is Japan's southernmost prefecture, and consists of hundreds of the Ryūkyū Islands in a chain over 1,000 km long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū (the southwesternmost of Japan's main four islands) to Taiwan. 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. The disputed Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Islands) are also administered as part of Okinawa Prefecture.

History

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The islands that now make up Okinawa Prefecture were formerly not part of Japan, but part of an independent nation called the Ryūkyū Kingdom. Currently they include the main island of Okinawa and the Yaeyama and Miyako island groups. Okinawa's location in the East China Sea, and relatively close proximity to Japan, Korea, China and South East Asia allowed the Ryūkyū Kingdom to become a prosperous trading nation. The many castle ruins that dot the island date from this period. However, in 1609 the Japanese Satsuma clan, who controlled the region that is now Kagoshima Prefecture, invaded the Ryūkyū Kingdom. Following this invasion, the Ryūkyū Kingdom was forced to enter into a tribute-trade relationship with Japan in addition to their previous tribute-trade relationship with China. Satsuma maintained the pretense of Ryūkyūan sovereignty in order to access the China trade that had been severely restricted by this time. Though Satsuma maintained strong influence over the Ryūkyū Kingdom, the Ryūkyū Kingdom maintained a large degree of political independence. In 1879, following the Meiji Restoration, the Ryūkyū Kingdom was forcefully incorporated into Japan as a colony known as Okinawa Prefecture.

Following the end of World War II and the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, for 27 years Okinawa was under United States administration. During this time the US military established numerous bases on Okinawa Honto and elsewhere.

More on [ Okinawa Prefecture ]

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tive q refazer a missao, mas cra, a melhor parte foi no castelo lah em okinawa, a ultima parte...#TESAO
Rafinhaserra (Rafaela Serra) Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:09:50 -0000
tive q refazer a missao, mas cra, a melhor parte foi no castelo lah em okinawa, a ultima parte...#TESAO
Gunny earns Navy Cross for Afghanistan heroics - MarineCorpsTimes.com: An Okinawa-based gunnery sergeant rece... http://tinyurl.com/ykugf8o
usmcsupporter (cw) Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:49:33 -0000
Gunny earns Navy Cross for Afghanistan heroics - MarineCorpsTimes.com: An Okinawa-based gunnery sergeant rece... http://tinyurl.com/ykugf8o
My Wayfrom Def Tech OKINAWA LIVE.
philippe_lima (Philippe Lima) Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:06:45 -0000
My Wayfrom Def Tech OKINAWA LIVE.
(Marine Corp Times) Gunny earns Navy Cross for Afghanistan heroics: An Okinawa-bas.. http://bit.ly/5g3UCX #Military
AllMilitaryNews (AllMilitaryNews) Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:54:48 -0000
(Marine Corp Times) Gunny earns Navy Cross for Afghanistan heroics: An Okinawa-bas.. http://bit.ly/5g3UCX #Military
http://twitpic.com/ud9j4 - Okinawa
projekt_rev (Daniel.G) Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:19:53 -0000
http://twitpic.com/ud9j4 - Okinawa
winterlimbs@i miss YOU SO MUCH (: haha are you coming back this summer cus were not moving off okinawa till 2013 of july!
XAVIERMOFUCKA (Xavier Mcfarlin) Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:43:11 -0000
winterlimbs@i miss YOU SO MUCH (: haha are you coming back this summer cus were not moving off okinawa till 2013 of july!

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