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Agent Orange on Okinawa: Six Years On

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2025

Jon Mitchell
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In 2011, The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus published the first detailed research into the usage of U.S. military defoliants, including Agent Orange, on Okinawa. Six years later, official documents, photographs and testimonies from hundreds of veterans suggest Vietnam War defoliants were stored, sprayed and buried throughout the island.

In 2014, all components of Agent Orange were discovered at a former military dumpsite in Okinawa City; in June 2015, nearby water was found to be contaminated with dioxin, the poison which makes defoliants so dangerous, at 21,000 times safe levels.

Type
Research Article
Information
Asia-Pacific Journal , Volume 15 , Issue 21 , November 2017 , e2
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2017

References

Notes

1 Jon Mitchell, “US Military Defoliants on Okinawa: Agent Orange,” The Asia-Pacific Journal Vol 9, Issue 37 No 5, September 12, 2011.

2 Jon Mitchell, “Okinawa Dumpsite Offers Proof of Agent Orange: Experts Say,” The Asia-Pacific Journal, Issue 38, No. 1, September 23, 2013.

3 For example, see this Ryukyu Shimpo article - “Dioxin 21,000 times regular levels in Okinawa City barrel” - June 30, 2015.

4 The author's homepage maintains an updated list of veterans' VA wins, including links to decisions to the Board of Veterans' Appeals, can be found here.

5 Jon Mitchell, “Vietnam: Okinawa's Forgotten War”, The Asia-Pacific Journal, Vol. 13, Issue 15, No. 1, April 20, 2015.

6 Jon Mitchell, “Herbicide Stockpile at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa: 1971 U.S. Army report on Agent Orange,” The Asia-Pacific Journal, Vol 11, Issue 1, No. 5, January 14, 2013.

7 Jeanne Stellmanet al. “The extent and patterns of usage of Agent Orange and other herbicides in Vietnam,” Nature. Vol 422, 681.

8 Jon Mitchell, “Okinawa vet blames cancer on defoliant,” The Japan Times, August 24, 2011.

9 Jon Mitchell, “FOIA Documents Reveal Agent Orange Dioxin, Toxic Dumps, Fish Kills on Okinawa Base. Two Veterans Win Compensation, Many More Denied”, The Asia-Pacific Journal, Vol. 13, Issue 40, No. 1, October 5, 2015.

10 For example, see “Mongooses near U.S. bases have high PCB levels,” Kyodo, August 19, 2013.

11 Jon Mitchell, “Contamination at Largest US Air Force Base in Asia: Kadena, Okinawa”, The Asia-Pacific Journal, Vol. 14, Issue 9, No. 1, May 1 2016.

12 Jon Mitchell, Tsuiseki: Okinawa no Karehazai (Tokyo, Japan: Koubunken, 2014).

13 See also, Jon Mitchell, “Informed-Public Project seeks environmental justice on Okinawa,” The Japan Times, November 19, 2016.