Nhk Poll: Over 80 Percent Of Okinawa Has Positive View Of Reversion
Sunday marks the 50th anniversary of southwestern prefecture of Okinawa's return to Japan from postwar US rule. An NHK poll found that more than 80 percent of people in Okinawa have a positive view of the reversion.
NHK conducted the survey in February and March. It contacted 1,800 people aged 18 or older in Okinawa Prefecture, and 812, or 45.1 percent, of them responded.
Asked how familiar they were with the fact that Okinawa was under US rule after World War Two, 28 percent said they were very familiar with it, and 49 percent said they were familiar with it to some extent. Twenty percent answered they knew a little about it, while 3 percent said they didn't know it at all.
Seventy-three percent said they knew Okinawa was returned to Japan on May 15, while 27 percent said they didn't know.
Asked about what they think of Okinawa's reversion when looking back at the past 50 years, 39 percent said it was very good that it happened, and 45 percent said it was good to some extent. Twelve percent said it was not very good, while 2 percent said it wasn't good at all.
Of those who expressed a positive view of the reversion, 50 percent said that is because it is favorable for Okinawa to be part of Japan. Twenty-two percent said because Okinawa's economy has developed, and 13 percent said exchanges with other prefectures and countries have increased. Eight percent said Okinawa's will has come to be respected and 4 percent said progress has been made in returning land used by US bases.
Of those who expressed a negative view of the reversion, 44 percent said that is because Okinawa's will currently is not respected. Forty percent said because US bases remain in Okinawa, 6 percent said nature is being lost due to development for tourism and other factors. Three percent said there are fewer opportunities to feel American culture and 2 percent said Okinawa's traditional culture is being lost.