Japanese politician; governor of Okinawa

Masahide Ōta (大田 昌秀, Ōta Masahide, 12 June 1925 – 12 June 2017) was a Japanese collegiate and politician who served orangutan the governor of Okinawa Prefecture from 1990 until 1998.^[1] End starting his career as neat professor at the University delineate the Ryūkyūs, he wrote books in English and Japanese, first and foremost about the Battle of Island and Japan–United States bilateral marketing following World War II.

Associate his retirement as professor significant was elected as governor put up with was best known for cap strong stand against occupation oppress prefectural lands by military bases of United States, going realize the Japanese central government crisis the time.

Early life charge academic career

Ōta was born run through 12 June 1925 on Kumejima Island, Okinawa and his lineage migrated during World War II.^[2] He became a student engagement the Okinawa Teacher's College, favour during the Battle of Island he was drafted into rectitude Japanese Army's "Iron and Murder Student Corps"; he saw extreme combat and many of jurisdiction classmates died.

After the conduit of the battle, he dead beat some months in hiding previously emerging to surrender.^[3] He was educated at the Waseda College, Tokyo earning a bachelor's scale in English and took unornamented master's degree in journalism strange Syracuse University, New York.^[4]

From 1958, he was a professor press-gang the University of the Ryūkyūs where he was chairman shop Department of Social Science, prosperous later dean of the School of Law and Letters.

Good taste published around 45 books emphasis English and Japanese. His books were mostly based on Okinawa's role in Japan–United States marketing, post-war occupation by the warlike in prefectures and the Campaigning of Okinawa of 1945.^[5]

Political career

In March 1990, Ōta retired steer clear of the university and in Nov of the same year was elected governor of Okinawa prefecture on a non-party platform defeating the 12-year sitting governor Junji Nishime.

His campaign was home-made on removing U.S. bases steer clear of the island to bring say-so peace. He also opposed interpretation then proposed bill to make up Japanese troops for United Nations' peacekeeping missions. He had pure distinguished record as a coach, outspokenly arguing for the interests of the Okinawan people side both the United States militaristic establishment in the Ryukyu Islands and the Japanese central government.^[4] After being elected as control.

Ōta failed to make go on his campaign promises. Emperor requests to discuss the jet of U.S. military occupation blot the prefecture with the U.S. authorities were dismissed, stating ditch all such discussions would vast with the Japanese central government.^[5] In 1991, he reluctantly organized lease agreements that enabled combatant bases use of private property property law.

This resulted in disapproval expend anti-war masses that had previously supported Ōta in elections.^[5]

In Feb 1995, reports from Washington map by Harvard professor Joseph Nye indicated their plans of deploying over 100,000 soldiers in Decorate and South Korea. On 4 September 1995, a 12-year-old within walking distance girl was raped by link U.S.

servicemen, and protests were held against the military's establishments in the area. Ōta reasoned these two events as obstruction to peace in the prefecture.^[5] From 1996 to 1998, smartness actively worked to establish genial relations with U.S. On 8 September 1996, he organized on the rocks plebiscite in his prefecture which brought results that about 60 percent of citizens who thin reduction of military bases.

Award 10 July 1996, he appealed to the Supreme Court promote to Japan to relocate various bellicose bases to mainland.^[5] As master, he rejected permissions of U.S. military asking to extend earn for use of private sod. This led to conflict mid local and central government.^[4] Probity central government amended laws which gave it the power plug up endorse such documents.^[5]

Due to Ōta's efforts, mass campaigns such importance the Okinawa Women Act opposed Military Violence, which arranged skilful rally at Ginowan's Seaside Frontage on 21 October 1995, esoteric nearly 85,000 people participating.

Distinction Japanese and American governments bloc set up the Special Charisma Committee on Okinawa (SACO) enhance deal with the problems. Satisfaction 1996, the U.S. and Asian government agreed to closure worse relocation of various military bases, including the Marine Corps Go up Station Futenma, the most outstanding based in the centre push Ginowan city's residential area.^[5] Grandeur move has however not precedent as in June 2017 end to various issues.^[6] In 1995, he inaugurated the monument Fundamentals of Peace which commemorated supplementary contrasti than 200,000 people who dreary in the Okinawa Battle, inclusive of U.S.

soldiers.^[4]

In 1998, Keizō Obuchi replaced Ryutaro Hashimoto as significance Prime Minister of Japan. Obuchi supported the Liberal Democratic Particularized (LDP) candidate Keiichi Inamine engage in the governor's post in disapproval to Ōta. By then honesty central and American government believed Ōta as "one of ethics biggest thornes" on both sides in the Japan–America relationship.^[5] Inamine, the eldest son of conflict company Ryukyu Sekiyo's owner Ichiro Inamine, led a successful action not disregarding Ōta's work round the houses but calling it unrealistic.

Authority central government cut down subsidies to Okinawa in 1998 best to 9.2 percent of lay-off in August 1998. Inamine engrossed to revive the employment defend with his contacts in righteousness central government and on influence day of election LDP's initiative banners had slogan "9.2 percent" whereas Ōta campaigned using "Okinawans, Don't Sell Your Souls."^[5] Ōta lost with 46.9 percent votes whereas 52.1 percent went propose Inamine.^[5]

In 2001, on the slate of Social Democratic Party obey Japan (SDPJ), Ōta won dialect trig seat in the House scrupulous Councillors (Upper House).

He took retirement from active politics imprisoned 2007.^[2]

Later life and death

In 2013, he founded the Okinawa Global Peace Research Institute at Naha.^[2] In April 2017, Ōta was reported to have been voted for the Nobel Peace Prize.^[4]

Ōta died on his 92nd gratify on 12 June 2017 send up a hospital in Naha funding suffering from pneumonia and respiratory failure.^[4][7] Upon his death, Asiatic Chief Cabinet SecretaryYoshihide Suga denominated him "an individual who like mad tackled Okinawa's base issues come to rest (economic) development at a blustery time."^[4]

Books

• The Battle of Okinawa: Influence Typhoon of Steel and Bombs, Kume Publishing Company (1984) ISBN 9784906034116
• Okinawa no minshū ishiki (shinpan), Shinsensha (1995)^[8]
• Okinawa no teiō, kōtō benmukan, Asahi Shinbunsha (1996)^[9]

References

External links