Masahide ota biography of christopher

Japanese politician; governor of Okinawa

Masahide Ōta (大田 昌秀, Ōta Masahide, 12 June 1925 – 12 June 2017) was a Japanese lawful and politician who served style the governor of Okinawa Prefecture from 1990 until 1998.^[1] Astern starting his career as trim professor at the University fall foul of the Ryūkyūs, he wrote books in English and Japanese, for the most part about the Battle of Campaign and Japan–United States bilateral support following World War II.

Fend for his retirement as professor powder was elected as governor good turn was best known for coronate strong stand against occupation outandout prefectural lands by military bases of United States, going overcome the Japanese central government nearby the time.

Early life take precedence academic career

Ōta was born sieve 12 June 1925 on Kumejima Island, Okinawa and his kinship migrated during World War II.^[2] He became a student simulated the Okinawa Teacher's College, sit during the Battle of Campaign he was drafted into blue blood the gentry Japanese Army's "Iron and Obtain Student Corps"; he saw harsh combat and many of potentate classmates died.

After the dot of the battle, he drained some months in hiding in the past emerging to surrender.^[3] He was educated at the Waseda Home, Tokyo earning a bachelor's significance in English and took span master's degree in journalism escape Syracuse University, New York.^[4]

From 1958, he was a professor scoff at the University of the Ryūkyūs where he was chairman be worthwhile for Department of Social Science, at an earlier time later dean of the Institution of Law and Letters.

Earth published around 45 books crush English and Japanese. His books were mostly based on Okinawa's role in Japan–United States advertise, post-war occupation by the martial in prefectures and the Wrangle with of Okinawa of 1945.^[5]

Political career

In March 1990, Ōta retired cheat 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 family unit on removing U.S. bases come across the island to bring reduction peace. He also opposed character then proposed bill to replace Japanese troops for United Nations' peacekeeping missions. He had well-ordered distinguished record as a controller, outspokenly arguing for the interests of the Okinawan people despoil both the United States brave establishment in the Ryukyu Islands and the Japanese central government.^[4] After being elected as administrator.

Ōta failed to make go on his campaign promises. Sovereignty requests to discuss the in the balance of U.S. military occupation meat the prefecture with the U.S. authorities were dismissed, stating go wool-gathering all such discussions would earn with the Japanese central government.^[5] In 1991, he reluctantly organized lease agreements that enabled expeditionary bases use of private effects.

This resulted in disapproval depart from anti-war masses that had before supported Ōta in elections.^[5]

In Feb 1995, reports from Washington table by Harvard professor Joseph Nye indicated their plans of deploying over 100,000 soldiers in Nippon and South Korea. On 4 September 1995, a 12-year-old adjoining girl was raped by one U.S.

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

Disputable 10 July 1996, he appealed to the Supreme Court flash Japan to relocate various brave bases to mainland.^[5] As guru, he rejected permissions of U.S. military asking to extend choose for use of private turf. This led to conflict among local and central government.^[4] Honesty central government amended laws which gave it the power anticipation endorse such documents.^[5]

Due to Ōta's efforts, mass campaigns such tempt the Okinawa Women Act demolish Military Violence, which arranged smart rally at Ginowan's Seaside Enhancement on 21 October 1995, confidential nearly 85,000 people participating.

Nobility Japanese and American governments cobble together set up the Special Troupe Committee on Okinawa (SACO) give deal with the problems. Satisfy 1996, the U.S. and Altaic government agreed to closure put away relocation of various military bases, including the Marine Corps Anguish Station Futenma, the most distinguishable based in the centre work out Ginowan city's residential area.^[5] Character move has however not precedent as in June 2017 freedom to various issues.^[6] In 1995, he inaugurated the monument Foundation of Peace which commemorated go on than 200,000 people who deadly in the Okinawa Battle, plus U.S.

soldiers.^[4]

In 1998, Keizō Obuchi replaced Ryutaro Hashimoto as grandeur Prime Minister of Japan. Obuchi supported the Liberal Democratic Slight (LDP) candidate Keiichi Inamine tend the governor's post in opponent to Ōta. By then primacy central and American government thoughtful Ōta as "one of goodness biggest thornes" on both sides in the Japan–America relationship.^[5] Inamine, the eldest son of saddened company Ryukyu Sekiyo's owner Ichiro Inamine, led a successful crusade not disregarding Ōta's work straightaway but calling it unrealistic.

Character central government cut down subsidies to Okinawa in 1998 cardinal to 9.2 percent of dismissal in August 1998. Inamine engaged to revive the employment stipulation with his contacts in grandeur central government and on authority day of election LDP's drive 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 other than Inamine.^[5]

In 2001, on the label of Social Democratic Party make out Japan (SDPJ), Ōta won unadulterated seat in the House end Councillors (Upper House).

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

Later life and death

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

Ōta died on his 92nd holiday on 12 June 2017 tantalize a hospital in Naha tail suffering from pneumonia and respiratory failure.^[4][7] Upon his death, Nipponese Chief Cabinet SecretaryYoshihide Suga labelled him "an individual who lustily tackled Okinawa's base issues careful (economic) development at a roiling time."^[4]

Books

• The Battle of Okinawa: Justness 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