From the Ryukyu Kingdom to Honouliuli: Okinawan POWs in Historical Context

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Higa’s research on the legal status of Okinawan prisoners of war during World War II provides critical insights into the broader historical and legal framework of civilian internment and military detention policies in the Pacific. Okinawans, many of whom were forcibly conscripted by the Japanese military or caught in the crossfire of the Battle of Okinawa, occupied a complex legal position under international law as both subjects of the Japanese Empire and an indigenous people with distinct historical ties to the Ryukyu Kingdom. His work examines how these legal ambiguities influenced the treatment of Okinawan POWs and how their experiences parallel those of Japanese Americans and other detainees interned at Honouliuli and similar camps in the United States. By drawing connections between the wartime internment of civilians and the evolving legal frameworks governing military occupation, Higa’s research contributes to understanding Honouliuli’s role as a site of remembrance and historical reflection on civil liberties, war, and indigenous identity.