Keiichi Inamine: Thoughts on the 50th Anniversary of Reversion to Japan—Keio University and Okinawa

The last lord of the Yonezawa Domain, Moshinori Uesugi, arrived in Okinawa as the second Governor of Okinawa Prefecture in 1881, two years after the transition from "Ryukyu" to Okinawa Prefecture.

Because he challenged the government's policy of preserving old customs and pushed for policies aimed at reforming prefectural administration and breaking down old habits, he was dismissed in 1883, only two years after taking office. The only policy adopted from Moshinori, who was called the tragic lord, was the system for prefectural scholarship students.

Moshinori selected five outstanding students and sent them to Gakushuin. Four of them transferred to Keio University. Except for Zenjutsu Yamaguchi, who pursued a career in the judiciary, the other three returned to Okinawa and were active in many fields, spanning the worlds of politics, finance, and the media.

Chofu Ota served as president of the Ryukyu Shimpo after founding it, president of the Okinawa Sugar Company, and Mayor of Shuri. Chokyo Takamine joined Ota in founding the Ryukyu Shimpo and served as president of the Bank of Okinawa, the first chairman of the prefectural assembly, Okinawa's first member of the House of Representatives, and Mayor of Shuri. Gasho Kishimoto served as a member of the House of Representatives, president of the Okinawa Mainichi Shimpo, president of the Bank of Okinawa, and Mayor of Naha.

This is a true model of human resource development. Having learned the spirit of Yukichi Fukuzawa, they played a major role in the modernization of Okinawa.

However, the scholarship system was discontinued after the first group, and after that, there were almost no enrollments from Okinawa to Keio, with Keio University alumni appearing only sporadically.

After the war, Okinawa was placed under U.S. administration, and while systems for studying in the U.S. and mainland government-sponsored scholarships began, the number of students entering the Juku remained low. On the other hand, Waseda University, through the consideration of President Nobumoto Ohama from Yaeyama, conducted local entrance exams in Okinawa and secured 30 successful applicants per year. Feeling a sense of crisis at the momentum of the Waseda group, four Keio University alumni—Masao Minei, Yoshiaki Miyagi, Nobuo Kinjo, and Shigehiko Toma—went to Mita to request the "realization of an Okinawa quota." In response, they reportedly received a cold reply: "Keio targets the entire world, so we cannot treat Okinawa as special."

Although discouraged for a time, they were moved by the scene of Hiroshi Makiya from Miyako being selected as the valedictorian of the School of Medicine at the 1963 Juku graduation ceremony. Deciding to start with what they could do, they moved to form the Okinawa Mita-kai under Chairman Masao Minei. Since then, it has been held every year, albeit with a small number of about a dozen people.

After the reversion in 1972, although the number of students from within the prefecture did not increase significantly, many mainland companies established branches and sales offices in the prefecture. Among their members were many Keio University alumni, and the Okinawa Mita-kai began to show signs of liveliness.

For those from the mainland, it was their first time in the area, and since they could suddenly gain both personal connections and information, they participated actively. However, mainland companies had frequent personnel transfers, and the membership was fluid.

Because there were few students entering the Juku, in order to revitalize the Okinawa Mita-kai, they actively recruited anyone related to the Juku, including the Okinawa Correspondence Mita-kai, those with experience in medical offices, and parents. Among them, the existence of the Okinawa Correspondence Mita-kai (Chairman Shin Izumikawa), established in 1970, two years before the reversion, stands out. Under U.S. administration, they traveled to Tokyo by connecting ships and night trains, experiencing schooling that lasted as long as a month and a half while worrying about their workplaces; some members took over a decade to graduate. Perhaps because of this, their school spirit was strong, and they also valued interaction with organizations in other prefectures. They continued to participate actively in the activities of the Okinawa Mita-kai.

Under U.S. military rule, the academic level in Okinawa was low, making it difficult to go directly to famous schools, and there were many cases of students studying on the mainland from junior high or high school.

Fortunately, after the reversion to Japan, academic ability improved and college-prep schools emerged. Along with this, the number of high schools given recommendation quotas for Keio increased. In particular, there has been rapid growth since the start of the Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC).

During that time, many Juku officials, including then President Yasuhiko Torii, visited Okinawa and attended meetings of the Okinawa Mita-kai and the regional liaison meetings for families of university Keio students. Their sincere response can be said to have further accelerated this movement.

Accordingly, the membership of the Okinawa Mita-kai gradually increased, eventually surpassing the 200 mark, with local members outnumbering those from the mainland. When the situation allowed for a transition from traditional social club activities to organized activities, I stepped down from the chairmanship, which I had held for about 40 years following Chairman Masao Minei. On the occasion of Hiroyuki Motonaga, Vice President of Okinawa Electric Power, being promoted to President, a new Okinawa Mita-kai started under the new Chairman Motonaga. Furthermore, both the new Chairman Motonaga and Director Takenobu Chibana were appointed as trustees of the Keio Rengo Mita-Kai, further boosting the mood of the Okinawa Mita-kai.

The Okinawa Mita-kai is a member of the Kyushu Mita-kai, but in the past, it had declined to host the meeting on a rotating basis due to an unready organizational structure. Under the new Motonaga administration, I hope the day will come as soon as possible when the Kyushu Mita-kai can be held in Okinawa.