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ABOUT US
Peace Education rooted in Okinawa, built for the world.
Okinawa Peace Education Lab is an independent peace education organization based in Okinawa.
We offer fully tailored, bilingual programs that transform global issues into personal actions
through a dynamic framework of learning, dialogue, and multi-perspective exploration.
By examining Okinawa as a microcosm of the world, we connect historical realities with contemporary challenges to cultivate the critical skills needed to navigate increasingly divided and tumultuous world.
Rooted in the resilient Okinawan spirit, we co-create transformative educational experiences worldwide to build a peaceful future.
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COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO PEACE
Peace is more than
the absence of war.
We approach both negative peace, the absence of war and direct violence,
and positive peace, the absence of structural violence that threatens human dignity.
Negative Peace
Absence of war and direct violence
Positive Peace
Absence of structural violence
that threatens human dignity
WHY OKINAWA?
Okinawa is a
Microcosm of
the World.
Shaped by the legacy of World War II and a significant military presence, Okinawa reflects universal issues: geopolitical tension, security dilemmas, socioeconomic disparities, educational equity, human rights, environmental sustainability, and more.
To understand Okinawa is to better understand the world.
Okinawa, which was once the Ryukyu Kingdom, has a history of flourishing through maritime trade with the national philosophy of
万国津梁(Bankoku Shinryo)—"A Bridge Among Nations."
Moreover, Okinawa has numerous cultures that value peace.
A prime example is the dialect phrase 命どぅ宝(Nuchi du Takara)—"Life is Treasure", which was born from the devastating Battle of Okinawa, symbolizing the wish for peace and spirit of cherishing life.
We leverage Okinawa's unique culture of peace to inspire global transformation.
Okinawan
Spirit
万国津梁
"Bridge Among Nations"
命どぅ宝
"Life is Treasure"
APPROACH
Learn
Dialogue
Broden
Perspectives
Make it
Personal
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We believe learning begins with knowledge, grows through dialogue, and becomes meaningful when it feels personal.
By exploring multiple perspectives, participants develop the critical thinking, empathy, and confidence to engage with today's most complex challenges.
What exactly do we mean by "Multidimensional"?
Every issue has more than one story.
Exploring these diverse perspectives is not about deciding who is right or wrong.
It is about understanding why people hold different positions and see the world in different ways.
Embracing complexity—and seeking to understand it as it is—is the first step toward meaningful dialogue and lasting peace.
EXAMPLE：
Topic: The Battle of Okinawa
When we talk about the Battle of Okinawa, the suffering of the Okinawan people is often the primary focus.
Yet countless Japanese soldiers were sent far from their hometowns, separated from their loved ones, to an unfamiliar island, where they never returned.
For American soldiers, Okinawa was an even more distant land across the ocean, where many also lost their lives.
Regardless of where they came from, or which side they fought on, the tragedy of war touched them all.
Different perspectives. Beyond them lies a shared tragedy.
Okinawan
Japanese
military
US
military
PROGRAM
100%
Tailored.
Co-created for relevance, depth, and impact.
EXAMPLES:
INSTITUTION
School / Educational Institutions
REQUEST
"We want our students to learn about war."
POSSIBLE PROGRAM
We shift the focus from dry historical facts to the Himeyuri and Icchu student corps—youth the exact same age as the students who were mobilized into the battlefield.
History instantly becomes personal.
NEGATIVE PEACE
Himeyuri Student Corps
A group of female students mobilized as
nursing aides on the front lines during the
Battle of Okinawa.
Icchu Student Corps
A group of boys aged 12–19 who were mobilized
into military service during the Battle of Okinawa.
INSTITUTION
Women’s Empowerment & Advocacy Groups
REQUEST
"We want to understand issues facing women"
POSSIBLE PROGRAM
We trace the struggles of Okinawan women from wartime comfort stations to modern socioeconomic crises—confronting the harsh realities of Okinawa's modern statistics, including the nation's highest rates of poverty and young single-motherhood.
History becomes a bridge to understanding today's society.
POSITIVE PEACE
【During the Battle Of Okinawa】
Comfort Women
Women who were made to provide sexual services to military personnel during World War II
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Comfort stations were
established across Okinawa
Involved women includes
not only Okinawan, but also
women from mainland Japan,
Korea, and Taiwan
【Current realities of Okinawa】
Works Exploring Social Issues Facing Women in Okinawa
Running Away Barefoot
〜 Girls in Nightlife Okinawa〜
(2017)
Nonfiction book by Yoko Uema, a professor at the University of the Ryukyus, documenting her field research with underage girls living and working in Okinawa's nightlife districts, shedding light on the complex social and structural issues that shape their lives.
A Far Shore
(2022) Japanese drama film
A Japanese drama depicting the harsh reality of poverty in Okinawa through the life of a 17-year-old mother struggling to support her young son while trapped in an unstable and abusive relationship.
WHO WE WORK WITH
Anyone, Anywhere
Whether on-site or online, we collaborate with everyone across Okinawa, Japan, and around the world.
OKINAWA
JAPAN
INTERNATIONAL
OUR PARTNERS
Coming soon...