Chōbyō Yara
{{Short description|Japanese politician (1902–1997)}}
{{about|the Okinawan politician|the Japanese comedian|Passion Yara}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Chōbyō Yara
|native_name = {{nobold|屋良 朝苗}}
|native_name_lang = ja
|image = Chobyo Yara.JPG
|image_size = 220px
|office = 1st Governor of Okinawa Prefecture
|term_start = 15 May 1972
|term_end = 14 June 1976
|predecessor = James Benjamin Lampert
({{small|as the High Commissioner of the U.S. Administration of the Ryukyu Islands}})
himself
({{small|as the Chief Executive of the Ryukyu Islands}})
|successor = Koichi Taira
|office2 = Chief Executive of the Ryukyu Islands
|term_start2 = 15 November 1968
|term_end2 = 14 May 1972
|predecessor2 = Seiho Matsuoka
|successor2 = himself
({{small|as the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture}})
|office3 =
|term_start3 =
|term_end3 =
|predecessor3 =
|successor3 =
|birth_date = December 13, 1902
|birth_place = Yomitan, Okinawa, Empire of Japan
|death_date = {{death date and age|1997|2|14|1902|12|13}}
|death_place = Naha, Okinawa, Japan
|party = Independent
|spouse =
|children =
|religion =
|alma_mater = Hiroshima University
|website =
}}
{{nihongo|Chobyo Yara|屋良 朝苗|Yara Chōbyō|December 13, 1902 – February 14, 1997}} was a Japanese politician. He served as the Chief Executive of the Government of the Ryukyu Islands (1968–1972) and Governor of Okinawa Prefecture (1972–1976). He graduated from Hiroshima Higher Normal School (now Hiroshima University).
Biography
Yara was a schoolteacher by profession and was serving as president for the Okinawa Teachers' Association at the time of his election to the executive leadership of the American-occupied Ryukyuan government.{{Cite journal|date=1969|title=Okinawa and the 'Homeland'|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40739649|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|volume=4|issue=21|pages=869–872|issn=0012-9976}}
Following his victory in the 1968 Ryukyuan legislative election, in which he campaigned for "immediate, unconditional reversion" of Okinawa,{{Cite journal|last=Kim|first=Hong N.|date=1971|title=THE SATO GOVERNMENT AND THE OKINAWA PROBLEM|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20671316|journal=World Affairs|volume=134|issue=3|pages=224|issn=0043-8200}} he met Prime Minister Eisaku Satō in December 1968 to discuss the immediate reversion of Okinawa to Japan, which Yara supported. In addition, he welcomed not only reversion, but also urged further for a "thinning out of U.S. bases."{{Cite journal|last=Komine|first=Yukinori|date=2013|title=Okinawa Confidential, 1969: Exploring the Linkage between the Nuclear Issue and the Base Issue|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26376490|journal=Diplomatic History|volume=37|issue=4|pages=811|issn=0145-2096}} Yara was critical of these bases in great part due to the economic and environmental stress they put on Okinawans.{{Cite journal|last=Mendel|first=Douglas H.|date=1975|title=Okinawan Reversion in Retrospect|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2756416|journal=Pacific Affairs|volume=48|issue=3|pages=398–412|doi=10.2307/2756416|issn=0030-851X}} Nonetheless, Yara had relatively moderate inclinations and cooperated with the Japanese government's requests to use his influence in order to convince radical Okinawan activists to call off a proposed general strike, in return for mainland governmental concessions.
As the Chief Executive, Yara butted heads with MITI after stating in 1970 that "In the introduction of foreign capital, we will give priority to the prefectural interests of Okinawa and will not be submissive to the homeland government."{{Cite journal|last=Howell|first=Thomas R.|date=2000|title=FORECLOSING A JAPANESE HONG KONG: OKINAWA, 1967-1972|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/42705315|journal=Asian Perspective|volume=24|issue=4|pages=256|issn=0258-9184}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-bef|before=himself as the Chief Executive of the Ryukyu Islands}}
{{s-ttl|title=Governor of Okinawa|years=1972–1976}}
{{s-aft|after=Koichi Taira}}
{{s-end}}
{{Governors of Okinawa Prefecture}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yara, Chobyo}}
Category:People from Okinawa Prefecture
Category:Governors of Okinawa Prefecture