Today is the anniversary known as “Okinawa Memorial Day” — a day to remember and pray for everyone who died because of the war in Okinawa during WWII. The Japanese Empire anticipated its defeat in WWII, but chose to wage a ground battle in Okinawa in order to delay the invasion of mainland Japan. The US military invaded Okinawa, and ordinary people there — who had been taught to fight against the US and die for the Japanese Empire — were drawn into the war by the Japanese military itself. The Battle of Okinawa lasted only about three months, yet the death toll reached over 200,000 people. When I think of Gaza since October 2023, where more than 70,000 people have died, it’s hard to even begin to imagine the scale of devastation that has taken place there. (Of course, the real point is the imperial violence that kills a person — not the number itself.) For 27 years after the end of WWII, Okinawa was forced to live under US military control. Even after its reintegration with Japan, Okinawa has been unfairly burdened with hosting US military bases at a far higher rate than mainland Japan. So many incidents have occurred — for example, sexual assaults committed by soldiers against people in Okinawa that unjustly ended without prosecution. Now, the Japanese government is expanding military power around Okinawa, and is even planning to force ordinary people living on the remote islands of Okinawa to evacuate their own land if war breaks out. One of the most essential responsibilities of politicians is to refrain from war — not to profit from it. This photo was taken at the shoreline where so many ordinary people in Okinawa were pushed back and killed during the Battle of Okinawa.