By Han Jitao
韩基韬
According to Jiji Press of Japan, Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno Hirokazu stated at a press conference on April 24 that Japan will deploy Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) air-defense missile systems on two Okinawa Prefecture islands. And early in the morning of April 26, many local citizens of this prefecture found that a large batch of members and vehicles of the Japanese Self-Defense Force (JSDF) swarmed into many ports and streets there. On the same day, a simulated test of Japan's National Instant Warning System (J-ALERT) was held in Okinawa, the shrill alarm of which once again intensely tautened the nerves of local civilians. Local media criticized the continuous military expansion actions of the Japanese government violate the Pacifist Constitution and threaten regional security and stability.
据日本时事通讯社报道，日本内阁官房长官松野博一24日在记者会上称，日本将在冲绳县的两个岛屿上部署“爱国者-3”防空导弹系统。4月26日一大早，日本冲绳县不少居民发现，大批自卫队员和自卫队车辆涌入当地多个港口和街道。这一天，冲绳县还进行了“全国瞬时警报系统”接收演练。当刺耳的警报声响起，冲绳民众的神经再次绷紧了。当地媒体批评说，日本政府不断扩张军备的做法违背了“和平宪法”，也给地区安全与稳定带来威胁。
To express their appeals for peace, a delegation from the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly of Japan submitted a resolution to the Defense Ministry, the Cabinet Office and the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo on April 24 and 25. The file questioned the new version of "Three Security Documents" issued by their government at the end of 2022 and urged the Kishida administration to scrupulously abide by the principles established in the four China-Japan political documents to promote friendship between the two countries and actively build peace through dialogues and diplomatic methods. These appeals truly reflect the collective inner voices of 1.46 million residents in Okinawa and represent the cry of peace-loving people within the country, to which the Kishida administration can’t turn a deaf ear.
为了表达和平诉求，24日、25日两天，冲绳县议员代表团向日本防卫省、内阁府、外务省递交了县议会通过的和平外交意见决议书。决议书质疑日本去年底通过的新版“安保三文件”，要求日本政府恪守中日四个政治文件中确立的各项原则，推动中日友好，用对话和外交方式积极构建和平。这反映了146万冲绳民众的集体心声，也代表了日本国内和平力量的呼声，日本政府不能充耳不闻。
Profound changes have taken place in the global political landscape in these years. As the US mistakenly defines China as its "main competitor" and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) consistently intervenes in Asia-Pacific affairs, the Japanese right-wing political forces feel that they have found an opportunity to slip the leash of the Pacifist Constitution and revive militarism. They continuously hype up so-called “China threat”, enormously increase defense budgets and develop offensive weapons to seek strike capabilities and attempt to transform the postwar international order.
最近几年，世界政治格局发生深刻变化。随着美国错误地将中国定义为“最主要竞争对手”、北约不断插手亚太事务，日本右翼政治势力以为找到了突破“和平宪法”、复活军国主义的机会。他们不断炒作“中国威胁”，大幅提升防卫费，发展进攻性武器，谋求获得对敌打击能力，企图颠覆战后国际秩序。
A SIPRI report on April 24 shows that the 2022 defense budget of Japan increased by 5.9% and reached a record high since 1960. The so-called joint statement announced at the G7 foreign ministers' meeting held by Japan a few days ago makes irresponsible remarks on the Taiwan question and other aspects and blatantly intervenes in China's internal affairs. Not a few analysts point out that the Japanese government has deviated from the ideology of the Pacifist Constitution and made the "exclusively defense-oriented" principle a mere scrap of paper.
斯德哥尔摩国际和平研究所24日发布的报告显示，2022年日本防卫费增加了5.9%，是1960年以来的最高水平。日本日前主办的七国集团外长会发表所谓联合声明，对台湾问题等说三道四，公然干涉中国内政。不少分析人士指出，日本政府已经背离了“和平宪法”理念，“专守防卫”原则沦为一纸空文。
All these deeply disquiet the Okinawan civilians who have suffered heavily from the ravages of war. Okinawa used to be the independent Ryukyu Kingdom in history. In 1879 Japan swallowed up the kingdom and set it as the Okinawa Prefecture. Around 1/4 of local people lost their lives during the Battle of Okinawa, the most tragic event of World War II Pacific Battlefield. The 88-year-old Kodani Tatsuo has extremely painful experience from this. In March of 1945, the Japanese government forced all Okinawan civilians to commit suicide for their country, causing the 10-year-old Kodani Tatsuo to lose all his family.
这一切，让饱受战争侵害的冲绳民众也深感忧虑。历史上，冲绳曾是独立的琉球王国。1879年日本吞并琉球，设立了冲绳县。在二战太平洋战场最惨烈的冲绳战役中，约有四分之一的冲绳人不幸丧生。88岁的小岭达雄对此有切肤之痛。1945年3月，当时的日本政府逼迫冲绳民众集体自杀“殉国”，时年10岁的小岭达雄失去了所有亲人。
Okinawa was "entrusted" to the US after WWII. In 1971, the US and Japan signed Okinawa Reversion Agreement privately and in May 1972, the US transferred the political administration power of Okinawa to Japan, without withdrawing its troops stationed there. Until now, nearly 70% of the US forces in Japan are deployed in Okinawa , which accounts for no more than 1% of the whole territory of Japan. These US soldiers enjoy extraterritorial rights and have committed a number of security accidents and crimes over the years, which brought much unbearable suffering to the local people.
二战后，冲绳被美国“托管”。1971年美日私自签订《冲绳返还协定》，第二年5月美国将冲绳施政权移交给日本，但保留了驻日美军。如今，在不到日本国土面积1%的冲绳土地上，驻扎着近七成驻日美军。这些美国士兵享受治外法权，多年来制造了大量安全事故、犯罪案件，令当地民众苦不堪言。
The Japanese Self-Defense Force has also continuously expanded its presence in Okinawa in these years. The newly released security documents last December proposed to strengthen the Japanese self-defense forces in Okinawa. And the local media commented that the Kishida administration intends to transform this area into a "battle fortress".
这些年，日本自卫队也不断扩大在冲绳的存在感。去年12月，日本政府通过的新版安保文件，都提到要强化驻扎在冲绳的日本自卫队力量。当地媒体指出，日本政府是想把冲绳变成“战斗堡垒”。
Those miserable traumas from the war have made the Okinawan people realize the value of peace. The resolution submitted by the local prefectural assembly expresses their dissatisfaction and worry about the military expansion of the Japanese government, as well as appeals for China-Japan friendship and regional peace. On April 24, several Japanese citizen groups also proclaimed they will hold a large-scale peaceful assembly on May 21 to protest the JSDF deployment of missile units in this area and call for "not making Okinawa a battlefield". In a recent article on local media, Ryukyu Shimpo said that China is the largest economic partner of Japan and the two countries are indispensable to each other. The two countries should strive to ease the tension and spare no efforts to promoting peace.
因为饱受战争创伤，冲绳民众深知和平之可贵。当地议会提交的这份决议书，表达了他们对日本政府军事扩张的不满与担忧，以及对中日友好与地区和平的诉求。多个日本市民团体24日也宣布，将在5月 21 日举行大规模和平集会，反对自卫队在冲绳部署导弹部队，呼吁“不要让冲绳成为战场”。冲绳当地媒体《琉球新报》近日发文说，中国是日本最大的经济伙伴，相互之间不可或缺；中日两国应该努力缓和紧张，尽最大努力构建和平。
In the opinion of Masaharu Kondo, former Director-General of Cabinet Legislation Bureau of Japan, the Japanese government has fundamentally changed its security policy and is obliged to give the people an answer. The Okinawan people need peace but not missiles, and the Kishida administration should listen attentively to their legitimate claims. With regard to how to improve China-Japan relations, Tokyo has more to think about.
在日本内阁法制局前局长阪田雅裕看来，日本政府安保政策已经发生重大转变，有义务给民众一个交代。冲绳民众要和平不要导弹。对于他们的正当诉求，日本政府应该认真倾听。对于如何给中日关系排障减负，日本政府更要好好想想了。
Editor's note: Originally published on news.cri.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
