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Memories of Outskirts: What is ‘8․15’ to Okinawans

  • 日本硏究
  • 2013, (35), pp.265-283
  • Publisher : The Center for Japanese Studies
  • Research Area : Humanities > Japanese Language and Literature
  • Published : August 20, 2013

SON Ji-Youn 1

1경희대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

As the post-war of Japan began with the series of progress, which is the acceptance of Potsdam Declaration – unconditional surrender – occupation of Allied forces(American), the post-war of Okinawa began with the special situation, wartime occupation, also called ‘Occupation during the battle.’This distinction between Okinawa and Mainland Japan’s post-war vividly shown from the ‘Memory’ or the ‘Memorial’ surrounding ‘8․15’ as well. This notion was noted in this thesis to observe what ‘8․15’ means to Okinawans, who were placed in the mainland’s ‘change’ either by geographically or historically, over the history of being discriminated that Okinawans are not Japanese. Though it may not be hard to imagine that ‘collective memory’ of post-war Japan, that ‘8․15’ is the End of war, was established by forcing and excluding the memories of colonists under Empire, it is meaningful to observe how that is remembered and commemorated by the suppressed ones who were driven out to outskirts of the ‘collective memory’. As absurd remarks from Prime Minister Abe and politicians with far-right tendencies seem to precipitate the conflict, which is also being amplified, between the Nations of South-east Asia over the historic awareness. In this rightist turned history awareness, there is no doubt that foundation lies in the stubbornly formed idea, ‘8․15=End of War’, that is structured firmly and denying the historical fact, ‘The Day of Loss from War of Invasion’. This structure, ‘8․15=postwar’, which was systemized national level, could be established by concealing and eliminating the numerous historical ‘cracks’ from each of the South-East nations. Not only should Okinawa’s Memorial days, beginning with ‘6・23’, satisfied in dealing with mainland’s ‘8․15’, but the need for more complex reasoning in close relations with South-East Asian nations in right here.

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