What do you think are some of the impacts of being labeled as spies, or national traitors by the state and military for internal relations within Okinawan society? How do you think this impacted Okinawans’ treatment/views toward Korean women who were brought to the islands as “comfort women” beginning in 1941?
Being labeled as spies, or national traitors by the state and military has a great impact on trust between Okinawans. Everyone kept an eye on others, trying to find others’ faults and preventing others to expose one’s own faults. Even children started to do. This caused the distrust and hatred within Okinawan society. As the society was based on trust, this act really damaged the whole society fundamentally. Moreover, this act reminds me the colonial rules that US government had in Hawaii. Even though there are some differences between them: the colonial rules in Hawaii pictured Chinese as a threat which cause the conflicts between Hawaiian people and Chinese, and these rules create the conflicts within the Okinawan society, both of them create a threat in the society and cause conflicts. These rules also can help both of the governments to shift people’s attention from the uprisings and revolutions which against them. These led to the disruptions within the societies so people would not unite to fight against the government.
This also impacted Okinawans’ treatment/views toward Korean women. I think the attitudes and views of Okinawans towards Korean women are ambivalent. On the one hand, what happened on those Korean women were unethical and miserable. Everyone should feel sorry for them and want to help them. However, due to the situations that Okinawans were facing, they might see those Korean women as a part of the Japanese government/military which suppressed them. They might also treat those Korean women as “Other”, discriminated and hated them.
