Since World War II, Okinawa women’s tragic and unique experience has forced them to unite as a collective to deal with anything that may happen in the war. Because of the war, the social life dominated by women has become one of the most critical forms besides war. They constantly take care of others while suffering great harm, which makes them have a powerful collective consciousness. This sense of solidarity enables them to continue to stand together and make suggestions for their own survival when confronting the construction of US military bases after the war in the future. But they’re not powerful enough. According to Wendy Matsumura’s article, “The reality of Okinawa as a hyper-militarized site that comprises 0.6% of Japan’s land mass but houses nearly 75% of all US military bases in the country is well known. Neither national nor local courts or police have jurisdiction over these lands, which comprise over 10% of prime agricultural lands of the islands” (152). This kind of difficult situation combined with gender discrimination can make their opinions quickly rejected. But they still maintain their willpower cultivated during the war and constantly strive for a better life for themselves and their future generations.
After the war, the new dilemma of Okinawa women has been magnified with the arrival of more and more US troops, land acquisition. The exploitation of these women by the US military is mainly reflected in driving them out and letting them give up their land. “The US military’s rationalization policy had severe consequences for women farmers, many of whom did not have direct access to the property ownership system or did not have the time or desire to earn wages in military or military-related industries given the all-encompassing nature of their work as reproducers of small farming households” (Matsumura 156). This kind of deprivation of property rights made women protest against a large number of US troops once again.
