Night in the American Village: Women in the Shadow of the U.S. Military Bases in Okinawa

by Akemi Johnson

Overview

"A lively encounter with identity and American military history in Okinawa. Night in the American Village is by turns intellectual, hip, and sexy. I admire it for its ferocity, style, and vigor. A wonderful book."
—Anthony Swofford, author of Jarhead

A beautifully written examination of the complex relationship between the women living near the U.S. bases in Okinawa and the servicemen who are stationed there

At the southern end of the Japanese archipelago lies Okinawa, host to a vast complex of U.S. military bases. A legacy of World War II, these bases have been a fraught issue in Japan for decades—with tensions exacerbated by the often volatile relationship between islanders and the military, especially after the brutal rape of a twelve-year-old girl by three servicemen in the 1990s.

But the situation is more complex than it seems. In Night in the American Village, journalist Akemi Johnson takes readers deep into the "border towns" surrounding the bases—a world where cultural and political fault lines compel individuals, both Japanese and American, to continually renegotiate their own identities. Focusing on the women there, she follows the complex fallout of the murder of an Okinawan woman by an ex–U.S. serviceman in 2016 and speaks to protesters, to women who date and marry American men and groups that help them when problems arise, and to Okinawans whose family members survived World War II.

Thought-provoking and timely, Night in the American Village is a vivid look at the enduring wounds of U.S.-Japanese history and the cultural and sexual politics of the American military empire.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620973318
Publisher:	New Press, The
Publication date:	06/18/2019
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.60(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Akemi Johnson is a former Fulbright scholar in Okinawa and has written about the island for The Nation, Travel + Leisure, Explore Parts Unknown, and other publications. She has also contributed to NPR's All Things Considered and Code Switch.

Editorial Reviews

★ 04/29/2019

In a searing and stylish debut, journalist Johnson delves into the consequences of America’s military presence in Japan’s southernmost prefecture, revealing a complicated web of sexual and racial politics. Two post-WWII treaties designed to prevent Japan from remilitarizing prompted the U.S. to establish a larger overseas military presence in Okinawa than anywhere else outside of the U.S. Johnson, who is Japanese-American, frames her investigation around the tale of the 2016 rape and murder of 20-year-old Rina Shimabukuro by a former U.S. Marine working on Kadena Air Base. Over the course of 10 chapters, each focusing on a memorable woman she met in Okinawa, Johnson uses Shimabukuro’s death as a metaphor for the long-standing tensions between the Americans and Okinawans. The chapter on Sachiko Miyagi, who was a teenager put to work in a field hospital during the ferocious U.S. invasion of Okinawa, is chilling and heartbreaking; the story of Suzuyo Takazato, who cofounded Okinawa Women Against Military Violence in 1995, is interwoven with the history of rape by American servicemen in Okinawa. An accomplished storyteller, Johnson paints a nuanced portrait of Okinawa’s women as “players in the larger geopolitical game, influencing, challenging, and smoothing the way for the U.S.-Japan security alliance” who sometimes tell “truths others don’t want to hear.” This is a must-read look at the impact of the U.S.’s overseas military presence on the people who live near it, cultural collisions, and gendered violence. Agent: Ayesha Pande, Ayesha Pande Literary. (June)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Night in the American Village:
"Night in the American Village is not an anti-base polemic but an account of…the gray areas outside of pro- and anti-base politics where ordinary women live their lives. The work, here, is to insist on the multiplicity of women's experiences rather than define one overarching theme, to examine the knot rather than untangle it."
—Jessie Kindig, Jacobin

"Johnson opts for truth over tropes."
—Ms. (Great Reads for Summer)

"Johnson masterfully weaves historical details and current events into the interviews with her subjects, with each aspect enriching the broader tale. Highly recommended…"
—Library Journal (starred review)

"A deep dive into the intricacies of the lives of those who are dependent upon, yet in danger from, their involvement with the U.S. military."
—Booklist

"A searing and stylish debut. . . . This is a must-read look at the impact of the U.S.'s overseas military presence on the people who live near it, cultural collisions, and gendered violence."
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A lively, fascinating mix of perspectives, impressive in both its research and the humanity with which it portrays its subjects."
—The Japan Times

"Night in the American Village melds intimate contemporary portraits and vignettes with deep post–World War II history to give us a powerful picture of Okinawan people and political culture today. Akemi Johnson is a truly gifted teller of complicated, engrossing, disturbing, and often unexpectedly uplifting tales. She brings vividly to life what it is like to live at the very heart of America's global empire of military bases."
—John Dower, author of Embracing Defeat and Cultures of War

"Night in the American Village is a lively encounter with identity and American military history in Okinawa and America. By turns intellectual, hip, and sexy, with the backdrop of one of the bloodiest battles of World War II and one of the darkest shadows of the American military empire, this is essential reading for our times."
—Anthony Swofford, author of Jarhead

"A beautifully written, often chilling book that explores the complexities of the U.S. military presence in Okinawa, getting beyond stereotypes and clichés that have dominated conversations about U.S. bases in Okinawa for too long. The book is a model for understanding the historical and contemporary impacts of U.S. military bases in Okinawa and worldwide, including subtleties of colonialism and empire, gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, power and political economy."
—David Vine, author of Base Nation and Island of Shame

"A multifaceted look at Okinawa and the impact of the U.S. military presence there that is compelling and thought-provoking. It is the best book about modern Okinawa that I have read, and any foreign reporter covering Okinawan issues should be required to read it."
—Jake Adelstein, author of Tokyo Vice

"Once you know Okinawa, it grabs you and doesn't let go, and this book does the same. Akemi Johnson is the guide we need to travel to this singular island. Clearly and incisively, she reveals the hidden world of the U.S. military abroad and bears witness to the human spirit that thrives even in the face of oppression. Every American should read this important book."
—Sarah Bird, author of Above the East China Sea

"Meticulously researched, this book explores the history of women and the U.S. military in Okinawa from the 1945 battle to the present. Written in deft and evocative prose, Night in the American Village is must-reading for anyone seeking to understand the effects of the vast U.S. military presence in nations around the globe. "
—Steve Rabson, professor emeritus of East Asian studies, Brown University, and author of The Okinawan Diaspora in Japan

"A substantial and powerful account of the women whose lives are drawn into the orbit of the U.S. military in Okinawa. Nuanced and meticulously researched, Night in the American Village is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of gender, sex, power, and national identity."
—Shawna Yang Ryan, author of Green Island

"At once compassionate and unflinching, Night in the American Village expertly illuminates the consequences of American military presence abroad. Akemi Johnson reveals a national identity fractured by violence, war, and cultural discord."
—James Han Mattson, author of The Lost Prayers of Ricky Graves

From the Publisher