Okinawa Prefecture (沖縄県 Okinawa-ken)

Capital	Naha
Region	Ryūkyū Archipelago
Island	Okinawa
Governor	Hirokazu Nakaima
Area (rank)	2,271. For the village in Chiapas, Mexico, see Naha Chiapas. For the airport in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, see Sangir Island The Regions of Japan are not official administrative units but have been traditionally used as the regional division of Japan in a number of contexts The four main Islands of Japan are Hokkaidō Honshū Kyūshū Shikoku Okinawa Island (沖縄本島 Okinawa-hontō, or 沖縄島 Okinawa-jima) is the largest of the Ryukyu Islands, and is home to Naha, the capital A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government (born August 19, 1939) is a Japanese Bureaucrat, a business leader and a Politician. Rank 30 km² (44th)
- % water	0. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 5%
Population  (October 1, 2000)
- Population	1,318,218 (32nd)
- Density	580 /km²
Districts	5
Municipalities	41
ISO 3166-2	JP-47
Website	www.pref.okinawa.jp/ english/
Prefectural Symbols
- Flower	Deigo (Erythrina variegata)
- Tree	Pinus luchuensis (ryūkyūmatsu)
- Bird	Okinawa woodpecker (Sapheopipo noguchii)
Symbol of Okinawa Prefecture

Okinawa Prefecture (沖縄県, Okinawa-ken^?, Okinawan: Uchinā) is one of Japan's southern prefectures, and consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1,000 km long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū (the southwesternmost of Japan's main four islands) to Taiwan. Okinawan (Uchināguchi 沖縄口 Japanese ja ウチナーグチ, ʔucināguci) is a Ryukyuan language spoken in Japan on the southern island of For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 sub-national Jurisdictions one "metropolis" (都 to) Tokyo; one " circuit The Ryukyu Islands, in Japanese called the (literally Southwest Islands are a chain of Japanese islands in the western Pacific Ocean at the eastern limit or Kyushu is the third-largest Island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of the largest and most populous island, Okinawa Island, which is approximately half-way between Kyūshū and Taiwan. For the village in Chiapas, Mexico, see Naha Chiapas. For the airport in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, see Sangir Island Okinawa Island (沖縄本島 Okinawa-hontō, or 沖縄島 Okinawa-jima) is the largest of the Ryukyu Islands, and is home to Naha, the capital The disputed Senkaku Islands (Chinese: Diaoyu Islands) are also administered as part of Okinawa Prefecture at present.

Contents 1 History 2 Geography 2.1 Major islands 2.2 Cities 2.3 Towns and villages 2.4 Mergers 3 Demography 4 Climate and nature 5 Language and culture 5.1 Language 5.2 Religion 5.3 Cultural influences 5.4 Other cultural characteristics 5.5 Karate 5.6 Architecture 6 U.S. military controversy 6.1 Alleged former US nuclear arms base 6.2 MCAS Futenma relocation 6.3 Proposed Solutions 7 Education 8 Sports 9 Transportation 9.1 Air transportation 9.2 Highways 9.3 Rail 9.4 Ports 10 United States military installations 11 See also 12 References 13 External links 13.1 News 13.2 Geography and maps 13.3 Photographs 13.4 Culture 13.5 History 13.6 Misc 13.7 Peace

History

See also: History of Ryukyu Islands

See also: Ryūkyū Kingdom

The oldest evidence of human existence in the Ryukyu islands was discovered in Naha City and Yaese Town^[1]. The Ryūkyū Kingdom ( Ryukyuan: ja 琉球國 rūchū－kuku, 琉球王国 ryūkyū-ō-koku) liúqiúguó) was an independent kingdom which For the village in Chiapas, Mexico, see Naha Chiapas. For the airport in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, see Sangir Island is a town in Shimajiri District, Okinawa, Japan. Yaese was formed on January 1, 2006 by a merger between the town of Kochinda Some human bone fragments from the Paleolithic era were unearthed, but there is no clear evidence of Paleolith remains. The term Paleolithic (or Palaeolithic) (from Greek παλαιός palaios, " Old " and λίθος Lithos, "stone" Japanese Jōmon influences are dominant in the Okinawa Islands, although clay vessels in the Sakishima Islands have a commonality with those in Taiwan. The is the time in Japanese prehistory from about 14000 BC to 400 BC. Okinawa Islands (沖縄諸島 Okinawa Shotō) are a group of Islands that belongs to Okinawa Prefecture. The ( Okinawan: Sachishima) are an island chain located at the south end of the Japanese Archipelago. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia.

The first mention of the word Ryukyu was written in the Book of Sui. The Book of Sui ( was the official history of the Chinese dynasty Sui Dynasty, and it ranks among the official Twenty-Four Histories of imperial This Ryukyu might refer to Taiwan, not the Ryukyu islands. Okinawa was the Japanese word depicting the islands, first seen in the biography of Jianzhen, written in 779. A biography (from the Greek words bíos (βίος meaning "life" and gráphein (γράφειν meaning "to write" is an account Jianzhen or Ganjin (鑒真 or 鑑真 688&ndash763 was a Chinese monk who helped to propagate Buddhism in Japan. Agricultural societies begun in the 8th century slowly developed until the 12th century. Since the islands are located in the center of the East China Sea relatively close to Japan, China and South-East Asia, the Ryūkyū Kingdom became a prosperous trading nation. The East China Sea is a Marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1249000 km² For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Ryūkyū Kingdom ( Ryukyuan: ja 琉球國 rūchū－kuku, 琉球王国 ryūkyū-ō-koku) liúqiúguó) was an independent kingdom which Also during this period, many Gusukus, similar to castles, were constructed. or just suku (城 castle) is the Okinawan word for " Castle " or " Fortress. The Ryūkyū Kingdom had a tributary relationship with the Chinese Empire beginning in the 15th century. The following is a list of tributaries of Imperial China. Chronological list Many entities have paid Tribute to Imperial China

In 1609 the Satsuma clan, which controlled the region that is now Kagoshima Prefecture invaded the Ryūkyū Kingdom. This article is about the province For alternative meanings of the word Satsuma, see Satsuma (disambiguation was an old province WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. Following the invasion the Ryūkyū Kingdom surrendered to the Satsuma and was forced to form a tributary relationship with Satsuma and the Tokugawa shogunate, in addition to its previous relationship with China. The Satsuma domain ( 薩摩藩 Satsuma Han) was one of the most powerful feudal domains in Tokugawa Japan, and played a major role in the The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the, and the, was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the Shoguns of Ryukyuan sovereignty was maintained since complete annexation would create a problem with China. The Satsuma clan earned considerable profits from trades with China during a period in which foreign trade was heavily restricted by the shogunate.

Though Satsuma maintained strong influence over the islands, the Ryūkyū Kingdom maintained considerable degree of domestic political freedom for over two hundred years. Four years after the 1868 Meiji Restoration, the Japanese government, through military incursions, officially annexed the kingdom and renamed it Ryukyu han. Year 1868 ( MDCCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap The, also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to enormous changes in Japan 's political and social structure The, or domains, were the Fiefs of Feudal Lords of Japan that were created by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and existed until their At the time, the Qing Dynasty of China asserted sovereignty over the islands of the Ryūkyū Kingdom, since the Ryūkyū Kingdom was a tributary nation of China. Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China The Okinawa han became a prefecture of Japan in 1879, while all other hans had became prefectures of Japan in 1872. Year 1879 ( MDCCCLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1872 ( MDCCCLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year

Following the Battle of Okinawa and the end of World War II in 1945, Okinawa was under the United States administration for 27 years. The Battle of Okinawa, also known as Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar This article is about the US Occupation government in Okinawa for the earlier native royal government see Ryūkyū Kingdom. During the trusteeship rule the USAF established numerous military bases on the Ryukyu islands.

In 1972, the U. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. S. government returned the islands to Japanese administration. Under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, the United States Forces Japan (USFJ) have maintained a large military presence. The was signed between the United States and Japan in Washington DC on January 19, 1960. The United States Forces Japan ( USFJ, 在日米軍) refers to the various divisions of the United States Armed Forces that are stationed in Japan. 27000 personnel, including 15000 Marines, contingents from the Navy, Army and Air Force, and their 22,000 family members are stationed in Okinawa. ^[2] 18% of the main island was occupied by US military bases and 75% of all USFJ bases are located in Okinawa prefecture. ^[3]

85% of the Okinawans oppose the large presence of the USFJ and demand the consolidation, reduction and removal of US military bases from Okinawa. ^[4] Repeated accidents and crimes committed by U. S. servicemen have reduced local citizens' support for the U. S. military bases. The Japanese and the US government consider the mutual security treaty and the USFJ absolutely necessary and neglected the awkward situation in Okinawa for decades. The rape of a 12 year old girl by U. The 1995 Okinawan rape incident refers to a Rape that took place on September 4, 1995, when three U S. servicemen in 1995 triggered large protests in Okinawa. As a result, both the U. S. and Japanese governments agreed to the relocation of the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and other minor bases. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma or MCAS Futenma is a United States Marine Corps base located in Ginowan city on the island of Okinawa However, at present, the closure of the bases has been indefinitely postponed. These disagreements also contribute to the relatively recent anti-Japanese sentiment and subsequently Ryukyu independence movement. The is a movement for the Independence of Okinawa and the surrounding Islands ( Ryukyu Islands) from Japan.

Geography

Major islands

The set of islands belonging to the prefecture is called Ryūkyū Shotō (琉球諸島). Okinawa's inhabited islands are typically divided into three geographical archipelagos. From northeast to southwest:

• Okinawa Islands
  • Ie-jima
  • Kume
  • Okinawa Honto
  • Tokashiki

• Miyako Islands
  • Miyako-jima

• Yaeyama Islands
  • Iriomote
  • Ishigaki
  • Yonaguni

Cities

Okinawa Prefecture includes eleven cities.

• Ginowan
• Ishigaki
• Itoman
• Miyakojima
• Nago
• Naha (capital)
• Nanjo
• Okinawa City (formerly Koza)
• Tomigusuku
• Urasoe
• Uruma

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district. Ginowan (宜野湾市 -shi Okinawan: Jinoon) is a city located in Okinawa, Japan. Ishigaki (石垣島 -jima Yaeyama and Okinawan: Ishigachi) is an island west of Okinawa Hontō and the second-largest island of the Itoman (糸満市 -shi Okinawan: 'Ichuman) is a city located in Okinawa, Japan. Miyakojima (宮古島市 -shi Miyako: Myāku Okinawan: Nāku) is a city on several islands in Okinawa Prefecture, For the village in Chiapas, Mexico, see Naha Chiapas. For the airport in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, see Sangir Island Nanjō (南城市 -shi is a city in the southern part of Okinawa Island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. ( Okinawan: 'Uchinā) is the second-largest city in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, following Naha, the capital city Tomigusuku (豊見城市 -shi Okinawan: Timigushiku) is a city located in Okinawa, Japan. Urasoe (浦添市 -shi Okinawan: 'Urashī) is a city located in Okinawa, Japan. is a city in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It was formed on April 1, 2005, from the merger of the cities of Gushikawa and Ishikawa The was most recently used as an administrative unit in Japan between 1878 and 1921 and is roughly equivalent to the County of the United States, ranking at the level below

Kunigami District Ginoza Higashi Ie Kin Kunigami Motobu Nakijin Onna Ōgimi

Miyako District Tarama Nakagami District Chatan Kadena Kitanakagusuku Nakagusuku Nishihara Yomitan

Shimajiri District Aguni Haebaru Iheya Izena Kitadaitou Kumejima Minamidaito Tokashiki Tonaki Yaese Yonabaru Zamami Yaeyama District Taketomi Yonaguni

Mergers

Main article: List of mergers in Okinawa Prefecture

Demography

• Source: Japan Statistics Bureau (総務省 統計局)

Climate and nature

The island is largely composed of coral rock, and rainwater filtering through that coral has given the island many caves, which played an important role in the Battle of Okinawa. Corals are Marine organisms from the class Anthozoa and exist as small Sea anemone –like Polyps typically in colonies of many A cave is a natural underground void large enough for a human to enter The Battle of Okinawa, also known as Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault Gyokusendo, an extensive limestone cave in the southern part of Okinawa's main island, is a popular tourist attraction.

Okinawa is said to have the most beautiful beaches in all of Japan and normally enjoys temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius for most of the year. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Okinawa and the many islands that make up the prefecture boast some of the most abundant coral reefs found in the world. Rare blue corals are found off of Ishigaki and Miyako islands as are numerous species throughout the chain. Many coral reefs are found in this region of Japan and wildlife is abundant. Coral reefs are Aragonite structures produced by living organisms found in marine waters with little to no nutrients in the water Sea turtles return yearly to the southern islands of Okinawa to lay their eggs. Sea turtles ( Superfamily Chelonioidea) are Turtles found in all the world's oceans except the Arctic Ocean. The summer months carry warnings to swimmers regarding poisonous jellyfish and other dangerous sea creatures. Jellyfish are free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria. They have several different basic morphologies that represent several different cnidarian classes including the Okinawa is a major producer of sugar cane, pineapple, papaya, and other tropical fruit, and the Southeast Botanical Gardens represent tropical plant species. Sugarcane ( Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation of tall perennial grasses (family Poaceae tribe Andropogoneae Pineapple ( Ananas comosus) is the common name for an edible Tropical Plant and also its Fruit It is native to the southern part of Brazil The papaya (from Carib via Spanish) is the Fruit of the Plant Carica papaya, in the genus Carica. The (100 acres are commercial Botanical gardens located in the city of Okinawa, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.

Language and culture

See also: Okinawan cuisine

Having historically been a separate nation, Okinawan language and culture differ considerably from that of mainland Japan.

Language

Main article: Okinawan language

There remain numerous Ryukyuan languages which are more-or-less incomprehensible to Japanese speakers. Okinawan (Uchināguchi 沖縄口 Japanese ja ウチナーグチ, ʔucināguci) is a Ryukyuan language spoken in Japan on the southern island of The Ryukyuan languages are spoken in the Ryukyu Islands, and make up a subfamily of the Japonic Language family. is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities These languages are in decline as the Mainland Japanese is being used by the younger generation. Many linguists, at least those outside Japan, consider Ryukyuan languages as different languages from Japanese, while they are generally perceived as "dialects" by mainland Japanese and Okinawans themselves. Standard Japanese is almost always used in formal situations. In informal situations, de facto everyday language among Okinawans under age 60 is Okinawa-accented mainland Japanese called ウチナーヤマトグチ (Uchinā Yamatoguchi "Okinawan Japanese"), which is often misunderstood as Okinawan language proper, ウチナーグチ (Uchināguchi "Okinawan language"). is the Japanese language as spoken by people of Okinawa Prefecture. Okinawan (Uchināguchi 沖縄口 Japanese ja ウチナーグチ, ʔucināguci) is a Ryukyuan language spoken in Japan on the southern island of Uchināguchi still is used in traditional cultural activities, such as folk music, or folk dance. The modern Japanese music scene includes a wide array of performers in distinct styles both traditional and modern ranging from rock electro punk folk metal reggae salsa and tango There is a radio news program in the language as well. [1]

Religion

Okinawa also has its own religious beliefs, generally characterized by ancestor worship and the respecting of relationships between the living, the dead, and the gods and spirits of the natural world. Ryukyuan religion is the indigenous belief system of the Ryukyu Islands.

Cultural influences

Okinawan culture bears traces of its various trading partners. One can find Chinese, Thai and Austronesian influences in the island's customs. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Culture of Thailand is heavily influenced by Buddhism. Other influences have included Hinduism, conflict and trade with Southeast Asian neighbors such as Austronesia, in historical terms refers to the homeland of the people who speak Austronesian languages, to which Malay, Filipino, Indonesian Perhaps Okinawa's most famous cultural export is karate, probably a product of the close ties with and influence of China on Okinawan culture. ( or is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands from indigenous fighting methods and Chinese Kenpō. Karate is thought to be a synthesis of Chinese kung fu with traditional Okinawan martial arts. Kung fu and wushu are popular terms that have become synonymous with Chinese Martial arts. A ban on weapons in Okinawa for two long periods after the invasion and forced annexation by Japan during the Meiji Restoration period also very likely contributed to its development.

Another traditional Okinawan product that owes its existence to Okinawa's trading history is awamori—an Okinawan distilled spirit made from indica rice imported from Thailand. Awamori ( 泡盛) is an Alcoholic beverage indigenous to and unique to Okinawa, Japan. Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj

Other cultural characteristics

The people of Okinawa maintain a strong tradition of pottery, textiles, and glass making. Pottery is the Ceramic ware made by potters It also refers to a group of materials that includes Earthenware, Stoneware

Other prominent examples of Okinawan culture include the sanshin—a three-stringed Okinawan instrument, closely related to the Chinese sanxian, and ancestor of the Japanese shamisen, somewhat similar to a banjo. The sanshin ( 三[[wiktionary 線|線]] literally meaning "Three strings" is an Okinawan Musical instrument, and precursor of the Japanese The sanxian ( Chinese: 三絃literally "three strings" is a Chinese Lute &mdash a three-stringed Fretless plucked The shamisen or samisen ( Japanese: 三[[wiktionary 味|味]] 線, literally "three flavor strings" also called sangen (literally The banjo is a Stringed instrument developed by enslaved Africans in the United States, adapted from several African instruments Its body is often bound with snakeskin (from pythons, imported from elsewhere in Asia, rather than from Okinawa's poisonous habu, which are too small for this purpose). Common names pythons The Pythonidae are a family of non- Venomous Snakes found in Africa, Asia Okinawan culture also features the eisa dance, a traditional drumming dance. is a form of Folk dance unique to the people of the Ryukyu Islands. A traditional craft, the fabric named bingata, is made in workshops on the main island and elsewhere. Bingata is an Okinawan traditional resist dyed cloth made using Stencils and other methods

Karate

Main article: Karate

Karate originated on Okinawa. ( or is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands from indigenous fighting methods and Chinese Kenpō. ( or is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands from indigenous fighting methods and Chinese Kenpō. There are several styles, among them Shotokan, Shorin-Ryu, Wado Ryu, Uechi Ryu, Goju Ryu, Isshin-Ryu, Shito-Ryu, Motobu-ryu, Shorinji Ryu, and Shuri-ryu. is a school of Karate, developed from various Martial arts by Gichin Funakoshi (1868–1957 and his son Yoshitaka Funakoshi (1906–1945 is one of the major modern Okinawan martial arts. Said to have been founded by Sokon Matsumura during the 1800s Shorin-ryu combines elements of the traditional Okinawan is a school of Karate founded by Hironori Ōtsuka. Originally a unified school three organizations now teach the Wadō-ryū style the Japan Karatedo Federation is a traditional style of Okinawan Karate. The founder of Uechi Ryū was Kanbun Uechi (上地完文(1877-1948 an Okinawan who went to Fuzhou in (Japanese for "hard-soft style" is one of the main traditional Okinawan styles of Karate, featuring a combination of hard and soft techniques is a style of Okinawan Karate founded by Tatsuo Shimabuku and named by him on 15 January 1956. is a form of Karate that was founded in 1931 by. History Kenwa Mabuni was born in Shuri, a district of Naha, Okinawa in 1889 Motobu-ryu is one of oldest schools of Karate founded by Choki Motobu. Sakugawa Koshiki Shōrinji-ryū Karatedō is derived from the teachings of Kanga Sakukawa, one of the originators of the art of Karate. Karate, is an eclectic Martial arts system developed by Robert Trias, the first person to teach karate in the mainland United States

Architecture

Okinawa has many remains of a unique type of castle or fortress called Gusuku. or just suku (城 castle) is the Okinawan word for " Castle " or " Fortress. These are believed to be the predecessors of Japan's castles.

Whereas most homes in Japan are made with wood and allow free-flow of air to combat humidity, typical modern homes in Okinawa are made from concrete with barred windows (protection from flying plant matter) to deal with regular typhoons. Roofs are also designed with strong winds in mind, with each tile cemented on and not merely layered as seen with many homes elsewhere in Japan.

Many roofs also display a statue resembling a lion or dragon, called a shisa, which is said to protect the home from danger. Shīsā (シーサー ( Okinawan: siisaa) (alternative spelling shishi or shisaa) is a traditional Ryukyuan decoration often Roofs are typically red in color and are inspired by Chinese design.

U. S. military controversy

See also: United States Forces Japan

Because the islands are close to China and Taiwan, the United States has large military bases on the island. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. The area of 14 US bases are 233 square kilometres (90 sq mi), occupying 18% of the main island. Okinawa accounts for less than one percent of Japan's land, but hosts about two-thirds of the 40,000 American forces in the country. ^[3] Two major bases, Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and Kadena Air Base are located near residential areas. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma or MCAS Futenma is a United States Marine Corps base located in Ginowan city on the island of Okinawa Kadena Air Base is a United States Air Force base located in the towns One third (9,852 acres) of the land used by the U. S. military is the Marine Corps Northern Training Area in the north of the island.

85% of Okinawans oppose the presence of the U. S. military^[4] due to noise pollution from military drills, aircraft accidents, environmental degradation^[5], and crimes committed by U. Noise pollution (or environmental noise) is displeasing human- or machine-created sound that disrupts the activity or balance of human or animal life Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as Air, Water and Soil; the destruction In the sociological field, crime is the breach of a rule or Law for which some governing authority or force may ultimately prescribe a Punishment S. military personnel^[6]. The Okinawan prefectural government and local municipalities have made various withdrawal demands of the US military since the end of WWII^[7], but any fundamental solution was never performed by both of the Japanese and U. S. governments.

According to historian Peter Schrijvers, "The estimate of one Okinawan historian for the entire three-month period of the campaign exceeds 10,000. See also History An historian is an individual who studies and writes about History, and is regarded as an Authority on it A figure that does not seem unlikely when one realizes that during the first 10 days of the occupation of Japan there were 1,336 reported cases of rape of Japanese women by American soldiers in Kanagawa prefecture alone" [2] [3]. According to Schrijvers, U. S. rape was "a general practice against Japanese women". [4] In 1998 the remains of 3 executed presumed rapists from the occupation forces were discovered in a cave. [5]

In 1955 Isaac J. Hart was accused but not convicted of the rape and murder of six-year-old Yumiko. Rape, also referred to as Sexual assault, is an Assault by a person involving Sexual intercourse with or Sexual penetration of another person Murder is the unlawful killing of another human person with Malice aforethought, as defined in Common Law countries This is known as "The Yumiko Incident". Forty years later, on September 4, 1995, two U.S. marines and a sailor abducted and raped a 12-year-old girl. Events 476 - Romulus Augustus, last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, is deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 In Criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or Asportation of a person against the person's will usually to hold the person in False imprisonment At the time of the incident, Japanese police could not arrest the men known to be involved because they had to remain with the United States Military until charged in a court, see U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement. The 1995 Okinawan rape incident refers to a Rape that took place on September 4, 1995, when three U US-Japan Status of Forces Agreement (official name Agreement under Article VI of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between Japan and the United States of America Regarding Anti-military base emotions erupted in some of the largest protests in recent history. Protest expresses relatively overt reaction to events or situations sometimes in favor though more often opposed ^[8] Eventually through political pressure, the soldiers were tried and convicted in early 1996. As a result of this incident the Status of Foreces Agreement, which was criticized for being too protective of U. S. servicemen involved in crimes, underwent revision. A movement to reduce the size of US military presence on Okinawa gained popularity. In November of 1995, a group called "Okinawan Women Act Against Military Violence" was organized to raise awareness of crimes alleged to have been committed by U. Events in November All Saints' Day (formerly All Hallows Day a Christian holy day is celebrated on November 1, the day after Halloween In Biological psychology, awareness comprises a human's or an animal's perception and Cognitive reaction to a condition or event S. military personnel on the island. An island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significant Sentiments against the United States military presence in Okinawa were inflamed further by the Michael Brown Okinawa assault incident, in which a Marine Corps major charged with attempted rape (and later convicted of the reduced charge of attempted indecent assualt) was not turned over to the Japanese authorities at their request. The Michael Brown Okinawa assault incident was an attempted indecent assault by U ^[9] Okinawa authorities pressed for a modification of the Status of Forces Agreement in an effort to remove the military's unilateral right to determine whether it would turn over a servicemember charged with a serious crime. ^[10]

Tensions increased even more following allegations of an assault committed by an American servicemen against a minor^[11], a restriction was imposed to all U. S. military and Status of Forces Agreement eligible personnel at bases in Okinawa and Iwakuni in February, 2008. It has since been lifted. ^[12].

In April 2008 the U. S. Military charged a Marine with raping a 14-year-old girl in Okinawa, pressing ahead with a case that spurred protests against the U. S. presence on the island. U. S. military charges against Staff Sgt. Tyrone L. Hadnott include rape of a child under 16, abusive sexual conduct, making a false official statement, adultery and "kidnapping through inveigling," or trickery. Hadnott was later cleared of the charge of rape and kidnapping and convicted on the assault charge with a prison sentence of three years. ^[13]

Alleged former US nuclear arms base

The Japanese government strictly restrained the introduction of nuclear arms into Japanese territory by the non-nuclear policy (Three Non-Nuclear Principles). Japan exhibits a firm non-nuclear weapons policy, most popularly articulated as the Three Non-Nuclear Principles of nonpossession nonproduction and nonintroduction Japan 's are a parliamentary resolution (never adopted into law that have guided Japanese nuclear policy since their inception in the late 1960s and reflect general Prior to the reversion of Okinawa to Japanese administration in 1972, it is reported that 1200 nuclear weapons were deployed to US bases in Okinawa^[14]. Most of the weapons were stored in ammunition bunkers at Kadena Air Base. Kadena Air Base is a United States Air Force base located in the towns

There are wide range speculations that not all the weapons were removed from Okinawa. ^[15] Edwin O. Reischauer, former US ambassador to Japan, in an interview with the Mainichi Shimbun in 1981, said that US naval ships armed with nukes stopped at Japanese ports on a routine duty, and this was approved by the Japanese government. Edwin Oldfather Reischauer ( Tokyo, October 15, 1910 – September 1, 1990) was the leading U The is one of the major Newspapers in Japan, published by. History The history of the Mainichi Shinbun begins with founding of two papers

In the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists in early 2000, [6] [7] Robert S. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is a nontechnical magazine that covers global security and public policy issues especially related to the dangers posed by nuclear 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Norris, William M. Arkin, and William Burr wrote that the United States has placed nuclear arms on Okinawa. William Hubert Burr CE (1851-1934 was an American civil engineer born at Watertown Conn The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from Nuclear reactions either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. This is disputed by the American government. The federal government of the United States is the central United States Governmental body established by the United States Constitution.

MCAS Futenma relocation

The governments of the United States and Japan agreed on October 26, 2005 to move the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma base from its location in the densely populated city of Ginowan to the more northerly and remote Camp Schwab. Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Marines (from the English adjective marine, meaning of the sea, from Latin language mare, meaning sea via French adjective Marine Corps Air Station Futenma or MCAS Futenma is a United States Marine Corps base located in Ginowan city on the island of Okinawa Ginowan (宜野湾市 -shi Okinawan: Jinoon) is a city located in Okinawa, Japan. Camp Schwab is a United States Marine Corps camp located in northeastern Okinawa, Japan, that is currently home to the 4th Marine Regiment and Under the plan, thousands of Marines will relocate. The move is partly an attempt to relieve tensions between the people of Okinawa and the Marine Corps. Protests from environmental groups and residents over the construction of part of a runway at Camp Schwab, and from businessmen and politicians around Futenma and Henoko, have occurred [8]. In the fields of Architecture and Civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the Building or assembling of Infrastructure A runway ( RWY) is a strip of land on an Airport, on which Aircraft can take off and land. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma or MCAS Futenma is a United States Marine Corps base located in Ginowan city on the island of Okinawa

The legality of the proposed heliport relocation has been questioned as being a violation of International Law, including the World Heritage Convention, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in an article titled "Boundary Intersections of UNESCO Heritage Conventions: Using Custom and Cultural Landscapes to Save Okinawa’s Dugong Habitat from U.S. Heliport Construction". A heliport is a small Airport suitable only for use by Helicopters Heliports typically contain one or more Helipads and may have limited facilities such International law is the term commonly used for referring to the system of implicit and explicit agreements that bind together nation-states in adherence to recognized values and standards A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex The Convention on Biological Diversity, known informally as the Biodiversity Convention, is an international Treaty that was adopted in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 The article even questions whether the current use of Camp Schwab for amphibious training violates these three conventions. A Treaty is an agreement under International law entered into by actors in international law namely States and International organizations.

Proposed Solutions

As recently as 2003 the US was considering moving most of the 20,000 Marines on Okinawa to new bases that would be established in Australia; increasing the presence of US troops in Singapore and Malaysia; and seeking agreements to base Navy ships in Vietnamese waters and ground troops in the Philippines. Under plans on the table, all but about 5,000 of the Marines would move, possibly to Australia.

As of 2006, some 8,000 US Marines were being removed from the island and being relocated to Guam^[16]

Education

The public schools in Okinawa are overseen by the Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Guam ( Chamorro: cha Guåhån) officially the Territory of Guam, is an island in the western Pacific Ocean and is an organized unincorporated The term public school has two distinct (and virtually opposite meanings depending on the location of usage in the United States, Australia and Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education is the prefectural education agency of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. The agency directly operates several public high schools [9]. High school is the name used in some parts of the world (in particular Scotland, North America and Australia) to describe an institution The US Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) operates 13 schools total in Okinawa. Seven of these schools are located on Kadena Air Base.

Sports

Football

• F.C. Ryūkyū (Naha)

Basketball

• Ryukyu Kings (Naha)

In addition, various baseball teams hold training during the winter in the prefecture as it is the warmest prefecture of Japan with no snow and higher temperatures than other prefectures. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered are a football (soccer club hailed from Okinawa Prefecture, Japan For the village in Chiapas, Mexico, see Naha Chiapas. For the airport in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, see Sangir Island Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m For the village in Chiapas, Mexico, see Naha Chiapas. For the airport in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, see Sangir Island Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each Winter is one of the four Seasons of Temperate zones Calculated astronomically, it begins on the Solstice and ends on the Equinox "Snowfall" redirects here For other uses see Snow (disambiguation or Snowfall (disambiguation. Temperature is a physical property of a system that underlies the common notions of hot and cold something that is hotter generally has the greater temperature

• Softbank Hawks
• Yokohama BayStars
• Chunichi Dragons
• Yakult Swallows

Transportation

Air transportation

• Aguni Airport
• Hateruma Airport
• Iejima Airport
• Ishigaki Airport
• Kerama Airport
• Kita Daito Airport
• Kumejima Airport
• Minami-Daito Airport
• Miyako Airport
• Naha Airport
• Shimojijima Airport
• Tarama Airport
• Yonaguni Airport

Highways

• Okinawa Expressway
• Naha Airport Expressway
• Route 58
• Route 329
• Route 330
• Route 331
• Route 332
• Route 390
• Route 449
• Route 505
• Route 506
• Route 507

Rail

See also: Rail transportation in Okinawa

• Okinawa Monorail

Ports

The major ports of Okinawa include

• Naha Port [10]
• Port of Unten [11]
• Port of Kinwan [12]
• Nakagusukuwan Port [13]
• Hirara Port [14]
• Port of Ishigaki [15]

United States military installations

• Kadena Air Base
• Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler
  • Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
  • Camp Courtney
  • Camp Foster
  • Camp Hansen
  • Camp Kinser
  • Camp McTureous
  • Camp Schwab
  • Camp Gonsalves (Northern Training Area, Jungle Warfare Training Center)
• Naha Military Port
• Naval Facility White Beach
• Camp Lester
• Torii Station
• Camp Shields

See also

• History of Ryukyu Islands
• Okinawa Island
• Okinawan language
• Okinawan family name
• People from Okinawa Prefecture
• Ryukyu independence movement
• Kariyushi Club (The former Ryukyu Independent Party)
• Ryukyu Islands
• Ryukyu (Okinawan) Samurai
• Ryukyuan people
• Ryukyuan religion

References

External links

• Map
• Okinawa Prefecture
• mahae plus - Okinawa Travel Information

News

• Okinawa's Virtual Ginza, News, Information, and unique insight on Okinawa and its culture. Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 197 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus defeats usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 202 BC - Hannibal Barca, leader of the Carthaginians, is defeated by the Roman legions under Scipio Africanus Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) (Updated frequently)
• Okinawa 1988-1991 Blog, reporting news about Okinawa.
• Okinawa plants
• Okinawa animals
• Okinawa marine life
• Okinawa ghost

Geography and maps

• Google Maps

Photographs

• Okinawa HDR Photography
• Wonder Okinawa

Culture

• Ryukyu Cultural Archives
• Okinawa Prefecture Official Home-page
• The Okinawa Centenarian Study
• Okinawa Web Radio(BRAZIL)

History

Misc

• The Contemporary Okinawa Website - History, culture, news, book reviews, historical documents, links, opinions
• Okinawa Geocaching - site for geocaching (treasure hunt with GPS) in Okinawa. Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS receiver or other navigational techniques Basic concept of GPS operation A GPS receiver calculates its position by carefully timing the signals sent by the constellation of GPS Satellites high above the Earth

Peace

• Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum
• Okinawa Peace Network of Los Angeles - Useful information on the U. S. military base controversy.

Okinawa Prefecture
Cities
Ginowan | Ishigaki | Itoman | Miyakojima | Nago | Naha (capital) | Nanjō | Okinawa | Tomigusuku | Urasoe | Uruma
Districts
Kunigami | Miyako | Nakagami | Shimajiri | Yaeyama
edit

Coordinates: 26°30′N 128°0′E / 26.5, 128

Ginowan (宜野湾市 -shi Okinawan: Jinoon) is a city located in Okinawa, Japan. Ishigaki (石垣島 -jima Yaeyama and Okinawan: Ishigachi) is an island west of Okinawa Hontō and the second-largest island of the Itoman (糸満市 -shi Okinawan: 'Ichuman) is a city located in Okinawa, Japan. Miyakojima (宮古島市 -shi Miyako: Myāku Okinawan: Nāku) is a city on several islands in Okinawa Prefecture, For the village in Chiapas, Mexico, see Naha Chiapas. For the airport in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, see Sangir Island Nanjō (南城市 -shi is a city in the southern part of Okinawa Island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. ( Okinawan: 'Uchinā) is the second-largest city in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, following Naha, the capital city Tomigusuku (豊見城市 -shi Okinawan: Timigushiku) is a city located in Okinawa, Japan. Urasoe (浦添市 -shi Okinawan: 'Urashī) is a city located in Okinawa, Japan. is a city in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It was formed on April 1, 2005, from the merger of the cities of Gushikawa and Ishikawa Kunigami (国頭郡 -gun Okinawan: Kunjan) is a district located in Okinawa, Japan. Miyako (宮古郡 -gun Miyako: Myāku Okinawan: Nāku) is a district located in Okinawa, Japan. Nakagami (中頭郡 -gun Okinawan: Nakajan) is a district located in Okinawa, Japan. Shimajiri (島尻郡 -gun is a district located in Okinawa, Japan. Yaeyama (八重山郡 -gun Yaeyama: Yaima Okinawan: Ēma) is a district located in Okinawa, Japan. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system.

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