Mary, a 45-year-old woman, had made Okinawa her home for fifteen years, a life intertwined with the rhythm of the U.S. military base where her husband worked as a civilian employee. Every morning, after her husband and two sons departed, she embraced her domestic routine before heading to the local community center. There, in a brightly lit room, she shared her language, teaching English conversation to eager local residents.
One particular morning, a recent news story weighed on her mind. As her class settled in, she decided to broach the subject. “A U.S. military soldier got into trouble with a young Japanese woman,” Mary began, her gaze sweeping across the faces in the room. “What do you all think about that?”
A middle-aged Japanese woman, with a kind smile, responded, “Most Americans are good people. I don’t worry about such incidents.” A young Japanese male student added thoughtfully, “It’s wrong to discriminate against people based on nationality or race.” Mary guided them on proper phrasing, refining their English, and after two hours, the class concluded.
Later, Mary called her best friend, Rosie. “Rosie, how are you?” she asked, a warmth spreading through her as she heard her friend’s voice.
“Mary! It’s been so long! I miss you! Let’s go out to Shibuya together again!” Rosie’s voice was bright, though the distinct roar of a jet engine could be heard in the background. Rosie lived at Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture, the wife of a U.S. military personnel.
“Listen, Rosie,” Mary continued, a hint of concern in her tone. “The number of students in my English conversation class has decreased to one-third in the last five years. The atmosphere in Okinawa is getting bad. How is it in Misawa?”
Rosie paused, the jet engine’s roar fading slightly. “I don’t know. I think it’s peaceful here. But…”
“But what?” Mary pressed, a knot forming in her stomach.
“I don’t know how the Japanese really feel about us,” Rosie admitted, her voice softer now. “That’s why Matthew told me not to think about such things.”
The conversation hung in the air, a silent acknowledgment of the unspoken tensions that sometimes simmered beneath the surface of their lives in Japan.
All names of people and organizations appearing in this story are pseudonyms
Crimes involving US military members continue to occur in Okinawa
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