Divide and conquer: Okinawa and manipulated island democracy

Abstract

‘Divide and conquer’ is a classical theorem for imperial control over a colony by socio-politically dividing the colonized society into competing factions to deflect anti-colonial struggles against the colonizer. In island/mainland relations, while the mainland may incorporate or colonize surrounding islands in the state-building processes, these islands may accept or resist these processes depending on their social, economic, and (geo)political contexts. However, the reactions of the islands are not necessarily uniform but rather a manifestation of complex intra-island interests. In this sense, the island/mainland relations may create political cleavages within island communities. The political cleavages may be translated into the composition of local political parties if the freedom of party formation is granted. Then, the mainland or colonizer may manipulate local party politics to maintain its dominance over the islands. Therefore, intra-island political cleavages seen in local party politics may demonstrate the nature of the island/mainland relations. Using the case of Okinawa, Japan, this paper explores the spatio-temporal development of island party politics and the resulting de/re-militarization of the islands since 1945. Particular attention will be paid to local party (re)formation and election results during the US military administration (1945-72) and after the reversion to Japan (1972-). This paper illustrates how intra-island party competition has been politically created and financially manipulated by mainland powers (the US and Japan), often hindering island-wide solidarity and self-determination. It also indicates how such solidarity and self-determination could be made by evading mainland financial manipulation.