On Monday, June 8, TFCC will host journalist Jon Mitchell for a conversation about his recently published book, Why Are We in Okinawa? A History of Violence. The session will be moderated by TFCC board member and NZZ correspondent Patrick Zoll.
The book examines how Okinawa has been annexed by Japan, occupied by the United States and is now increasingly menaced by China. In response, Okinawans have developed one of the world’s most resilient, yet overlooked, civic movements.
Okinawa lies within sight of Taiwan, and their two histories have been closely intertwined since the mid-nineteenth century. This talk will explore the parallels between the islands, including shared histories of violence, vibrant democratic engagement, and residents’ concerns about future conflict in the region.
EVENT DETAILS
Date: Monday, June 8th, 2pm (doors open at 1:40)
Location: Not Only Cafe, No. 21號, Alley 158, Lane 30, Yongji Rd, Xinyi District, Taipei City, 11064
11064台北市信義區永吉路30巷158弄21號
Language: English
Fee: Free for TFCC members, NT$500 for non-members
Refreshments: Light snacks will be provided
Registration: https://forms.gle/yv2p357TvmASto8u6
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jon Mitchell is a journalist with Okinawa Times and recipient of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan’s Freedom of the Press Lifetime Achievement Award. An expert in the U.S. Freedom of Information Act, his investigations often top the front pages and TV news in Japan, and they have featured in reports for the U.S. Congress. Author of four acclaimed Japanese books about Okinawa, in 2021, Mitchell’s first book, Poisoning the Pacific, was a winner in the U.S. Society of Environmental Journalists’ annual awards.
More about the book:
https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/why-are-we-in-okinawa-9798765159941