The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus Newsletter Newsletter No. 03, 2018      February 1 , 2018 New Articles       Guo Xuebo, translated and introduced by Bruce Humes  Borderland Fiction: The Mongol Would-be Self-immolator       Namie Mayor Baba Tamotsu interviewed by Katsuya Hirano with Yoshihiro Amaya and Yoh Kawano  "Save the Town": Insolvable Dilemmas of Fukushima's "Return Policy"       Satoko Oka Norimatsu, Mark Ealey  Japan's Far-right Politicians, Hate Speech and Historical Denial - Branding Okinawa as "Anti-Japan"        Jon Mitchell U.S. Marine Corps Sexual Violence on Okinawa      A Message from Gorbachev on Okinawa and Military Oppression (See the Russian original and a Japanese translation by Satoko Oka Norimatsu with Erin Jones here: http://peacephilosophy.blogspot.ca/2018/02/mikhail-gorbachev-sends-message-to.html A Message from Gorbachev on Okinawa and Military Oppression Former leader of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev sent a message to Okinawa, which continues to suffer from military oppression from the United States and Japan with their forceful construction of a new military base. Knowing now about the presence of nuclear weapons in Okinawa during the Cold War era, as revealed in a recent NHK program, my heart aches with concern that there could still be nuclear weapons stored in Okinawa. It is essential that the truth be disclosed to the residents of Okinawa. I have always stood up for nuclear disarmament and ultimately a complete abolition of nuclear weapons. At the same time I have argued against the use of military force in resolving international disputes. At the Soviet-US summit in Geneva in 1985, we (President Reagan and myself) issued a joint statement that said, "nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought," and disseminated it throughout the world. From this perspective I have invariably supported the struggle against military expansion in Okinawa by the people of Okinawa, and I will support it from here on out. Okinawa's rich nature and distinctive culture make it unique in this world. Therefore the islands of Okinawa must be for the people, not for the military. Other than the natural, cultural, and touristic resources, Okinawa is also blessed with its geopolitical location, which I believe allows it to be a terminal for international human and cultural exchange as well as trade. It is my sincere hope that Okinawan people take advantage of this rich environment and aim for peaceful development of the islands, for the sake of future generations. I wholeheartedly agree with the Pope's words in January this year: "We need to shift from the culture of war to culture of peace." Mikhail Gorbachev January 23, 2018 Quick Links Newsletter Archive More About Us Contributing to APJ