Remember Okinawa’s nuclear legacy—it begins in the tranquil coastal village of Onna. Known for its scenic beaches and cliffs, Onna hides a haunting Cold War memory: a U.S. nuclear missile base. The Mace B cruise missile site, once top secret, now opens its doors to the public. This concrete structure, built in the 1960s, rests on a hill overlooking the East China Sea. Measuring 9 meters tall and 100 meters wide, it is the last of four such sites built during U.S. occupation.
From 1945 to 1972, the U.S. controlled Okinawa. As Cold War tensions rose, the U.S. deployed nuclear weapons to the island. Many Japanese opposed this move, especially after a U.S. test in 1954 sickened Japanese fishermen. Despite the outcry, Okinawa hosted around 1,300 nuclear weapons. Mace B missiles could reach China and the Soviet Union. The U.S. even prepared them for war during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
In 1976, the Buddhist group Soka Gakkai bought the land. This March, they restored the base and opened it to visitors. Their goal: help people remember Okinawa’s nuclear legacy and reflect on the dangers of nuclear war.
More than 3,000 people have already visited. “It gave me goosebumps,” said a woman from Sapporo. “I knew about U.S. bases but not about nuclear weapons in Okinawa.” Isao Kuwae from Soka Gakkai says the base’s builders likely didn’t know its purpose. “This is the only place,” he said, “where you can see Okinawa’s nuclear past firsthand.”
Japan regained sovereignty in 1952, but Okinawa stayed under U.S. control until 1972. In 1967, Prime Minister Eisaku Sato declared Japan’s three non-nuclear principles: don’t produce, own, or allow nuclear arms. Yet Okinawa still carries a heavy burden. Although it covers just 0.6% of Japan’s land, it hosts 70% of U.S. military facilities in the country.
In Yomitan, another missile site town, Junshi Toyoda still worries about missile threats. “Modern missiles bring back that Cold War fear,” he said. “We must remember Okinawa’s nuclear legacy to understand today’s risks.” History isn’t just about the past. In Onna and Yomitan, locals and visitors now face it directly. They walk through tunnels and launch pads, and they leave with one message: remember Okinawa’s nuclear legacy.
