GINOWAN CITY, OKINAWA, Japan -- Japanese and U.S. government officials, Japan Self-Defense Force, U.S. military members and Okinawans gathered for the Okinawa Reversion 40th anniversary ceremony and reception held at the Okinawa Convention Center here May 15.
The event was hosted by Japan Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and the governor of Okinawa, Hirokazu Nakaima, in a celebration marking 40 years since the U.S. returned Okinawa and the other Ryukyu Islands to Japan after 27 years of postwar American administrative control.
“The 40th anniversary of the Reversion is an incredible landmark in the relationship between the U.S. and Japan,” said John Roos, U.S. ambassador to Japan. “It is another symbol of the deep relationship between our two countries.”
Without a question, Okinawa is the cornerstone of the U.S. and Japan alliance, according to Roos.
“As it has been in the past, our alliance continues to be indispensable to our future,” said Roos. “We as Americans recognize the sacrifices the people of Okinawa have made to keep this critical alliance strong.”
Since the Reversion, the people of Okinawa have made tremendous efforts, said Nakaima. As a result, Okinawa has become a true source of pride for its people.
Recently, various media outlets conducted opinion polls about the Reversion, according to Keiichi Inamine, the former governor of Okinawa. Results indicated that a majority of the citizens of Okinawa believe it was a good decision to return to Japan.
“As we mark this important 40th anniversary milestone, let us not only reflect back with pride, but also admire the close connections forged by the people of Okinawa and the United States over the past decades,” said Roos. “The connection will continue to be one of our greatest sources of our alliance and the underlying strength of our two nations.”