From March 27 to 29, 2019 JCCU and Okinawa Consumers’ Co-operative Union co-organized the 36th Okinawa old battlefield / American Military base tour for co-op members nationwide. 220 members from 33 consumer co-ops nationwide participated.

(L) Participants listening to the curator at Himeyuri Peace Memorial Museum

(R) Participants listening to the guide near the planned new base construction site

This year's theme was "To learn about Okinawa, to think about peace in Japan and to connect to the world” by actively calling on the participation of young members and members who have small children.

As a new initiative this time, JCCU and Okinawa Consumers’ Co-operative Union collaborated with the student committee members of Ryukyu University Co-op to organize a workshop for children. 44 children under 15 participated and discussed peace and what actions they should take for a peaceful world.

(L) State of group work in decentralized meeting / (R) Presentation by children

Participants were offered a chance for a tour to old battle fields and American Military Base in Okinawa while listening to the explanations provided by the Okinawa Peace Network guide.

Comments from the participants:

 "I was glad to learn of the actual situation in the Okinawa base and the disastrous events during the war."

"As a Japanese citizen, I think more about war, not that I don’t live there so it’s not my issue. I felt I should tell about this. "

 “I thought that military personnel were only involved and sacrificed in war, but I was surprised to learn that even civilians including some elderly people and women were also involved leaving most of them helpless. (by elementary school student)”

View of Futenma base from Kakazu hill