{"id":1811,"date":"2026-09-11T12:52:19","date_gmt":"2026-09-11T12:52:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/?page_id=1811"},"modified":"2026-09-21T01:37:51","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T01:37:51","slug":"okinawa-battle","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/changemakers-in-the-community-phase-3\/okinawa-battle\/","title":{"rendered":"Loss of Innocence: The Battle of Okinawa \u2013 Mr. Shihou Toma"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 fusion-flex-container nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"max-width:1248px;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:0px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Japan, as those who experienced World War II firsthand grow older, opportunities to hear directly from them are decreasing each year. The Battle of Okinawa in 1945 left enormous damage and deep scars on the local community. This battle was the largest ground battle fought in Japan during the final stage of the war, and not only soldiers but also many civilians were involved. As a result, memories of the war still remain deeply rooted in the lives, education, and peace studies of the local Okinawan population today. However, as the generation that directly experienced the war continues to decline, how to pass these memories on to future generations has become a major issue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Battle of Okinawa began in late March 1945 and lasted for approximately three months. U.S. forces landed on Okinawa to secure a base for advancing to mainland Japan, and intense fighting took place between them and the Japanese military. The battle started around Yomitan Village and Kadena Town in the center of the island and gradually spread to the south. Many residents were forced to evacuate, suffering from food shortages, heavy bombardment, and disease. Some people lived in natural caves called <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">gama<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, using them as shelters. However, even these caves, which were thought to be safe, were sometimes attacked. Civilians experienced many tragedies, such as forced group suicides and students being forced to help \u2013 or even fight \u2013 in the war. Many people were afraid of being killed by the U.S. military. Some families killed each other or committed group suicide. In many cases, it was the father\u2019s role to kill his family members.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1813\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1813\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-large wp-image-1813\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/okinawa-map.webp?resize=1024%2C554&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"This map (left) shows the location of Okinawa in Japan. The map (right) shows key locations where the battle started in Okinawa.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"554\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/okinawa-map.webp?resize=200%2C108&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/okinawa-map.webp?resize=300%2C162&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/okinawa-map.webp?resize=400%2C216&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/okinawa-map.webp?resize=600%2C325&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/okinawa-map.webp?resize=768%2C415&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/okinawa-map.webp?resize=800%2C433&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/okinawa-map.webp?resize=1024%2C554&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/okinawa-map.webp?resize=1200%2C649&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/okinawa-map.webp?resize=1536%2C831&amp;ssl=1 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1813\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">This map (left) shows the location of Okinawa in Japan. The map (right) shows key locations where the battle started in Okinawa.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition, residents felt a strong fear not only of the battles but also of the Japanese military.\u00a0 There are several reasons for this. First, they felt pressure to follow orders. Second, they were afraid of being seen as spies. Third, they believed that they should not become prisoners of war. Also, while living in caves, there were situations where people had to make very difficult and dangerous decisions. For example, because of the baby\u2019s crying, their location could be found by the enemy, so they had to kill the baby or be forced to leave the shelter of the cave.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under these conditions, people suffered from great mental stress. Okinawa was used to slow down the enemy in order to protect mainland Japan, which led to many sacrifices. Because of this, Okinawa is sometimes called a \u201csacrificial stone\u201d for national defense. These situations suggest that the Japanese military may have cared more about defending the mainland than the lives of local people in Okinawa. In fact, about one in four Okinawan people died, and this tragedy still affects Okinawan society today. For example, unexploded bombs from the war are still found. In addition, about 70% of U.S. military bases in Japan are located in Okinawa.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After the war, many war-related sites and memorials remained in Okinawa. Places such as the Peace Memorial Park, the Himeyuri Monument, and the Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters are still visited by many students and tourists as sites for peace education. Students visiting Okinawa on school trips learn about the Battle of Okinawa through these places. They also have opportunities to listen to talks by war survivors, allowing them to understand experiences and emotions that cannot be fully conveyed through textbooks alone. Such peace education plays an important role in understanding the tragedy of war and the value of life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, in recent years, there are fewer chances to hear directly from people who experienced the war because they are getting older and many are passing away. Therefore, it is becoming more important to record and keep their stories through interviews. The experiences of these people include things that cannot be fully understood only through books or videos. For example, we can better understand their fear during evacuation, the sadness of losing family members, and the difficulties of life after the war by listening to their own words.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We believe that interviewing survivors of the Battle of Okinawa is important for passing the history on to the next generation and for thinking about peace. Through this research, we hope readers will learn about the history of the Battle of Okinawa and the impact of war on people\u2019s lives. We also hope that learning about the thoughts and experiences of those who lived through the war will encourage people to reflect on the importance of peace. Therefore, we conducted an interview with Shihou Toma, who experienced the Battle of Okinawa.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Interviewee\u2019s Background<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Mr. Shihou Toma<\/strong> is from Awase in Okinawa City in the central area of Okinawa. He was five years old at the time of the war, and his family consisted of his grandmother, mother, father, and two older brothers. As he was very young at the time, he remembers only a limited number of experiences. However, he kindly agreed to this interview because of his strong desire to share the tragedy of the Battle of Okinawa with younger generations.<\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">\n<div id=\"attachment_1815\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1815\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-large wp-image-1815\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-6.webp?resize=1024%2C768&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Mr. Shihou Toma (center)\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-6.webp?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-6.webp?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-6.webp?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-6.webp?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-6.webp?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-6.webp?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-6.webp?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-6.webp?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-6.webp?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1815\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mr. Shihou Toma (center)<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Interview<\/h2>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q: Can you explain what was happening in Awase before and during the war?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before the war started, our daily life was centered around sweet potatoes. In Awase we ate sweet potatoes for almost every meal. We could only eat rice on special occasions, like New Year\u2019s or the Obon festival. Life was really hard, and most people lived in poverty. Before the battle started, the Japanese military was spread throughout Okinawa and used local elementary schools as military bases and living quarters. They set up living quarters in Jinjo Koto Elementary Schools [<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">similar to modern-day elementary and junior high schools<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">]. Soldiers stayed in the schools, while higher-ranking officers often lived in the homes of wealthy local families. The homeowners had to use small rooms in the back of the house while the officers used the larger rooms. People believed it was their duty to support the soldiers because they thought the military was protecting Okinawa. When food was served, local families served the best food to the soldiers and ate simpler meals themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q: Where did you evacuate to during the war, and what was life like for you?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the war I stayed in Awase with my mother, my siblings, and my grandmother. The people of Awase dug shelters in the hills behind Yogi as places to hide during the war. One day, U.S. soldiers came to our shelter and told everyone to come out. My grandmother said that she was old and that it would not matter if she died, but she could not let the children be killed. She went outside first. She couldn\u2019t speak English; she used gestures to ask the soldiers if they were going to kill us. An interpreter with the U.S. military said, \u201cWe do not kill civilians. You are safe, so please come out.\u201d After hearing that, we all came out of the shelter and were gathered together in one place.Then the U.S. military told us that they needed the area for operations against mainland Japan and that we had to leave. We were moved to a place called Kinaka, where Gushikawa High School stands today. I was only five years old at the time, but I still remember that.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q: As a child at that time, how much did you understand about what was happening around you?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When I was five or six years old, I did not really understand the war. I was simply trying to survive. It was only later, when I started elementary school, that I began to understand what had happened. I heard adults talking about the war and began to understand how frightening it was. Adults didn\u2019t talk much about the war to children. Maybe it was because the war was so frightening or because they didn\u2019t want to make children worry.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q: What was school life like after the war? Do you remember what kinds of things you were taught in school?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The older generation received what is called \u201cImperial Education.\u201d But we belong to the wartime generation, and we were among the first to receive a new kind of education after the war. People who were born before around 1935 received the old Japanese education. In that system, English was not taught because it was considered the language of an enemy country, so it was not even included in textbooks. But people in my generation were taught English in school.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1816\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1816\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1816 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-5.webp?resize=1024%2C621&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Interview with Mr.Shihou Toma\" width=\"1024\" height=\"621\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-5.webp?resize=200%2C121&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-5.webp?resize=300%2C182&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-5.webp?resize=400%2C243&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-5.webp?resize=600%2C364&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-5.webp?resize=768%2C466&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-5.webp?resize=800%2C485&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-5.webp?resize=1024%2C621&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-5.webp?resize=1200%2C728&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/toma-5.webp?resize=1536%2C932&amp;ssl=1 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1816\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Interview with Mr. Shihou Toma<\/p><\/div>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q: How do you think the war changed Okinawa and the lives of the people who experienced it?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When I was young, all I could see was the negative side of the war. It was frightening, and those memories stayed with me for a long time. But as I got older, I started to think about it a little differently. After the war, American culture came into Okinawa, and many new ideas and ways of life were introduced. In a way, that became part of Okinawa\u2019s mixed culture. Okinawa accepted many things from different cultures, and I think that is one reason why Okinawa is the way it is today. Of course, I am not saying the war was a good thing. It brought a lot of suffering and sadness. But at the same time, it is also true that Okinawa changed a great deal after the war. The generations before us lived through very difficult times. They experienced war, poverty, and hunger. But because of their hardships and sacrifices, we are able to live the lives we have today.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I experienced both the poor times and the prosperous times that came later. In that sense, maybe I am a lucky generation. We know what it was like when people had very little, and I can also see how much life has improved. Today, people still have their own worries, but compared to those days, I think we live in a very peaceful time. So, I don\u2019t think we should take this peaceful life for granted. The generations before us suffered a lot, and I think we should remember their sacrifices and pass these stories on to the next generation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q: What would you want younger generations to learn from your experience?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Back in the Meiji Era [<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1868~1912<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">], Japan began interacting with other countries. People went abroad to learn new things and brought back foreign ideas, technology, and culture. That is one reason Japan was able to develop and move forward. I would like young people today to go out and see more of the world. It is good to study in mainland Japan, but I hope they will also go overseas. When you spend time in another country, you can look at your own home from a different perspective, and you begin to notice the differences between cultures.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People of my generation lived through war and many old customs, so in some ways our view of the world could be quite limited. You could say you need to expand your horizons. If you never leave your own surroundings, it is difficult to understand what the rest of the world is like. So, what I want to say to young people is simple: spread your wings and go out into the world. Look beyond Okinawa, look beyond Japan, and gain as many experiences as you can. At the same time, don\u2019t forget that peace is not something we should take for granted. I hope you will remember the suffering caused by war and continue to pass those lessons on to future generations.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Reflections<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Through this interview, we were able to learn more about the reality of war and the suffering people experienced by listening directly to someone who went through the Battle of Okinawa. We came to realize that there are many things we cannot understand only from books or videos. In addition, we had a good opportunity to think not only about the tragedy of war, but also about the strength of people who helped each other and lived through such difficult situations, and the importance of peace.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although war happened in the past, its effects still remain in people\u2019s hearts today. Through this interview, we felt that the history of war is closely connected to our local community. What impressed us the most was Mr. Toma\u2019s message to young people: \u201cGo out and see more of the world.\u201d We think this message shows a strong wish that people understand each other better so that war never happens again. It also encourages young people to think for themselves, make good decisions, and understand information correctly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also, many war survivors do not want to remember what happened at that time. Even so, they still share their stories with us. We believe this shows their strong hope that we will pass on the importance of peace to the future. We should respect their feelings, continue to learn about war, and share what we learn with the next generation. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We will not forget what we learned from this experience, and we want to keep thinking about the history of Okinawa and the importance of peace.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">References<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cabinet Office, Government of Japan. (n.d.). Retrieved May 11, 2026, from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cao.go.jp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.cao.go.jp\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heart of Okinawa. Sharing the Peace-Seeking Heart of Okinawa with the World: Remembering the Battle of Okinawa and Delivering the Message to Realize Peace. (2025). The Peace and Subnational Diplomacy Promotion Division, Okinawa Prefectural Office.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Okinawa Prefectural Archives. (n.d.). Retrieved May 11, 2026, from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.archives.pref.okinawa.jp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.archives.pref.okinawa.jp\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2026, from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peace-museum.okinawa.jp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.peace-museum.okinawa.jp\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Researchers<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1817\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/miku-fukuhara.webp?resize=222%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"222\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/miku-fukuhara.webp?resize=200%2C270&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/miku-fukuhara.webp?resize=222%2C300&amp;ssl=1 222w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/miku-fukuhara.webp?resize=400%2C541&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/miku-fukuhara.webp?resize=600%2C811&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/miku-fukuhara.webp?resize=758%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 758w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/miku-fukuhara.webp?resize=768%2C1038&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/miku-fukuhara.webp?resize=800%2C1081&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/miku-fukuhara.webp?resize=1136%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1136w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/miku-fukuhara.webp?resize=1200%2C1622&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/miku-fukuhara.webp?w=1515&amp;ssl=1 1515w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 222px) 100vw, 222px\" \/>Hello everyone! My name is <strong>Miku Fukuhara<\/strong>. I was born and raised in Okinawa, Japan. I am a student at Okinawa Christian University, majoring in English Communication. Last year, I studied abroad in Australia for 6 months. It was a valuable experience because I improved my English and learned about different cultures. Since then, I have become even more interested in communicating with people from different backgrounds. I enjoy traveling, watching movies, and visiting caf\u00e9s with my friends. I hope to travel to many more countries in the future and continue learning about different cultures.<\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-1818\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/yuna-tamai.webp?resize=175%2C224&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"175\" height=\"224\" \/>Hello. My name is <strong>Yuna Tamai<\/strong>, and I am a student at Okinawa Christian University. I was born and raised in Okinawa, Japan.My hobbies are taking walks while listening to music and playing with my cats. Last year, I stayed in New Zealand for one year on a working holiday. Living in another country helped me see how special Okinawa is. It also made me realize that I should learn more about Okinawa\u2019s history and culture. I hope to use what I learn to help pass on Okinawa\u2019s history and culture to future generations.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1705,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"100-width.php","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1811","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Loss of Innocence: The Battle of Okinawa \u2013 Mr. Shihou Toma - Young Global Researchers Project<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/changemakers-in-the-community-phase-3\/okinawa-battle\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Loss of Innocence: The Battle of Okinawa \u2013 Mr. Shihou Toma - Young Global Researchers Project\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/changemakers-in-the-community-phase-3\/okinawa-battle\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Young Global Researchers Project\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-21T01:37:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/kyotogaidai.org\/ygrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/okinawa-map-1024x554.webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kyotogaidai.org\\\/ygrp\\\/changemakers-in-the-community-phase-3\\\/okinawa-battle\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kyotogaidai.org\\\/ygrp\\\/changemakers-in-the-community-phase-3\\\/okinawa-battle\\\/\",\"name\":\"Loss of Innocence: The Battle of Okinawa \u2013 Mr. Shihou Toma - Young Global Researchers Project\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kyotogaidai.org\\\/ygrp\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kyotogaidai.org\\\/ygrp\\\/changemakers-in-the-community-phase-3\\\/okinawa-battle\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kyotogaidai.org\\\/ygrp\\\/changemakers-in-the-community-phase-3\\\/okinawa-battle\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kyotogaidai.org\\\/ygrp\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/okinawa-map-1024x554.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-11T12:52:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-21T01:37:51+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kyotogaidai.org\\\/ygrp\\\/changemakers-in-the-community-phase-3\\\/okinawa-battle\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/kyotogaidai.org\\\/ygrp\\\/changemakers-in-the-community-phase-3\\\/okinawa-battle\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kyotogaidai.org\\\/ygrp\\\/changemakers-in-the-community-phase-3\\\/okinawa-battle\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kyotogaidai.org\\\/ygrp\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/okinawa-map-1024x554.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kyotogaidai.org\\\/ygrp\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/okinawa-map-1024x554.webp\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kyotogaidai.org\\\/ygrp\\\/changemakers-in-the-community-phase-3\\\/okinawa-battle\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kyotogaidai.org\\\/ygrp\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Changemakers in the Community &#8211; 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