News On Japan

The Stereotypes Clouding Amejo Culture in Okinawa Japan

Jul 23, 2021 (VICE Asia) - VICE World News host Hanako Montgomery travels to Okinawa, a former American territory, to find out why the term “Amejo” sparks controversy among Japanese women.

Okinawa was US territory till it was returned to Japan in 1972. With such proximity to American bases, some interacted with the culture in many ways- blending Japan and the United States into a somewhat cohesive whole.

But on the other hand, it has also created the term Amejo - used to describe Okinawan women “obsessed with American GIs.” Some would even label these girls as easy. VICE World News meets with an Okinawan woman who shows us what it really means to be an Amejo.

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