Kamejiro Senaga

Kamejiro Senaga
瀬長 亀次郎
Senaga being released from prison
Mayor of Naha
In office January 1957 – November 1957
Preceded by	Jugo Tōma
Succeeded by	Tadashi Toei
Personal details
Born	(1907-06-10)June 10, 1907 Tomigusuku, Okinawa, Ryukyu Kingdom
Died	October 5, 2001(2001-10-05) (aged 94) Naha, Okinawa, Japan
Political party	Okinawa People's Party Japanese Communist Party
Spouse	Fumi Sensei
Alma mater	Kagoshima University
Japanese name
Kanji	瀬長 亀次郎
Hiragana	せなが かめじろう
Transcriptions Romanization Senaga Kamejirō

Kamejiro Senaga (at left, holding book)

Kamejiro Senaga (瀬長 亀次郎, Senaga Kamejirō) (June 10, 1907 – October 5, 2001) was a politician, journalist, also Mayor of Naha city. Senaga was an outspoken critic of American oppression on Okinawa and was imprisoned by American military authorities for sheltering Communists. He was a mayor in Naha and a prominent political figure during the American occupation of Okinawa. However, he was removed when military authorities arbitrarily changed Okinawan election ordinances. Senaga was a strong advocate for the reversion of Okinawa, which was initially opposed by the American military. Later, he served as a representative of the Japanese Communist Party in the Diet, in the House of Representatives, before retiring from politics in 1990.

References

• Cary, James (1963). Japan Today: Reluctant ally. New York: Praeger.
• http://two--plus--two.blogspot.com/2007/10/anti-us-okinawa-activist-senagas-prison.html (accessed 2 Dec. 2007)
• U.S. News & World Report (1957). Red mayor on key U.S. Base