Anthropological Study on Former Military Site Development and Reconstruction of Social Space in Okinawa , Japan

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K21297
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Cultural anthropology; Area studies
• Research Institution: Rikkyo University (2016-2017); University of Hyogo (2015)
• Principal Investigator: OCHI Ikuno 立教大学, 観光学部, 助教 (10624215)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 沖縄 / 軍用跡地 / 再開発 / 記憶 / アーカイブ / ツーリスト / 住民コミュニティ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study explores how social spaces can be rebuilt through the redevelopment of former American military land in modern Okinawa. The study specifically focuses on a rebuilding process of living and religious spaces of the returned former military lands, initiated by a group of residents who had experienced forced relocation due to the Battle of Okinawa and following military land confiscation.
It was revealed that through the redevelopment of the former military lands, (1) reconstruction of the old sacred places that were destroyed during the Battle, and archiving of past village landscapes were carried out; and (2) the memory representation of the US military government era was activated as well. In the superficial changes of the redeveloped busy town, the residents’ memory representation activities are the acts of regaining their past and taking a good look at themselves, and “the implantation of memories” has significant meaning in the reconstruction of social space.

Free Research Field

文化人類学、民俗学