Tag: Okinawa

Tolerance and Patience (Politics 1954-1972, Part 2)

June 8, 2026 justin-david-hebert Later Showa, Season 16 0 Comments

Ikeda Hayato managed to garner the necessary support to become the President of the LDP and the Prime Minister of Japan after Kishi Nobusuke’s resignation in 1960. He would prove to be almost the polar opposite of his arch-conservative predecessor, creating much of the social safety net which Japan continues to enjoy today. His successor, Sato Eisaku, lobbied for the return of Okinawa Prefecture and was forced to wrangle with complicated geopolitical challenges and domestic disturbances.

The Pacific War, Part 6: Surrender

December 11, 2025 justin-david-hebert Early Showa, Season 15 Comments Off on The Pacific War, Part 6: Surrender

Although the Axis Powers were clearly losing ground throughout late 1944 and early 1945, Japan continued fighting for months after Germany surrendered, often exacting horrific casualties upon both Allied forces and their own civilian populations. The Allies turned to extreme measures in hopes of forcing the unconditional surrender which they sought, culminating in the first use of nuclear weapons in history.

The New Frontier

November 7, 2024 justin-david-hebert Meiji, Season 13 Comments Off on The New Frontier
Season 13, Episode 4: The New Frontier
A photograph of an Ainu man in traditional clothing. Source: Public Domain
A replica of the Hokkaido Development Committee’s headquarters. Source: Public Domain
A photograph of William S. Clark, who served as a foreign expert in Hokkaido in 1876. Source: Public Domain
A photograph of Sho Tai, the last king of the Ryukyu islands. Source: Public Domain
Naha Shuri Castle, which had been the capital building of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Source: 663highland, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Dancers in modern-day Okinawa performing a traditional Ryukyu ceremonial dance. Source: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A photograph of Japanese soldiers in Taiwan, pictured with friendly villagers assisting in their punitive expedition. Source: Public Domain

The Ainu and Ryukyuan Peoples

June 18, 2020 justin-david-hebert Jōmon, Season 1 Comments Off on The Ainu and Ryukyuan Peoples

This episode was difficult to research but I felt it was important to include both the Ainu and Ryukyuan peoples in the narrative where possible because they are far too often overlooked. Here are some public domain/creative commons photos to help with visualization:

A Group of Ainu people, taken in 1904, Author Unknown
An Ainu Family, photo taken in 1904 – Gerhard Sisters / Public domain
An Ainu Marriage Celebration – munechika tanaka / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)
Ainu Mother and child, 1904 – Public Domain
Five Men Wearing Ryukyuan Dress – year unknown (between 1868-1912) – Public Domain
A traditional Ryukyu home featuring Shisa (Lion Dog) protectors – attrib.: I, 倶楽部オータム / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)