This book investigates for the first time the parallels between two island appendages of much larger governments - Okinawa, Japan's southernmost island prefecture, in ferment over historic US bases; Jeju embroiled over a new South Korean naval base. The people of Okinawa and Jeju share a common fear of bloody conflict again erupting around them and suspect their governments would sacrifice their interests in a much larger war in a fight for regional control between the US, Japan, and China.

Donald Kirk, a veteran correspondent for newspapers and magazines, has reported on wars Southeast Asia to the Middle East. He writes about nuclear and foreign policy issues in Asia, notably on the Korean peninsula and the Indian subcontinent, and is the author of six books, including three on Korea. He divides his time between Asia and his base in Washington DC.