There Actually Is No Such Thing as a Ryukyu Minority
That is Being Discriminated Against:
Demagoguery and Propaganda Must Not Continue to Thrive
in International Society in the 21st Century
MasakoGanahaWithin Okinawa today, there is a small but vocal movement to promote the people ofOkinawa Prefecture, Japan, as a “Ryukyu Tribe” or “Race.” This is not an academic
debate but a political movement, being pursued in an illogical manner and withirrational interpretations. Looked at historically, as well as linguistically and genetically,
it is clear that the people of Okinawa are Japanese. These are established scientific facts,
well known within the academic world. The opinion that this is not the case is a conceptthat the newspapers are trying to create unilaterally, for political purposes, but not
something that is the subject for serious academic debate.
Okinawans are inherently Japanese, a conclusion reached long ago, which is easy
to confirm culturally and linguistically. Those that are trying to promote a new conceptof the Okinawan people as a “Ryukyu Race” are doing so by changing the very
definition of what a people are. It is different from what the United Nations HumanRights Council defines as a “minority,” purposely changing its meaning, to suggest thatthe people of Okinawa Prefecture are not a part of the Japanese race. This is no morethan an attempt to separate the people of Okinawa from the rest of Japan.
In addition, those that are arguing in favor of a “Ryukyuan Tribe” or “Race” saythat they have been the victims of discrimination by Japan. In other words, they aresaying that they are a group being victimized within Japan. This is being used topromote a Ryukyu Independence Movement.
We must debate facts as they are, regardless of national differences or where one
finds himself or herself. This is particular true in modern times. Within Japan, there is
no so-called Ryukyu Minority, and if anything, Okinawa Prefecture is one of the mostfree and most protected areas anywhere in the world, where human rights are highly
valued and the people live in peace and happiness. The idea of the people of Okinawa
Prefecture as a discriminated minority is nothing more than political propaganda, forwhich the political objectives can be surmised.
In light of the situation in East Asia, China is the country that benefits most by
this effort to promote the image “that the people of Okinawa are being discriminatedagainst and thus the ‘Ryukyu Race’ desires independence.” China has previously
refused to recognize Okinawa as Japanese territory, and has publicly stated its support

of an independence movement. In a worst case scenario, one can see how China would
use an independence movement as a reason to invade Okinawa. This danger is strongly
present behind the deception of presenting the Okinawan people as a separate race.
Numerous Japanese experts have identified the influence of China, which has
made claims to Okinawa before, as behind the Ryukyu independence movement, and as
further support for this view is the fact of China’s military expansionism in both theEast China Sea and South China Sea.
We are deeply concerned that the problem of minorities, taken up by the United
Nations Human Rights Council, may be used for such political purposes and desire thatthe mission of the Council not be misused politically any more.