March 19, 2024

Rabson Publishes Article in Critical Asian Studies

“The Transformation of hinomaru [Japanese national flag] in postwar Okinawa: from symbol of hope to object of contempt” appeared in the July issue of Critical Asian Studies. During the U.S. military occupation (1945-1972), Okinawans staged protests carrying the flag, which represented their hopes for reversion to Japanese sovereignty, defying a ban on its display by American occupation authorities. But after the Japanese government broke its promises for a reversion in 1972 with reduced U.S. bases and without nuclear weapons, the flag became a hated reminder of this betrayal.