever Vince would give the kids free time on the road make sure she gets out of her room,’” Valdez added she’d stay in there and study the whole time We had to get her out once in a while to have fun.” it was rare for student-athletes to enter college with more than 10 credits earned during high school and already had sophomore standing by her second semester of college That meant a decision had to be made about what to major in the assistant coach who managed the team’s academics “She said she was confused and worried because she wasn’t quite sure what she wanted to major in,” said Valdez who now works in UH’s student-athlete services department “I kind of laughed because I looked at her and said you’re so academically driven and intelligent.’ “Sometimes you have people that maybe aren’t as smart or brilliant or dedicated as you and there are only a few areas that they can major in because they can’t handle it academically,” Valdez continued ‘You can handle any major you want academically so stop worrying and stop being so concerned Itoman ended up majoring in kinesiology and health exercise science She did a summer internship in physical therapy but questioned whether she wanted to do that for the remainder of her life “What interested me about (flying) was that it didn’t seem like it would be a desk job which is similar to sports and kind of what I’ve done my whole life,” Itoman said I do a lot of office and admin stuff on the military side — which I find very rewarding — but that’s what made it sound interesting to me It was like a performance-based type of occupation that would be different every day You kind of go out there and do something versus sit behind a desk.” Itoman’s basketball IQ meant she found her teammates at the right time “She’d know how to dish the ball and when to take her shots when she was open,” Cockett said “She’s always in the right place at the right time Itoman has been in the National Guard since 2000 — she had her first training course in 2002 — flying C-17s (and its predecessor “It’s a very tactical and fun aircraft to fly and the mission is dynamic,” she said about the C-130 “That was something my brother recommended that it would be a fun mission for me that would still be challenging and keep my interest for the long haul.” Missions for larger aircraft like the C-17s and C-130s focus on delivering troops and cargo to places across the world but the ones Itoman described as the most rewarding were humanitarian assistance and disaster relief “I was able to fly out to Samoa when they had the big tsunami (in 2009) and we were some of the first aircraft to go out and respond and take water and supplies that they needed,” she said but she left full-time status in 2017 and joined Hawaiian Airlines which provides her the flexibility to spend time with her two sons “I really just wanted a way to be able to balance my life a little more and be able to be there for them more than I was,” Itoman said “That’s kind of the big factor that helped me decide to leave full-time with the Guard and go to Hawaiian.” The difference with a part-time status is that she has the option to take a break if she needs it “I’m hoping that after this command assignment that maybe I can take a bit of a breather,” she said “I’ve been very fortunate to have so many opportunities available to me throughout my life I was able to go to college on a full scholarship,” Itoman said “It’s just one example of the opportunities that I’ve been able to take advantage of because of others who have put in the groundwork ahead of me I entered a career that is more male dominant — and still more male dominant today — but the numbers of females are growing each year University of Hawaii women’s basketball player (1995–1999) Bachelor of Science in kinesiology and health exercise science >> Pilot in the Hawaii Air National Guard (2000–present) >> Holds the rank of lieutenant colonel >> First female flying squadron commander for the Hawaii Air National Guard >> Pilot for Hawaiian Airlines (2017–present) >> First-team All-Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division (1999) >> Two-time second-team All-Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division (1997 >> Three-time Western Athletic Conference All-Defensive Team – Pacific (1997–99) >> Two-time Honolulu Advertiser All-State Player of the Year (1994 the Star-Advertiser will publish a series of stories celebrating the achievements of female pioneers and leaders with Hawaii ties Click here to view the Title IX series Today's print edition Home Delivery A memorial ceremony was held in Okinawa Prefecture on Sunday for more than 200,000 people who lost their lives in a fierce ground battle fought in the southernmost prefecture 79 years ago toward the end of World War II sponsored by the Okinawa Prefectural Government and held in the Peace Memorial Park in the city of Itoman's Mabuni district participants observed a moment of silence in honor of the war dead laid flowers and renewed their pledge for peace Mabuni was the last grueling battlefield during the Battle of Okinawa to which numerous civilians fell victim.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Denny Tamaki called for resolving the challenges created by the increasingly complex security environment through peaceful diplomacy and dialogue "Let's work unceasingly together to establish lasting peace," he said In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division This work, A Beacon of Service: U.S. Navy Sailors Help Illuminate Okinawa’s Peace Memorial Park, by Candice Barber, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3 jolted 127 km SSE of Itoman, Japan, at 23:18:47 GMT on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, APA reports was initially determined to be at 25.08 degrees north latitude and 128.18 degrees east longitude.   寄付Donate Animal Rights Center has been accusing the organizers of the Itoman Harley Duck Catching Competition of violating the Animal Welfare Act the fact that they were not prosecuted does not mean that this act is not animal abuse It clearly falls under the definition of animal abuse as defined by the Ministry of the Environment According to an article in the Ryukyu Shimpo the Itoman History and Culture Research Institute’s Mr Kinjyo states that duck catching competitions are not traditional or ritualistic He mentions that before the fishing port was developed it was very difficult to catch ducks that had thrown into the sea and he says that it started as an event after the war the Ryukyu Shimpo introduces a description from the “Local Study 1: Itoman Town’s Hairyu Ship,” jointly issued by the Itoman High School Local Study Club in June 1965 which states that “Duck catching is now done as a side show Spectators can freely catch ducks and make them their own.” In other words the conclusion that this is a side show was already made more than 50 years ago The Itoman Harley is scheduled to be held on June 9th They will decide whether to hold the duck catching competition just before that the Animal Rights Center Japan contacted the chairman of the Itoman Harley Events Committee and expressed a desire to hold discussions so they said they would contact us again in July since the Itoman Harley will be over by July we requested the cessation of animal use in writing “Ageuma” ritual was held at the Tado Taisha Shrine in Mie Prefecture They changed to climbing steep slopes instead of walls but there doesn’t seem to have been a change in consciousness regarding the treatment of animals While this event is held as a traditional event it has become a festival where people dress up and ride horses that they are not familiar with for entertainment Who was aware of the original purpose of climbing the slope to predict the harvest… The Itoman Harley is clearly not a traditional culture It is hoped that it will be turned into entertainment that can be enjoyed without sacrificing anyone using methods suitable for the current era that do not involve the use of live animals The Animal Rights Center Japan has proposed a remote-controlled duck that is about 30cm long If the use of live animals is to be abolished Please think of and propose better methods Opinions are accepted at the following numbers When I asked if it might be annoying to stop Please be careful not to insult or threaten them as it could be considered obstructing their business Please do not call the fisheries cooperative as it may interfere with their work.Itoman Harley Events Committee: 098-851-8339 (*Inquiries accepted only during the event) although it is not for the purchase of ducks Itoman City provided a subsidy of 770,000 yen for event insurance and the lease of 21 temporary toilets and 13 tents and also dispatched city officials last year they can be said to bear some responsibility We also ask for your continued opinions to Itoman City.Commercial and Industrial Fisheries Promotion Division: 098-840-8137 And one more place where the necessary action is not functioning at all is Okinawa Prefecture For the “positive (intentional) abuse” specific examples shown by the Ministry of the Environment Acts that cause or may cause physical traumaInflicting violencePsychological repression I hope they will provide appropriate guidance for the duck catching competition which definitely falls under these categories Okinawa Prefecture Animal Welfare Management Center: 098-945-3043Okinawa Prefecture Environmental Department Nature Conservation Division: 098-866-2243 Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInHONOLULU Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - A former Rainbow Wahine basketball standout turned female aviator joins the ‘Muthaship’ this week BJ Itoman has been literally soaring to new heights since dazzling fans on the court as an All-WAC point guard for the University of Hawaii Remember to subscribe to the ‘Muthaship’ podcast on any of the following platforms: For more episodes with Steph, Noli and Brooke, click here to visit the ‘Muthaship’ archives Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version Okinawa — The southernmost city on Okinawa is working to create a virtual tour of a deteriorating landmark that provided shelter to refugees and others in the final days of World War II is developing a 3D tour of Todoroki Cave in time for the Battle of Okinawa’s 80th anniversary next year an Itoman city spokesman told Stars and Stripes by email on May 10 which will be similar to a Google Street View The three-month battle in spring and summer 1945 claimed 49,000 U.S Another 110,000 Japanese troops were killed and 100,000 civilians were either killed or ordered to die by suicide by the Japanese military Many of the latter took cover in caves like Todoroki The 330-foot cave was also home to government offices where the prefectural governor at the time and other officials took shelter and eventually announced the cessation of all their governmental duties More than 600 citizens were rescued from the cave by the U.S “The cave is very important to locals since there are worship places where many locals pray and it also serves as a destination for students from other prefectures for peace education,” the spokesman said as evidenced by repeated instances of falling rocks The city posted a sign warning visitors against entering the cave because of its dangerous condition The city decided to scan the cave in 3D to preserve it and allow visitors to see it safely “Scanning the cave was quite challenging due to the uneven floor and the conditions inside which were dark and humid,” Ikemiya Shokai president Taku Ikemiyagi told Stars and Stripes by phone Wednesday The city initiated the project in Japanese fiscal year 2023 and is planning to release the virtual tour on its website by the end of this fiscal year The scans were made this February and March “We are planning to release a 360-degree virtual tour where visitors can navigate to the direction they want from the cave’s entrance we will provide explanations at some important points,” the spokesman said Many Japanese government officials speak to the media only on condition of anonymity Ikemiyagi said the company is compiling information and images of the cave to integrate with the virtual tour soldier encouraging surrender at the cave’s entrance,” he said “We aim to associate that image with the location so that people can understand the events that transpired there.” The 49th Naha Dragon Boat Race concluded on May 5 While the biggest dragon boat tournament in Okinawa left behind memorable moments starting with the championship won by the Army Ladies' Dragon Boat Team there are still more to come for rowers and their fans on the island it is the day when locals pray to the god of the sea for a good catch many dragon boat races take place on or around this day While some of them are dedicated to local teams to showcase unique traditions you can still get your fill of dragon boats Venue: Itoman Fishing Port GPS Coordinates: 26.12954 This is a traditional-style race for locals Competitions will be held between small fishing boats called “sabani” with 12 crewmembers compared to the big boats of Naha Dragon Boat Race The small size of the boat is thought to add speed to the races is recognized as a municipality of Uminchu (fishermen) The competition functions as a ritual as well *No parking available in and around the venue *This race was started by fishermen who moved to the Minatogawa District from Itoman City this dragon boat race is called “hare” not “hari.” Once the race is over Parking space is available in the fishing port (competitions for teams from outside) Venue: Ojima GPS Coordinates: 26.131959 *This race takes place around a small island off the southern coast of Okinawa and is known for “nagarebune,” a style of competition where crews jump into the water before boarding their boat Chatan Nirai Hari Date: June 25 Time: 7 a.m – Venu: Hamakawa Fishing Port GPS Coordinates: 26.323952 *A popular event that features dance and music performances as well as dragon boat races The venue is in the neighborhood of Kadena Air Base and Camp Foster Please note that parking space is not available on site Spectators are expected to use public transportation Venue: Toyosaki Kaihin Koen (the north side of Orion Eco Chura Sun Beach) GPS Coordinates: 26.157235 *This race takes place at a popular resort beach near Naha Airport Participants compete in 350-meter or 550-meter races The venue is about 15-minute drive from Camp Schwab Okinawa – A week after the Battle of Okinawa entered a cave looking for souvenirs and never came out a Japanese nonprofit dedicated to repatriating World War II remains is bringing Americans and Japanese together to excavate the cave in hopes of finally bringing the Marine home “We have to do everything we can do to really confirm” whether his remains are there Kuentai-USA secretary general Yukari Akatsuka said July 11 during a break in the excavation “We just don’t want to leave this unclear.” reportedly once the Japanese 62nd Division field hospital according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency website Eyewitnesses reported that the Marines turned left toward the main chamber They were ambushed by Japanese holdouts somewhere inside John Hartman pulled one wounded Marine from the cave and rushed back to retrieve Quinn Marines outside reported hearing more gunshots The cave was sealed after the Japanese soldiers refused to surrender American Graves Registration returned to the cave in 1951 and removed 19 sets of remains Army Corps of Engineers article posted to the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service website said in April Quinn was officially declared non-recoverable Japan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare removed about 100 sets of remains from the cave in 1977 yet Quinn and Hartman remain unaccounted for All they needed was local permission and to document their efforts for the Japanese government “There [were] artifacts and pieces of bones even on the surface,” Akatsuka said Kuentai in April first excavated the area where Quinn and Hartman fell service members from nearby bases and members of the Japan Self-Defense Force They recovered 10 bags of wartime artifacts and two bags of human remains including large leg bones that may have belonged to the two Marines Those bones are stored at the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum in Mabuni Kuentai continued the search between July 7 and Wednesday the group sifted through sediment from collapsed ceilings and walls trying to work down to the original tiled floor “I found a bone,” retired Marine explosive ordnance disposal tech Matthew Small called out July 11 Kuentai and Small have kept Quinn’s sister and Hartman’s relatives apprised of their progress Ponzio remembered her brother as a family man He worked at a butcher shop before the war and asked if he could be paid in meat to feed his family He was eligible for a deferment but joined the Marines instead “He was the oldest of us seven,” Ponzio told Stars and Stripes on July 8 Quinn was called “Pop Quinn” in their Brooklyn neighborhood because he was always helping everyone He called his brother Gerald “Six Cents,” because he was always begging for candy money The Hartman family likewise appreciates Kuentai’s efforts Kuentai hopes the Japanese government will work with the Defense Department to sample the DNA of remains discovered thus far to see if they can finally identify Quinn and Hartman the group brought Ponzio and Gerald into the cave via video call “My dad was so emotional and choked up,” said Gerald’s daughter ‘I was able to say goodbye to my brother John.’” Japan - Seven people were rescued Monday hours after they had gone missing while diving in waters off the southern island of Okinawa The coast guard had dispatched a helicopter and patrol vessels to search for the group after it received a call from their diving boat at around 11:50 a.m all of the divers were rescued by helicopter The divers had gone missing around 12 kilometers west of the port of Itoman or about 640 meters north-northeast of Rukan Reef were all spotted drifting in the sea near where they had initially been reported missing They are believed to have been drift diving -- when the diver uses the current to transport themselves through the water Congratulations to Ballistic Burst 07 on winning its division in the MISO Junior League Quarterback Jaestyn Nuufolau of 808 Rainbow runs for a touchdown Kaimuki Christian School sixth-grader Cade Nakama drives to the basket during a game against ‘Iolani School Sept Celebrating their last game of the season with i9 Sports basketball league are (front) Kigen Itoman Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report Okinawa Prefecture--Strong winds from an approaching typhoon did not keep Taro Aragaki from his daily routine of visiting the Cornerstone of Peace here was seen tracing the names of his parents with his hand on the monument on which are engraved the names of more than 200,000 war dead It stands in the Mabuni district of Itoman near the southern end of Okinawa’s main island Aragaki was 2 at the time of the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 and his mother died from undernourishment soon after the war ended “The names of my parents being shown here give me moral support,” Aragaki said on the morning of June 5 a public holiday in this southernmost prefecture people were seen visiting the Cornerstone of Peace here from early in the morning on June 23 visitors joined their hands in prayer and offered flowers to those who perished in the Battle of Okinawa during the closing months of World War II Visitors to the Cornerstone shared their personal thoughts and feelings with Asahi Shimbun reporters during the month leading up to Okinawa Memorial Day The holiday marks the anniversary of the end of the fierce three-month battle put up by the Imperial Japanese Army against Allied forces in this prefecture was seen visiting the monument with his wife Yoshiko He had been impatient to visit the Cornerstone She died only 15 days after birth while his parents were returning to Okinawa from Taiwan Taiwan was under Japan’s colonial rule from 1895 through 1945 Kayamoto’s parents told him little about the wartime and about his sister before they passed away after the age of 90 Kayamoto used to feel uneasy because his sister was not commemorated on the Cornerstone of Peace he had an opportunity to learn about his sister’s name and the month of her death when he looked inside his family grave that contains the remains of his ancestors That allowed him to apply in 2020 for Kayoko’s name to be engraved additionally “A load is finally going to be taken off my chest,” Kayamoto said work started to install a new memorial plaque at the Cornerstone The plaque shows the names of 41 newly identified war dead from both Okinawa Prefecture and elsewhere “Some of the dead people may be feeling that they have been kept waiting for so long,” said Mitsuru Matsukawa the secretary-general of the Okinawa prefectural Peace Memorial Foundation stood by the side of a corner of the monument that is lined with Roman letters Marine said he used to work at Camp Hansen a military base elsewhere on Okinawa’s main island He was there with his two sons and a daughter so the children--all elementary school pupils--would learn about the history of the Battle of Okinawa on the eve of the U.S On the Cornerstone are the names of more than 14,000 U.S Larson said he hopes his children will realize the preciousness of life was seen visiting the Cornerstone with his wife Sayoko He said that until his father died five years ago all his family members would visit the Cornerstone on which are engraved the names of five relatives including his grandfather the family would spread sheets on a lawn in the shade of trees in the park where they would listen to his father’s accounts of ancestors over box lunches Each member of his family at the gathering would share accounts of how he or she was doing lately while a memorial ceremony went on some distance away There would even be occasional bursts of laughter “The place means so much to me,” Miyagi said “I hope we will resume the practice next year if the COVID-19 pandemic is over.” BROTHER PRAYS FOR SISTER WHO KILLED HERSELF declared in 10 prefectures by the central government was lifted June 20 in nine of them except Okinawa Prefecture was seen tracing the name of his older sister “I haven’t been able to come here very often part of the Kerama islands in the prefecture Realizing that his physical strength is failing he made up his mind and came here for the first time in 10 years with the help of his second daughter lived in a family of three with his mother and 19-year-old sister where they attempted to take their own lives by tying a long rope around their necks Nakamura and his family had been made to believe they would be brutally killed if they were to be captured by the U.S But he now regrets that he didn’t stop his family from the suicide attempt the sister whom he remembers as affectionate was a good singer of folk songs and a skillful dancer “Watch over me,” Nakamura said as he joined his hands and prayed before her engraved name visitors were seen at the Cornerstone of Peace with umbrellas and bouquets in their hands who is in the second year of junior high school On the Cornerstone is the name of Kame Aragaki troops while she was heading for the north of Okinawa’s main island as Japanese troops were withdrawing to the island’s south Chizuko comes here every year with her grandson to join hands and pray together so she decided to come here early in the morning “I never experienced the Battle of Okinawa in person but I still have to pass down accounts of it,” Chizuko said I realize that so many people lost their lives and that being alive now is such a blessing,” Rinta said (This article was written by Mika Kuniyoshi Okinawa marks 76th anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa Man on hunger strike again over using soil with WWII remains military in Okinawa refuses to suspend flights EDITORIAL: Suga should show actual sympathy for Okinawa’s long suffering Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission Okinawa Prefecture--French artist Saype has painted an image of interlocking hands on a park lawn here to send a fleeting message of peace Saype said Okinawa was a special place and that he’d met compassionate people there He added that he hopes his work will help connect people in this troubled world At about 200 meters in length and 20 meters in width the image was created using waterborne paint comprising chalk and charcoal The artwork is part of Saype’s Beyond Walls project which started in 2019 in Paris and has taken place at 16 locations around the world He has created similar images of interlocking hands in Berlin Istanbul and other places that have a history of people overcoming conflicts and natural disasters The Peace Memorial Park was built in an area where fierce fighting took place toward the end of World War II and he said he plans to work in Nagasaki and Tokyo Noting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the tensions between the United States and China said she was committed to helping heal the world’s divisions yamazaki kentaro design workshop has built a restaurant on the southern tip of japan’s okinawa island named the ‘itoman gyomin shokudo’ the dining outlet seeks to support and promote the region’s local traditions and culture through its cuisine the restaurant was constructed as part of a masonry workshop organized by the project’s collaborators a material commonly used for the region’s fishing huts volunteers came together to clad the reinforced concrete structure with locally sourced stone all images by nahoko koide and wataru oshiro yamazaki kentaro design workshop used a single-slab flat roof to shield the building’s interior from the hot okinawa sun while the internal layout encourages cross vitalization ‘by choosing to make the roof from a single panel we hope the restaurant becomes a landmark in the area and contributes to a generous landscape rooted in the culture of itoman,’ explains the design team ryukyu limestone has been used throughout the design the use of limestone is continued internally where restaurant seating is raised off the ground creating a spatial balance with the surrounding landscape a range of different seating is provided with more private zones adjoining the main dining area at the center of the plan the building is flanked by two sunken gardens that each border an outdoor terrace other projects by yamazaki kentaro design workshop include a house conceived as ‘as a container for living’, and a nursery defined by its stepped interior the internal layout encourages cross vitalization a single-slab flat roof shields the building’s from the hot okinawa sun creating a balance with the surrounding landscape the dining outlet supports the region’s local traditions and culture through its cuisine the building was constructed as part of a masonry workshop name: itoman gyomin shokudo — a ‘locally-sourced’ restaurantlocation: itoman-shi japansite area: 473.49 sqm
floor area: 83.78 sqm
principle use: restaurant specializing in local cuisine
structure: RC (partly wooden)
storeys: 1project management: nano-associates co.,ltd.
food direction: ryosuke tamura (azabu choko)
landscape: takio inadastructural design: ASD /ryuji tabata takayuki tabata
graphic design: isabella testai
photography: nahoko koide AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style Vox Populi Vox Dei is a daily column that runs on Page 1 of The Asahi Shimbun “Gamafuya” in the Okinawan dialect means a “cave digger,” and that is what Takamatsu Gushiken the Imperial Japanese Army set up bases in Okinawa’s natural caves called “gama.” Gushiken has volunteered to go into those caves and search for the remains of people who died in the Battle of Okinawa I visited Okinawa early this month and asked Gushiken to guide me around the hills in the city of Itoman In the wilderness where banyan trees with entangled boughs grow the dark mouths of multiple caves gaped open Gushiken crawled on his hands and knees through gaps in the rough limestone walls gently grazing the cave floor with a spatula as he proceeded What he found was readily identifiable as a human bone Gushiken refers to the remains as “silent witnesses,” the causes of whose death can only be guessed “The ultimate reality of war boils down to (people) getting killed how sincerely has Japan mourned the many Okinawan lives that were lost the remains of many victims of the war are still lying in the fields Gushiken spoke gently to the bone he’d found: “I want to let the people who are living now know as much of the hardships so that they will never start another war.” I closed my eyes and joined my hands in prayer Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture EDITORIAL: The tragedy of Okinawa is a problem for all of Japan to share Unique attire of Okinawa now seen everywhere in the prefecture Okinawa’s return to Japan marked 51 years on at packed rally SDF’s pivot to southwest a cause for concern in Okinawa Peace march held in Okinawa to call for removal of all U.S Part of crashed GSDF helicopter retrieved from sea in Okinawa May and June are the months in which to visit Okinawa if your aim is to witness the spectacle of fiercely contested races between crews paddling dragon boats or the Ryukyu Islands' small traditional fishing boats called sabani Naha Hari festival will feature dragon-boat races in the city's Tomari fishing harbor between large haryusen powered by 30 paddlers each.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); This year's festival will be the 39th of the modern era a youth sumo competition and a fireworks display combine with the intensely competitive races to create a truly carnival atmosphere enjoyed by residents and visitors alike Okinawa Prefecture--A large painting of girls chatting and walking to the school gate through lush green leaves greets visitors at a renovated museum dedicated to female student nurses mobilized during the 1945 Battle of Okinawa The Himeyuri Peace Museum here reopened on April 12 after staff members born after the war renewed exhibits to better convey the experiences of the Himeyuri (star lily) Student Corps to younger generations The painting at the entrance was introduced to make visitors feel closer to wartime students by showing that their school life was little different from today It replaced a panel explaining the purpose of the museum which was established in 1989 by survivors of the student corps and former classmates which consisted of 222 female students and 18 teachers provided nursing care to soldiers at an Imperial Japanese Army hospital set up in a cave in Haebaru the renovated museum features more illustrations Junior and senior high school students who had seen the previous exhibits complained that they had difficulties understating the experiences of student nurses “I cannot exactly relate to them” or “I want to understand them but cannot.” who have been engaged in oral storytelling to pass down their experiences “I’ve spoken about my experiences while trying to imagine what (visitors) don’t know,” Yoshiko Shimabukuro said after visiting the museum a day before the reopening “The new exhibits will help visitors understand the reality better.” 1 exhibition room contrasts ordinary school life with the effects of encroaching militarism with a photo of smiling students at the window of a school dormitory standing out in particular The exhibits show that students attended periodic exams term inauguration ceremonies and other events on the eve of the Battle of Okinawa 2 exhibition room centers on the days after students were mobilized as nurses featuring color illustrations of students assisting with a field doctor’s surgery and burying dead soldiers “It is difficult (for young visitors) to understand displays dominated by texts although some (involved in the renovations) feared that illustrations might render the exhibits too childish.” A total of 27 illustrations are on display they were checked by former members of the student corps and corrections were made based on their opinions The survivors of the Himeyuri Student Corps have been operating the museum gathering the personal effects left by former members The exhibits were updated for the first time in 2004 to ensure that the wartime experiences will be handed down even after their deaths the museum began considering a second makeover around 2013 following unfavorable comments about exhibits from young visitors Some staff members were worried about those from the postwar generation re-creating the exhibits produced by former members But those concerns were outweighed by fears that the existing exhibits will not resonate with a growing number of young audiences the museum has asked those born after the war to recount the stories on behalf of former members the first director of the museum from the postwar generation describes the latest renovation as a “beacon of hope” for connecting young people with the museum younger generations will become interested if we offer chances to think about it,” he said The number of visitors to the museum has plunged since the novel coronavirus pandemic erupted falling about 90 percent year on year from April 2020 through this February “We are facing the largest crisis since the museum opened,” Futenma said “We hope to attract more people after the renovation and make our operations sustainable.” Prewar pictures provide glimpse into daily lives of Okinawans Photos show Naha before city was razed in World War II Found sketch to aid rebuilding of dragon sculpture at Shuri-jo castle Fears raised that war dead remains mixed in with Henoko landfill Okinawan women had to toil just as hard as their husbands to sustain their families for at least as far back as when their island was an independent kingdom In addition to fulfilling domestic responsibilities sweat and tears into helping their families earn a living That was even more so after the Meiji government (1868-1912) ended rule of the Ryukyu Kingdom (1429-1879) and made it into the prefecture of Okinawa in 1879 as life was difficult for islanders at the time Working to bolster the family’s livelihood was not a new concept the prefectural capital of Okinawa and the commercial center since the days of the kingdom a saying goes that “a wife is not considered a full-fledged adult unless she can feed her husband,” according to Harumi Miyagi a researcher of the history of Okinawan women A photo taken around 1925 documents the vital role that women played in providing for their families peddling fish caught by their fathers or husbands The picture was carried in the June 11 Osaka edition of The Asahi Shimbun the same year describing the women as “fine merchants in their own right.” It is one of 165 rare prints capturing Okinawans in prewar years that turned up recently at the Osaka headquarters of The Asahi Shimbun Another photo shot around 1925 shows a woman with tattoos on her hands and wrists a local tradition known as “hajichi,” which was prohibited in 1899 The custom of getting inked began as a rite of passage marking milestones such as reaching adulthood and getting married as well as for protection from evil spirits people with tattoos became the target of a crackdown by authorities many women continued to have a longing for tattoos “The custom had been an integral part of their spiritual culture,” she said the year before the island was devastated by the Battle of Okinawa young women are shown glazing earthenware at a workshop in Naha’s Tsuboya district Although women were not allowed to work around a kiln using fire they learned how to paint and sell pottery in an effort to contribute to their households “Okinawan women were expected to support their families,” Miyagi said “Even though they were trying to adjust to a Japanese way of life the legacy from the time of the Ryukyu Kingdom was still with them when they went about their daily lives.” (This story was written by Amane Shimazaki and Okinawa Times staff writer Ari Shiroma.) The photos were kept and stored as prints at The Asahi Shimbun The identities of those who took some of the photos are not known The Asahi Shimbun may change the photo credits and captions if new information becomes available VOX POPULI: Author Tatsuhiro Oshiro showed Okinawa’s woes continue today Neighborhood convenience store links Osaka to Okinawa Survivor of brutal Battle of Okinawa shares worst memories MOMENTS IN TIME: The couple who vowed to ‘turn sorrow into power’ Okinawa Prefecture—A search of a cave here uncovered the bones of six adults and two children who likely died during the 1945 Battle of Okinawa The bones were collected in late February and March by Mirai-o-tsumugu-borantia a group of volunteers who search for remains and articles of the war dead The group said the remains were found in space surrounded by trash and rocks about 20 meters into the cave The bones were buried about 1.2 meters deep over an area 2 meters long and 1 meter wide Based on the shoes and equipment discovered around the remains the group believes the adults were Japanese soldiers A fountain pen with the name “Nakagawa” engraved on it as well as buttons that appear to have belonged to American soldiers were also found there the remains of one to three people are typically found at a single location,” an Okinawa prefectural official said “Finding more than five remains is unusual.” The Battle of Okinawa was one of the bloodiest in World War II An estimated 200,000 Japanese and Americans died in the battle including one-quarter of Okinawa’s civilian population One of the Imperial Japanese Army’s infantry regiments was involved in a fierce fight in the area around the cave Many in the unit were originally from Hokkaido According to the Okinawa prefectural government the provisional number of collected bones of the war dead in fiscal 2019 was 59 carefully excavated the bones by hand and will clean them and deliver them to the prefectural government’s center in Itoman that collects remains of the war dead The group plans to request DNA testing on the remains for identification purposes and hopes to return them to their families said the health ministry has conducted DNA testing on bones previously found by the group but it took more than a year after the moment of discovery to have a sample taken from the remains “If the process had been done much quicker close relatives might have still been alive and more accurate testing could have been conducted.” Residents in Okinawa Prefecture have recently voiced concerns that undiscovered remains from the ferocious Battle of Okinawa might be mixed with soil used as landfill for a project to build a new U.S military base off the coastal Henoko district of Nago Hamada said the group is determined to continue its activities to collect the war dead remains and return them to the bereaved families base landfill soil mixed with WWII remains A rare peek into wartime tunnel network under Shuri-jo castle Scars of Battle of Okinawa still not healed after 75 years of peace Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version ITOMAN (Japan) — In Mr Norman Baker’s mind Americans were long-nosed demons who rained hellfire from the skies before raping and pillaging anything with the worse-than-death fate of crossing their path Both the 18-year-old US Marine and the 17-year-old Okinawan schoolgirl had known the enemy only from the virulent propaganda they had been fed When they finally met their foes in the closing months of World War II back-to-back battles hundreds of miles apart it has been difficult to reconcile the hatred of the past with the peace of the present as told to The Associated Press on Iwo Jima and the island of Okinawa Mr Baker arrived with the fourth Marine Division on Iwo Jima in the dead of night on Feb 25 and was assigned to a security detachment protecting units clearing two airfields He was the first off his unit’s landing craft The beach was by this time a chaos of men and equipment under Japanese mortar and artillery fire he looked inside and saw a Japanese soldier huddled in a corner “He was so close when I shot him the blood splattered on me.” “We were indoctrinated throughout that the Japanese were a people to be hated Mdm Shimabukuro was assigned in March 1945 to the Himeyuri Student Corps mobilised by Japanese soldiers who were fortifying Okinawa and mobilising Okinawan civilians for the fight ahead More than half the 240 women and girls who went with her never came home Mdm Shimabukuro watched amputations without anesthesia listened to the cries of soldiers and sat helplessly as they died When a shell hit right outside a cave opening We didn’t want to have to be scattered out there and die alone,” she said so that I could kill myself if the Americans came I was told they didn’t have anything like that for us They told us that if we were captured we should bite off our own tongues and bleed to death So we weren’t as afraid to die as we were afraid of being captured alive.” in an area of some of the worst Iwo Jima fighting prepared to jump over a shell hole when he spotted a Japanese soldier moving below The soldier faced Mr Baker and raised his left arm above his head Mr Baker aimed his machine gun and motioned for the man to raise his other arm “I threw off the safety on the Thompson and prepared to kill him His eyes pleaded for his life as he turned enough to show me that he had been shot in the back in the area of his right shoulder blade.” The Marine behind Mr Baker yelled at him to quickly kill the soldier After making the soldier strip to his underwear to be sure he was unarmed Mr Baker gave him a cigarette and some water “I have always wished that I could have found out what he did with his life.” Mdm Shimabukuro stepped on an explosive two days after leaving the cave Some villagers helped carry her and a wounded friend to a relatively safe place She was fading in and out of consciousness when she heard the footsteps “There were five American soldiers standing over us with their guns When they tried to pat down my friend’s chest I was so weak I couldn’t bite off my tongue The soldiers – probably actually Marines or Navy corpsmen – opened two bottles of a fluid Mdm Shimabukuro didn’t immediately recognise she assumed it was gasoline and that they were about to set her on fire “But then they started treating us,” she said ”What they were pouring on my wounds was to kill the maggots growing in my arm The Japanese would have used the same amount to treat 50 men The maggots just died and started falling off.” She continued to hate and distrust her captors for weeks I thought they were just trying to deceive us by being kind and that they would eventually kill us in some terrible way The kinder they were the more I distrusted them.” pursued an education – interrupted for a year by more combat in the Korean War He became an aerospace engineer and was active in the space program before switching to journalism and publishing he returned to Iwo Jima for the second and probably final time to attend a Reunion of Honour “The hate and bitterness I felt for the Japanese was left on Iwo Jima,” Mr Baker said after the visit But he added: “I can never forget their cruelty and inhumanity There is still a cultural divide that I guess we cannot expect to narrow.” Mdm Shimabukuro went on to become a teacher she and other survivors of the Himeyuri unit built a museum near the last cave where she served The 87-year-old says they just don’t have the strength anymore she no longer harbours the kind of blind hatred that once consumed her largely because of the continued US military presence in Okinawa “They say they are here to protect Okinawa But we should instead be working together to create a world in which they aren’t needed.” her voice fading as she carefully thought of what to say next “I do still believe the Americans are a kind people.” AP Todayonline.com and Today Online domains and apps are now part of 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