40th Anniversary of the Koza Riot - Part V

foreign policy in focus is now running the first of the articles i wrote last week on okinawa

postcard from koza re-sets the 1970 riot into the context of inner-city uprisings that erupted across the u.s.a. throughout the time

over the past 4 decades, the authorities have stripped away okinawans' legal recourse to civil disobedience and now trapped between two of the most powerful countries in the world, it's not a question of why the 1970 riot took place - it's a matter of why it hasn't happened again since

you can read postcard from koza here

jm

40th Anniversary of the Koza Riot - Part IV

40th Anniversary of the Koza Riot - Part III

the former mp -

prime time

snippets from okinawa television

6 o'clock news

20th december 2010

the 40th anniversary of the koza riot

40th Anniversary of the Koza Riot - Part II

after traveling 12,000 kilometres

it was heartening

to see that i wasn't the only one

interested in the return of the mp

JM

40th Anniversary of the Koza Riot

This weekend is the 40th anniversary of the Koza Riot.

Last year, I covered the story in Koza Remembered for The Japan Times.

Among the dozens of hate mail I received on the back of that article, there was a message from one of the American MP's who was first on the scene of the riot. He'd read my story and he was interested in talking about his version of events.

Over the past 10 months or so, we kept in touch and he expressed his wish to return to Okinawa for the 4-decade anniversary.

He arrived in Tokyo a couple of days ago - and tomorrow we're heading south to explore how the islands have[n't] changed - and his memories of December 20th 1970.

It'll be a fascinating trip for both of us and I'll be sure to let you what we uncover,

Yoroshiku,

JM

Sean Michael Wilson

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to meet up with Sean Michael Wilson over breakfast in Shibuya's On The Corner diner.

Sean was in Tokyo to publicize his recent success with his book AX : Alternative Manga which has just been picked by Publisher's Weekly as one of the Top 10 comics of the year.

Over eggs, toast and fried tomatoes, we compared notes on life and writing in Japan, while also pledging some day to try to find the time to merge forces on a joint project.

It was great to talk to a fellow celt so far from home and if he didn't live 900km away in Kumamoto, I think I could have found another new recruit for the Rita Taketsuru Fan Club...

Stay warm,

JM