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9781538188392

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In Why Are We in Okinawa?, Jon Mitchell wields the tools of investigative journalism with precision and grace, exposing a century and a half of military secrecy, exploitation, and abuse. Mitchell gathers facts as one might gather flowers, which is to say with quiet devotion. This book is a gift — first and foremost to the people of Okinawa, who have endured unspeakable violence and suffer mightily still, but also to all of us stubborn enough to believe that this broken world is still worth saving. * Julian Aguon, No Country for Eight-Spot Butterflies: A Lyric Essay *

In Why Are We in Okinawa?, Jon Mitchell wields the tools of investigative journalism with precision and grace, exposing a century and a half of military secrecy, exploitation, and abuse. Mitchell gathers facts as one might gather flowers, which is to say with quiet devotion. This book is a gift — first and foremost to the people of Okinawa, who have endured unspeakable violence and suffer mightily still, but also to all of us stubborn enough to believe that this broken world is still worth saving. * Julian Aguon, No Country for Eight-Spot Butterflies: A Lyric Essay * The people of Okinawa, whose lives are endangered by the excessive burden of military bases imposed through joint colonization by Japan and the United States, have long raised their voices as a means of survival. Jon Mitchell’s reporting has been a strong driving force in this struggle. His distinguished research and data collection have revealed the truths that the authorities have concealed in order to maintain the bases, and the voices that have gone unheard. With this book, readers will witness Okinawans’ tormented historical experiences along with their unwavering determination and refusal to give up. For Okinawans who continue to fight – even though they sometimes feel alone – this book offers guidance like the North Star or Ninufabushi, which helped ancient Ryukyu sailors to traverse the oceans. It connects the people of Okinawa with others around the world. * Naomi Jahana, University of the Ryukyus, Japan * A remarkable, page-turning book, based in sources unearthed from the US government, Why Are We in Okinawa? is a must-read for anyone concerned with justice movements, geopolitics in Asia and the Pacific, and US military policy and behavior. It details the devastating effects and future risk of the US military occupation of Okinawa for its people, as well as the islanders' deeply inspiring resistance over many decades. * Catherine Lutz, Co-founder of the Costs of War project *

Author Information

Jon Mitchell is an award-winning investigative journalist based in Japan. An expert in the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), his scoops are often on TV news in Japan and featured in reports for the US Congress. Mitchell's first English book, Poisoning the Pacific: The US Military's Secret Dumping of Plutonium, Chemical Weapons, and Agent Orange (2021), was a winner in the Society of Environmental Journalists' annual awards. In 2023, he received Japan’s most prestigious journalism prize, the Ishibashi Tanzan Memorial Journalism Award for public service.

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