When the U.S. occupied Japan from 1945 to 1952, it established military bases in Okinawa. When the occupation ended in 1952, Japan allowed the U.S. to retain control of the prefecture. The U.S. continued to expand its military bases in the prefecture until its handover to Japan in 1972. Japan now hosts the largest number of U.S. military personnel abroad. Okinawa accounts for just 0.6% of Japan’s land area and 1.1% of its population, yet it hosts more than 70% of all U.S. military facilities in the country. Given this concentration, Okinawa was assumed to have more personal interaction with the U.S. military and to benefit economically from base-related activities. However, history has showed that neither social contact nor economic gains have translated into positive attitudes to the U.S. military. A complex mix of factors—including criminal incidents involving military personnel, environmental concerns such as water, air, and noise pollutions, training-related incidents, a sense of unfairness, and concerns about security risks—has fueled local resentment.

A public opinion poll in 2023 revealed that 70% of respondents agreed that “it’s unfair that U.S. military bases are concentrated in Okinawa,” and 83% agreed that “military bases in Okinawa Prefecture would be targets of an attack in an emergency.” A study based on two surveys comparing an Okinawan sample with a national sample also shows that people in Okinawa express significantly more negative views toward the U.S. military.

In November 2025, a video showing U.S. military police in Okinawa slamming an American civilian to the ground and trying to handcuff him as he shouts that they have “no right to touch me” went viral online. It raised concerns over the infringement of Japanese police authority outside U.S. installations and the risks of misidentifying civilians and tourists. Under the Japan–U.S. security agreement, American military police may exercise authority only over service members and their families under specific conditions. Its authority does not extend to civilians, including U.S. citizens.

Since September 2025, U.S. military police has organized unilateral off-base patrols to enforce a ban on drinking in local nightlife districts between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. The move followed several sexual assault allegations involving servicemen in 2024. The unilateral patrols were suspended after the viral video surfaced. In total, 101 people were........

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