Robert Kajiwara
Robert Kajiwara is an activist who supports the independence movement in Okinawa, Japan. 1 He owns the Kaji Music Entertainment Company and runs the Peace for Okinawa Coalition. Kajiwara opposes the U.S. military presence in Okinawa and Japan’s rule over Okinawa. In a report on potential connections between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Okinawa independence movement, Axios characterized Kajiwara as “a pro-Beijing influencer who praises China’s ethnic minority policies and presents close ties to China as a way for native Okinawans to challenge Japanese rule.” Axios further reported that “Kajiwara’s pro-China views do not appear to be mainstream in Okinawa’s independence movement.” 2
Contents
According to his personal biography, Kajiwara has spoken at the United Nations (UN) on behalf of “Native Ryukuans / Okinawans” and created media supporting Okinawan independence, including short stories and documentaries. 3
Professional Career
Robert Kajiwara is an artist, musician, and social-media personality. He is most well-known for his article titled “Where Hope Resides,” in which Kajiwara explored the relationship his dog, Hope, had with Kajiwara’s grandparents and the local community. Kajiwara made Hope the mascot of his brand and used that success to create a web comic called “Gotta Have Hope” and an animated series called “Hope’s Heroes.” Kajiwara also created the documentary Occupied Okinawa to pressure officials in Okinawa to close U.S. military bases on the island. 4
Robert Kajiwara owns and operates the Kaji Music Entertainment Company (Kaji Music, LLC). 3 Kaji Music is an independent entertainment company that focuses on “helping the marginalized and underrepresented gain greater recognition.” Kaji Music is responsible for the production of the “Gotta Have Hope” web comic and the “Hope’s Heroes” animated series. In 2018, Kaji Music expanded into music production and streaming, and by 2023, it was producing music videos and documentaries. 4
Kajiwara’s Peace for Okinawa Coalition was responsible for production of the documentary Occupied Okinawa, which premiered on April 13, 2024. 5 Kaji Music stated that in late 2025, it had concluded filming for Occupied Okinawa Part 2. 4
Activism
Robert Kajiwara supports the independence movement in Okinawa 3 and opposes U.S. military activities on the island. Kajiwara supported 2018-2019 protests and petitions opposing the construction of a new U.S. military base on Ourawan Bay in Okinawa. The petition received over 212,000 signatures across the world. 6
In 2019, Kajiwara created the Peace for Okinawa Coalition, which supports efforts to maintain the culture and history of Okinawa. 7 The ultimate goal of the coalition is for Okinawa to become an independent nation, separating itself from Japan. The coalition states, “[Okinawa] was invaded and taken over by Japan in 1879,” and that after World War II, its “independence should have been restored, but instead it was ‘given’ back to Japan in 1972.” 8
Also in 2019, Kajiwara spoke at United Nations conferences as a supporter of Okinawa independence, and as of 2026, he was still working through the UN on behalf of the Okinawa independence movement. 7
Views on China
Robert Kajiwara has been criticized for his support of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He is heavily involved in Chinese media platforms like Weibo, China’s version of Twitter/X, with posts that align directly with common talking points by the CCP. On his social media, Kajiwara has had his support of Indigenous rights and Okinawan independence questioned since he “posts on social media denying the existence of repression in Xinjiang and Tibet and expressing support for Beijing’s positions on Hong Kong and Taiwan,” while strongly opposing Japan’s democratic governance of Okinawa. 2 Kajiwara’s nonprofit, the Peace for Okinawa Coalition, also publicly supports China’s rule of Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet, and Xinjiang, stating that the coalition members “recognize the One China Policy.” 2
Kajiwara has also been criticized for his stance on pro-democracy Hong Kongers moving to Okinawa, even calling them colonizers of Okinawa. On July 20, 2021, Kajiwara posted to his X (then known as Twitter) page: “Hong Kong independence supporters [who are moving to Okinawa] support the U.S. military, meaning, they will support the U.S. military bases in Okinawa.” 9
According to an Axios report, about 70 percent of Okinawans consider the extent of U.S. military installations on Okinawa to be “unfair,” and a large majority fear that the bases “would become ‘targets of an attack in an emergency.’” However, Axios characterized the Okinawa independence movement as “small but vocal.” 10 Within the movements for closing U.S. military bases and Okinawan independence, Kajiwara has faced criticism for his pro-China rhetoric. Professor Masaki Tomochi at Okinawa International University, whom Axios characterized as “a longtime [Okinawa] independence activist,” expressed concern with Kajiwara’s pro-China views, saying, “People like Rob Kajiwara are a big headache for us.” 2