In October 1972, just five months after Okinawa had reverted to Japanese sovereignty, thousands gathered outside a Ground Self-Defense Force base that was about to open in the prefectural capital Naha to chant "Japanese army, go home." The GSDF's full-scale deployment in the prefecture was beginning with a resounding rejection.Almost 50 years later, with pains taken to turn a fractured relationship into one of trust with residents, the GSDF in Okinawa is seen as the frontline of defense against China's growing regional threat, with a senior Defense Ministry official emphasizing its "indispe…READ FULL ARTICLE
