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Takamatsu Gushiken dons a headtorch and cautiously enters a cave enveloped by the dense jungle of Okinawa. As he sifts through the gravel, two pieces of bone come into view. Gushiken identifies them as belonging to an infant and possibly an adult.
He delicately places them into a ceramic rice bowl, taking a moment to reflect on the lives lost during one of the bloodiest conflicts of World War II. His aim is to help reunite the remains with their families, honoring those who perished here almost 80 years ago.
The remains of approximately 1,400 individuals discovered on Okinawa are currently stored, awaiting potential identification through DNA analysis. To date, only six have been positively identified and returned to their families. Volunteers and relatives of the deceased are calling for increased government support in these identification efforts.
According to Gushiken, these bones serve as silent witnesses to the tragic history of Okinawa, holding vital lessons for today’s generation amid rising military tensions as Japan increases its defense budget in light of challenges posed by China, particularly regarding territorial disputes and claims over Taiwan.
A Island Marked by a Deadly Battle
The Battle of Okinawa commenced on April 1, 1945, when U.S. forces launched an assault on the island, which lasted until late June and resulted in the deaths of around 12,000 Americans and over 188,000 Japanese people, including a significant number of Okinawan civilians. Historians reveal that among the victims were schoolchildren and those who fell victim to mass suicides as per orders from the Japanese military.
This intense fighting culminated in Itoman, where Gushiken and fellow bone hunters—known in Okinawan as “gamahuya”—have unearthed remains believed to belong to hundreds of individuals.
While in the cave, Gushiken tries to envision the panic and fear felt during the battle. He contemplates where he might have sought refuge and the feelings that would have overwhelmed him. He meticulously records observations about the bones in a small red notebook.
After World War II, Okinawa remained under U.S. control until 1972, which was two decades longer than the rest of Japan, and today it still hosts a significant presence of U.S. military forces. Despite Japan’s economic growth in the postwar era, Okinawa’s social, educational, and economic development has lagged significantly.
Reflecting on his childhood in Naha, Gushiken recalls discovering skulls — still adorned with helmets — while hunting for insects.
The Lengthy Quest for Missing Remains
Nearly eight decades after the conclusion of World War II, around 1.2 million Japanese war fatalities remain unaccounted for, constituting about half of the 2.4 million citizens, primarily soldiers, who lost their lives during Japan’s wars in the early 20th century.
A considerable number of unidentified bones have been kept in storage for years, awaiting testing that could aid in reuniting them with surviving family members.
According to Gushiken, the government’s efforts regarding DNA matching have been inadequate and sluggish.
The Challenge of Identification
Out of an estimated 188,140 Japanese casualties in the Battle of Okinawa, the majority of their remains have been recovered and placed in a national cemetery on the island, as stated by the health ministry. Approximately 1,400 remains that have been found in recent years are currently in storage, and the identification process continues at a frustrating pace.
It wasn’t until 2003 that Japan began utilizing DNA testing for remain identification at the request of families. However, these tests were confined to remains found with identifiable artifacts or dental remains.
In 2016, the Japanese government approved further legislation aimed at enhancing recovery initiatives and bolstering cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense. The following year, the scope was expanded to include civilian remains and allowed testing on limb bones.
Since 2003, a total of 1,280 remains, including six from Okinawa, have been identified through DNA testing, according to health ministry figures, while around 14,000 remains still await analysis.
There are also hundreds of American soldiers who remain missing, alongside the remains of Koreans conscripted by the Japanese during the conflict. Gushiken believes that more remains may still be uncovered.
The search for and identification of these long-lost remains presents significant challenges as families grow older, memories grow faint, and the physical condition of the remains deteriorates, explains Naoki Tezuka, an official from the health ministry.
“Our progress has been slow everywhere,” Tezuka remarked. “Ideally, our goal is not just to collect the remains but to facilitate their return to the families.”
Confronting Historical Legacy
As Japan undergoes an accelerated military buildup, it is increasing troop and weapon deployments to Okinawa and its adjacent islands. Many residents, bearing painful memories of wartime atrocities, view this military escalation with apprehension.
While Washington and Tokyo consider the U.S. military presence vital in countering threats from China and North Korea, numerous Okinawans have long voiced grievances over noise, pollution, accidents, and crime linked to American troops.
Currently, Okinawa is home to more than half of the 50,000 American military personnel stationed in Japan, with most bases located on this small southern island. Although the Japanese government has pledged to relocate a U.S. Marine Corps air station from a crowded urban area, many Okinawans remain dissatisfied with a plan that merely shifts the facility to another coastal area while potentially disturbing sites that may contain human remains.
Gushiken advocates for the protection of the Itoman caves from development, believing that preserving these sites is essential for educating future generations about the war’s history while allowing searchers like himself to conclude their work.
He shares the concern of many Okinawans about the fading lessons of their wartime experiences.
Tomoyuki Kobashigawa hopes to apply for DNA matching to locate his half-sister Michiko, who was killed shortly after her marriage. “It’s heartbreaking… If she had survived, we could have had a wonderful sibling bond,” he reflects.
Kobashigawa criticizes the government for what he perceives as a lack of acknowledgment regarding its wartime responsibilities, expressing fears that Okinawa could once again find itself caught in a conflict.
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