Dear Parents and Guardians,

Thank you very much for your warm understanding and continued support of our school’s educational activities.

On May 15, 1972, Okinawa returned to Japan after 27 years under American administration. We call this day Okinawa Reversion Day.

For children today, the year 1972 may feel like something from the distant past. However, for those of us who live in Okinawa, this day is not simply a historical event. It is an important milestone in the long journey of the Okinawan people — a journey that includes war, the difficult years after the war, American administration, and the strong wish for reversion to Japan.

I did not experience the war myself. However, I am here today because my parents survived the war. My father became a teacher and was also involved in the reversion movement as a member of the teachers’ union. I still remember that he took part every year in the “Sokoku Fukki Daikoshin,” a large march held by people who wished for Okinawa’s return to Japan.

I myself spent my childhood in a small elementary school without even a library, during a time when the poverty of the postwar period still remained. Around the time I entered junior high school, I gradually began to notice the unfairness that existed in society. From high school onward, I think I tried to move forward while somehow accepting and dealing with those feelings in my own heart.

And now, I am in a very blessed educational environment where diverse teachers, staff members, and students gather together. This is not something we should take for granted. Today’s Okinawa exists because of the steps, hopes, and efforts of many people before us. Within this history, Okinawa AMICUS International School was founded.

AMICUS is a very diverse school. Children born and raised in Okinawa, children from different parts of Japan, and children with roots in other countries all learn together here. Our teachers and staff also come from many different countries and regions.

That is why I feel we need to think deeply once again about the meaning of our school goals, such as “developing a spirit that seeks peace” and “nurturing a heart that cherishes Okinawa and the local community.”

Learning about Okinawa’s history is not only about looking back at the past. It is also about thinking about how we should live in the future.

I would like to cherish May 15 together with our parents and guardians as a day to learn about Okinawa’s history, think about peace, and reflect on the future of our children.

Thank you very much for your continued understanding and support of our school’s educational activities.

Ken Oshiro, Headmaster