Book launch: 'Why are we in Okinawa? A History of Violence'
YouTube video by SOAS University of London
Book launch: 'Why are we in Okinawa? A History of Violence'
written by Jon Mitchell
youtu.be/OxAQ0Wqlrsw?...
@jonmitchell.bsky.social
11.03.2026 04:02
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mutually understandable, why do many people still
think Okinawan is just a “dialect”?
世界の言語学では、おきなわ語は日本語とは別の言語だと扱われます。
In linguistics around the world, Okinawan is treated as a language separate from Japanese.
11.03.2026 09:50
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日本語と英語 → 通じない
Japanese and English → Not mutually understandable
日本語と韓国語 → 通じない
Japanese and Korean → Not mutually understandable
日本語とおきなわ語 → 通じない
Japanese and Okinawan → Not mutually understandable
言葉が通じないのに、なぜおきなわ語は「方言」だと考える人が多いのでしょうか？
If the languages are not
→
11.03.2026 09:50
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Check out our #nonfiction books and authors that are hot this week!
📚💙 http://bit.ly/4jM73YT
@jonmitchell.bsky.social @amydiehl.bsky.social
07.03.2026 13:46
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Author Jon Mitchell stands in the doorway of SOAS holding his book titled Why are We in Okinawa?
Thanks to everyone who attended last night’s book launch for “Why are We in Okinawa? A History of Violence” ( @bloomsburyacademic.bsky.social ) at @soasuni.bsky.social We had a great turnout from Okinawa, UK, Ireland and the US.
I’ll post the recording after it is uploaded.
05.03.2026 08:39
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📆 Don’t miss these events for Why are we in Okinawa?
4 March, 5-7pm, SOAS University of London https://bit.ly/4tWY7WW
5 March, 6-7:15pm, Sainsbury Institute https://bit.ly/473vFc9
12 March, 6-8pm, Temple of Peace Cardiff https://bit.ly/4rFjbjf
📕 https://bit.ly/4bcBSFc
02.03.2026 09:17
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A pale blue obi belt featuring flowers, a dugong, swallows and fighter jets wraps around a book with the title ”Why are we in Okinawa? A History for Violence” with the author and publisher names, Jon Mitchell and Bloomsbury.
If you're in London on 4 March, please come along to the launch event for my new book, "Why are We in Okinawa? A History of Violence" from @bloomsburyacademic.bsky.social
You can also attend online.
Details in the link below.
www.soas.ac.uk/about/event/...
01.03.2026 01:36
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From Okinawa to Wales: Peace and Resistance Across 10,000 Kilometres
O Okinawa i Gymru: Heddwch a Gwrthsafiad dros 10,000 o Gilometrau
If you’re in Cardiff next month, please come along to my talk about violence, discrimination and the resilience of the Okinawan peace movement (plus the parallels with Wales).
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/from-okina...
11.02.2026 12:57
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Today, Okinawa Times is running my report on 4 French military cadets under investigation by Paris prosecutors for multiple offenses in Okinawa. The men have already left the country - and it remains to be seen if the Japanese gvt. will seek extradition.
Okinawa's military burden takes many forms.
06.02.2026 12:03
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‘In this well-documented, well-written account of Okinawan activism, Shinnosuke Takahashi offers readers a view of localism, historical representation of identity, and dislocation.’
The Translocal Island of Okinawa is now available in paperback https://bit.ly/4psRkBV
30.01.2026 15:51
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In the lower half of the image, there is a pale blue obi belt featuring flowers, a dugong, swallows and fighter jet. Titled “The Ryukyu Beltway” and designed by Yuken Teruya in 2025. There is information about the book’s launch at SOAS University of London on 4 March 2026 and the times 17:00 to 19:00.
A pale blue obi belt featuring flowers, a dugong, swallows and fighter jets wraps into a book with the title ”Why are we in Okinawa? A History for Violence” with the author and publisher names, Jon Mitchell and Bloomsbury.
On 4 March, @soasuni.bsky.social will hold a launch event for my book, "Why are We in Okinawa? A History of Violence." I'll talk about how Okinawans' resistance via protest, music, comedy and art offers an inspirational model of grassroots democracy / civic engagement.
www.soas.ac.uk/about/event/...
30.01.2026 13:43
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良(ゐー) 大和(やまとぅ)正月でーびる。
(新暦あけましておめでとうございます)。
Happy New Year in the Yamatu (Japanese) New Year.
うちなー正月や2月17日やいびーん(です)。
The Uchinaa New Year is on February 17.
うちなー正月ん忘らんてぃ呉みそーり。
(旧正月も忘れないで下さい)。
Please do not forget the Uchinaa New Year (the lunar New Year).
31.12.2025 23:46
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Order the vegan kara-age bowl :)
23.11.2025 10:12
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Help Save Your Children | Johanna Fernández
On the Young Lords’ battle against lead poisoning in New York.
I was in my 30s before I found out that the Young Lords also did this kind of activism, including addressing lead poisoning issues in children at a time when officials were failing to act: www.laphamsquarterly.org/roundtable/h...
27.10.2025 01:11
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Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share - I hope folk find the materials useful!
22.10.2025 22:58
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How is US activity in Okinawa documented & can it be accessed? Okinawa Times Correspondent Jon Mitchell shares his experiences/methods in "Documenting US Operations in Okinawa: The Jon Mitchell Collection at Okinawa International University & Beyond" #NCCSpotlight guides.nccjapan.org/homepage/new...
22.10.2025 17:26
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Thrilled to announce the publication of my article "The Invention of the Kamikaze: Dissent and Resistance in the Japanese Military" in the October issue of the Journal of Military History!
20.10.2025 22:01
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Book cover featuring the text, Jon Mitchell - Why are we in Okinawa? A History of Violence and Bloomsbury. The off-white cover features a sky blue obi belt which includes a swallow, red hibiscus and two jet fighters.
Yesterday, my publisher @bloomsburyacad.bsky.social revealed the cover for my new book, "Why are we in Okinawa? A History of Violence." Feeling super honoured that artist, Yuken Teruya, designed an obi wrap for it. Release date set for February 2026!
www.bloomsbury.com/us/why-are-w...
06.10.2025 13:59
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Thanks for the recommendation - I hadn't heard of it so ordered it!
04.10.2025 07:48
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よそ3〜8世紀頃に分岐という学説が、世界では定説です。
It is the established view worldwide that Japanese and the Ryukyuan languages diverged from a parent language around the 3rd to 8th centuries.
30.09.2025 02:08
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うちなーぐち(おきなわ語)は方言ではなく「言語」やいびーん(です)！
Uchinaaguchi (Okinawan) is not a dialect but a language!
うちなーぐちを含む琉球諸島の言葉「琉球諸語」は日本語の方言ではなく、日本語とは姉妹言語です。
The languages of the Ryukyu Islands, including Uchinaaguchi, are not dialects of Japanese but sister languages of Japanese.
日本語と琉球諸語は元は一つの「祖語」から、お
→
30.09.2025 02:08
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For sure!
18.09.2025 02:02
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Looks great - can't wait to read the interview!
17.09.2025 10:03
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Orange skies over Tamagawa, Tokyo. On the left, three apartment blocks (and Mt Fuji) then a long roaded bridge. The foreground reflects the above.
Much-needed break from book editing = sunset run along Tokyo’s Tama River. (Finally sounds/smells of an end to summer’s heat).
14.09.2025 14:46
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Pre-reversion Okinawa was major hub for CIA airlines’ anti-communist – and commercial – operations
2025年09月05日 17時08分
Pre-reversion Okinawa was major hub for CIA airlines’ anti-communist – and commercial – operations
05.09.2025 17:08
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うちなーんちゅの皆様、もうすぐ御精霊(うそーろー。旧盆)やいびーん(です)。
心から手を合わせれば言葉は関係ないと思います。
しかし、うちなーぐち(おきなわ語)で仏壇などへ「我達(私達)家内(ちねー。家族)見守(みーまん)てぃ呉みそーち、御拝(にふぇー)でーびる」と言えると、もっと先祖の方々と繋がることができるかも知れません。
うちなーぐち習てぃ見(んー)じゃびらに(おきなわ語を学んで見ませんか)。
30.08.2025 02:39
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