Ceremony marks 80 years since end of Battle of Okinawa
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, right, and Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki arrive in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, on June 23 to attend a ceremony memorializing the victims of the 1945 Battle of Okinawa. (Hiyori Uchiumi)
ITOMAN, Okinawa Prefecture—A solemn memorial service was held here on June 23 honoring the victims of the Battle of Okinawa, which ended here 80 years ago during the final stages of World War II.
Held at the Peace Memorial Park, the ceremony was attended by Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki, who delivered a peace declaration, and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
The peace poem featured this year was read by Ibuki Shiroma, a sixth-grader from the neighboring city of Tomigusuku. His poem, titled 'Grandma's Song,' reflects on the sorrow behind a song his grandmother sings.
Written after the war in the style of local folk music, the song portrays survivors of the Battle of Okinawa as 'leftovers from naval shelling,' highlighting the devastating U.S. assault that claimed the lives of one in every four residents of the prefecture.
'Leftover or whatever, I am truly glad you survived, however,' the poem went, drawing heartfelt applause from the audience.
Tamaki reiterated the ongoing heavy burden Okinawa bears due to the concentration of U.S. military bases on the island.
He also pledged to create an international peace research organization based in Okinawa, emphasizing the prefecture's vital role in promoting global peace.
The ceremony was also graced by distinguished guests, including Izumi Nakamitsu, U.N. undersecretary general for disarmament affairs; and Shigemitsu Tanaka, co-chairperson of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), which received the Nobel Peace Prize last year.
The Battle of Okinawa, fought over three months in 1945, resulted in the deaths of more than 200,000 people from both the Japanese and U.S. sides, including tens of thousands of civilians.
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