Okinawa Women Act Against Military Violence was formed in September 1995, following the rape of a 12-year-old girl by 3 US servicemen. This group has held demonstrations and protests, organized letter writing campaigns, and brought their creativity and passion to protests and campaigns against the US military presence in Okinawa, which dates back to 1945 and the end of World War II. See key facts about Okinawa and details of the effects of long-term U.S. Military Presence in Okinawa (pdf).
Okinawa Women Act Against Military Violence provides a strong feminist voice linking violence against women with military violence. This organization hosted two International Network meetings in 1997 and 2000.
Contact: Suzuyo Takazato, Co-Chair
Okinawa Women Act Against Military Violence
3-29-41-402 Kumoji, Naha-shi,
Okinawa, 900-0015 JAPAN.
Tel/fax: +81-98-864-1539
e-mail:space-yui@nirai.ne.jp
Key Facts about Okinawa
Okinawa Island (沖縄本島 Okinawa-hontō?, alternatively 沖縄島 Okinawa-jima; Okinawan: 沖縄/うちなーUchinaa or 地下/じじ jiji;[1] Kunigami: ふちなー Huchináa) is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu(Nansei) Islands of Japan. The island has an area of 1,201.03 square kilometers (463.72 sq mi). It is roughly 640 kilometres (400 mi) south of the rest of Japan, roughly the same distance off the coast of China, and 300 miles north of Taiwan. The boxed in and cramped Greater Naha area, home to the capital (or more accurately—prefectural seat) of Okinawa Prefecture on the southwestern part of Okinawa Island, has roughly 800 thousand of the island’s 1.3 million residents, while the city itself is home to about 320 thousand. The island hosts the majority of the US troops stationed in Japan, putting significant strain on civilian life.
The island’s population is known as one of the longest-lived people in the world,[2] together with the Sardinians[3] whose island is located in the Mediterranean sea (22 centenarians/100,000 inhabitants); in fact, there are 34 centenarians per 100,000 people, which is more than three times the rate in Japan.