From Japanese Empire to American Hegemony

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Following World War II, the American occupation dismantled the Japanese empire, prompting approximately 1.7 million people to leave Japan for Northeast Asia. Koreans led this mass exodus, often using small fishing boats to return to their homeland, while Okinawans faced challenges in returning to their islands due to wartime destruction. As an official repatriation program began, many sought to escape US military rule in southern Korea and the Ryukyu Islands by smuggling themselves into occupied Japan. The personal narratives of these migrants illuminate their experiences of liberation and defeat, revealing how their struggles with resettlement contributed to the growth of smuggling networks. This surge in unauthorized crossings prompted occupation authorities to implement restrictive migration regulations. Through a comparative analysis of Korean and Okinawan experiences during the postwar occupation, the author examines how these migrations influenced and were influenced by American policies. This study highlights the complex relationship between migration and border control in US-occupied Japan, Korea, and the Ryukyus, emphasizing the interplay of American interests and local authorities. The escalating Cold War and collaboration with local governments led to stringent migration laws, complicating the distinction between South Koreans, North Koreans, and Ryukyuans. In Japan, fears of communist infiltration merged with discr