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Okinawa Prefecture

沖縄県
Japanese transcription(s)
 • Japanese 沖縄県
 • Rōmaji Okinawa-ken
Okinawa Peace Quasi-National Park
Cape Manzamo
Eisa Folks dance
Okinawa Soba noodle
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
A bullock cart in Taketomi Island
Flag of Okinawa Prefecture
Flag
Official logo of Okinawa Prefecture
Symbol
Anthem: 沖縄県民の歌 (Okinawa kenmin no uta)
Location of Okinawa Prefecture
Country  Japan
Region Kyushu
Island Okinawa, Daitō, Miyako, Yaeyama, and Senkaku
Capital Naha
Subdivisions Districts: 5, Municipalities: 41
Area
 • Total 2,281 km2 (881 sq mi)
Area rank 44th
Population
 (May 1, 2020)
 • Total 1,466,870
 • Rank 29th
 • Density 643.08/km2 (1,665.6/sq mi)
GDP
 • Total JP¥ 4,633 billion
US$ 42.5 billion (2019)
ISO 3166 code JP-47
Symbols
Bird Okinawa woodpecker (Sapheopipo noguchii)
Fish Banana fish (Pterocaesio diagramma, "takasago", "gurukun")
Flower Deego (Erythrina variegata)
Tree Pinus luchuensis ("ryūkyūmatsu")

Okinawa Prefecture (Japanese: 沖縄県, Hepburn: Okinawa-ken) is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan. It has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February  2020 (2020 -02-02)) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).

Naha is the capital and largest city, with other major cities including Okinawa, Uruma, and Urasoe. Okinawa Prefecture encompasses two thirds of the Ryukyu Islands, including the Okinawa, Daitō and Sakishima groups, extending 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) southwest from the Satsunan Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture to Taiwan (Hualien and Yilan Counties). Okinawa Prefecture's largest island, Okinawa Island, is the home to a majority of Okinawa's population. Okinawa's indigenous ethnic group is the Ryukyuan people, who also live in the Amami Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture.

Okinawa was ruled by the Ryukyu Kingdom from 1429 and unofficially annexed by Japan after the Invasion of Ryukyu in 1609. Okinawa was officially founded in 1879 by the Empire of Japan after seven years as the Ryukyu Domain, the last domain of the Han system. Okinawa was occupied by the United States during the Allied occupation of Japan after World War II and was governed by the Military Government of the Ryukyu Islands from 1945 to 1950 and Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands from 1950 until the prefecture was returned to Japan in 1972. Okinawa comprises just 0.6 percent of Japan's total land mass, but about 26,000 (75%) of United States Forces Japan personnel are assigned to the prefecture; the continued U.S. military presence in Okinawa is controversial.

Yubu Island Okinawa Pref Japan24n4200
Tourists on traditional buffalo carts arrive at Yubu Island in Taketomi Town, Yaeyama District, Okinawa Prefecture.
Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan - panoramio
Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan

History

Map of Okinawa Prefecture
Okinawa Prefecture occupies the southern half of the island chain lying between Kyushu and Taiwan.

The oldest evidence of human existence on the Ryukyu Islands is from the Stone Age and was discovered in Naha and Yaeyama. Some human bone fragments thought to be from the Paleolithic era were unearthed from a site in Naha, but the artifact was lost in transportation before it was examined. Japanese Jōmon influences are dominant on the Okinawa Islands, although clay vessels on the Sakishima Islands have a commonality with those in Taiwan.

The first mention of the word Ryukyu was written in the Book of Sui. Okinawa was the Japanese word identifying the islands, first seen in the biography of Jianzhen, written in 779. Agricultural societies begun in the 8th century slowly developed until the 12th century. Since the islands are located at the eastern perimeter of the East China Sea relatively close to Japan, China and Southeast Asia, the Ryukyu Kingdom became a prosperous trading nation. Also during this period, many Gusukus, similar to castles, were constructed. The Ryukyu Kingdom entered into the Imperial Chinese tributary system under the Ming dynasty beginning in the 15th century, which established economic relations between the two nations.

In 1609, the Shimazu clan, which controlled the region that is now Kagoshima Prefecture, invaded the Ryukyu Kingdom. The Ryukyu Kingdom was obliged to agree to form a suzerain-vassal relationship with the Satsuma and the Tokugawa shogunate, while maintaining its previous role within the Chinese tributary system; Ryukyuan sovereignty was maintained since complete annexation would have created a conflict with China. The Satsuma clan earned considerable profits from trade with China during a period in which foreign trade was heavily restricted by the shogunate. Although Satsuma maintained strong influence over the islands, the Ryukyu Kingdom maintained a 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. At the time, the Qing dynasty asserted a nominal suzerainty over the islands. Ryukyu han became Okinawa Prefecture of Japan in 1879, even though all other hans had become prefectures of Japan in 1872. In 1912, Okinawans first obtained the right to vote for representatives to the National Diet (国会) which had been established in 1890.

1945–1965

On 1 April 1945, the U.S. Army and Marine Corps launched an invasion of Okinawa with 185,000 troops. They were faced with fanatical resistance from the Japanese defenders. A third of Okinawa's civilian population were killed during the ensuing fighting. The dead, of all nationalities, are commemorated at the Cornerstone of Peace.

After the end of World War II, the United States set up the United States Military Government of the Ryukyu Islands administration, which ruled Okinawa for 27 years. During this "trusteeship rule", the United States established numerous military bases on the Ryukyu islands. The Ryukyu independence movement was an Okinawan movement that clamored against U.S. rule.

Continued U.S. military buildup

During the Korean War, B-29 Superfortresses flew bombing missions over Korea from Kadena Air Base on Okinawa. The military buildup on the island during the Cold War increased a division between local inhabitants and the American military. Under the 1952 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan, United States Forces Japan (USFJ) have maintained a large military presence.

During the mid-1950s, the U.S. seized land from Okinawans to build new bases or expand currently existing ones. According to the Melvin Price Report, by 1955, the military had displaced 250,000 residents.

Secret U.S. deployment of nuclear weapons

Since 1960, the U.S. and Japan have maintained an agreement that allows the U.S. to secretly bring nuclear weapons into Japanese ports. The Japanese people tended to oppose the introduction of nuclear arms into Japanese territory and the Japanese government's assertion of Japan's non-nuclear policy and a statement of the Three Non-Nuclear Principles reflected this popular opposition. Most of the weapons were alleged to be stored in ammunition bunkers at Kadena Air Base. Between 1954 and 1972, 19 different types of nuclear weapons were deployed in Okinawa, but with fewer than around 1,000 warheads at any one time. In fall 1960, U.S. commandos in Green Light Teams secret training missions carried small nuclear weapons on the east coast of Okinawa Island.

1965–1972 (Vietnam War)

Between 1965 and 1972, Okinawa was a key staging point for United States in its military operations directed towards North Vietnam. Along with Guam, it presented a geographically strategic launch pad for covert bombing missions over Cambodia and Laos. Anti-Vietnam War sentiment became linked politically to the movement for reversion of Okinawa to Japan. In 1965, the U.S. military bases, earlier viewed as paternal post war protection, were increasingly seen as aggressive. The Vietnam War highlighted the differences between United States and Okinawa but showed a commonality between the islands and mainland Japan.

As controversy grew regarding the alleged placement of nuclear weapons on Okinawa, fears intensified over the escalation of the Vietnam War. Okinawa was perceived by some inside Japan as a potential target for China, should the communist government feel threatened by United States. American military secrecy blocked any local reporting on what was actually occurring at bases such as Kadena Air Base. As information leaked out, and images of air strikes were published, the local population began to fear the potential for retaliation.

Political leaders such as Makoto Oda, a major figure in the Beheiren movement (Foundation of Citizens for Peace in Vietnam), believed that the return of Okinawa to Japan would lead to the removal of U.S. forces, ending Japan's involvement in Vietnam. In a speech delivered in 1967, Oda was critical of Prime Minister Eisaku Satō's unilateral support of America's war in Vietnam, claiming "Realistically we are all guilty of complicity in the Vietnam War". The Beheiren became a more visible anti-war movement on Okinawa as the American involvement in Vietnam intensified. The movement employed tactics ranging from demonstrations to handing leaflets to soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines directly, warning of the implications for a third World War.

Map of US Military Bases in Okinawa in 1969
Map of US Military Bases in Okinawa in 1969

The U.S. military bases on Okinawa became a focal point for anti-Vietnam War sentiment. By 1969, over 50,000 American military personnel were stationed on Okinawa. United States Department of Defense began referring to Okinawa as the "Keystone of the Pacific". This slogan was imprinted on local U.S. military license plates.

In 1969, chemicals leaked from the U.S. storage depot at Chibana in central Okinawa, under Operation Red Hat. Evacuations of residents took place over a wide area for two months. Even two years later, government investigators found that Okinawans and the environment near the leak were still suffering because of the depot.

On May 15, 1972, the U.S. government handed over the islands to Japanese administration.

1973–2006

Documents declassified in 1997 proved that both tactical and strategic weapons have been maintained in Okinawa. In 1999 and 2002, the Japan Times and the Okinawa Times reported speculation that not all weapons were removed from Okinawa. On October 25, 2005, after a decade of negotiations, the governments of the U.S. and Japan officially agreed to move Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from its location in the densely populated city of Ginowan to the more northerly and remote Camp Schwab in Nago by building a heliport with a shorter runway, partly on Camp Schwab land and partly running into the sea. The move is partly an attempt to relieve tensions between the people of Okinawa and the Marine Corps.

Despite Okinawa prefecture constituting only 0.6% of Japan's land surface, in 2006 75% of all USFJ bases were located on Okinawa, occupying 18% of the main island.

US military bases in Okinawa
U.S. military facilities in Okinawa

2007–present

According to a 2007 Okinawa Times poll, 85% of Okinawans opposed the presence of the U.S. military, because of noise pollution from military drills, the risk of aircraft accidents, environmental degradation, and crowding from the number of personnel there, although 73% of Japanese citizens appreciated the mutual security treaty with the U.S. and the presence of the USFJ. In another poll conducted by The Asahi Shimbun in May 2010, 43% of the Okinawan population wanted the complete closure of the U.S. bases, 42% wanted reduction, and 11% wanted to maintain status quo. Okinawan feelings about the U.S. military are complex, and some of the resentment towards the U.S. bases is directed towards the government in Tokyo, perceived as being insensitive to Okinawan needs and using Okinawa to house bases not desired elsewhere in Japan.

In 2009, a new Japanese government came to power and froze the U.S. forces relocation plan but in April 2010 indicated their interest in resolving the issue by proposing a modified plan. A study done in 2010 found that the prolonged exposure to aircraft noise around the Kadena Air Base and other military bases cause health issues such as a disrupted sleep pattern, high blood pressure, weakening of the immune system in children, and a loss of hearing.

In 2011, it was reported that the U.S. military—contrary to repeated denials by The Pentagon—had kept tens of thousands of barrels of Agent Orange on the island. The Japanese and American governments have angered some U.S. veterans, who believe they were poisoned by Agent Orange while serving on the island, by characterizing their statements regarding Agent Orange as "dubious", and ignoring their requests for compensation. Reports that more than a third of the barrels developed leaks have led Okinawans to ask for environmental investigations, but as of 2012 both Tokyo and Washington refused such action. Jon Mitchell has reported concern that the U.S. used American Marines as chemical-agent guinea pigs.

On September 30, 2018, Denny Tamaki was elected as the next governor of Okinawa prefecture, after a campaign focused on sharply reducing the U.S. military presence on the island.

Marine Corps Air Station Futenma relocation

In 2006, some 8,000 U.S. Marines were removed from the island and relocated to Guam. The move to Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz is expected to be completed in 2023. Japan paid for a majority of the cost to construct the new base. The U.S. still maintains Air Force, Marine, Navy, and Army military installations on the islands. These bases include Kadena Air Base, Camp Foster, Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Camp Hansen, Camp Schwab, Torii Station, Camp Kinser, and Camp Gonsalves. The area of 14 U.S. bases are 233 square kilometres (90 sq mi), occupying 18% of the main island. Okinawa hosts about two-thirds of the 50,000 American forces in Japan although the islands account for less than one percent of total lands in Japan.

Suburbs have grown towards and now surround two historic major bases, Futenma and Kadena. A sizeable portion of the land used by the U.S. military is Camp Gonsalves in the north of the island. On December 21, 2016, 10,000 acres of Camp Gonslaves were returned to Japan. On June 25, 2018, Okinawa residents held a protest demonstration at sea against scheduled land reclamation work for the relocation of a U.S. military base within Japan's southernmost island prefecture. A protest gathered hundreds of people.

Since the early 2000s, Okinawans have opposed the presence of American troops helipads in the Takae zone of the Yanbaru forest near Higashi and Kunigami. This opposition grew in July 2016 after the construction of six new helipads.

Geography

Major islands

Map-okinawa-pref
The islands of Okinawa Prefecture

The islands comprising the prefecture are the southern two thirds of the archipelago of the Ryūkyū Islands (琉球諸島, Ryūkyū-shotō). Okinawa's inhabited islands are typically divided into three geographical archipelagos. From northeast to southwest:

  • Okinawa Islands (沖縄, ʔucinā)
    • Iejima (ʔiijima)
    • Kume-jima (kumijima)
    • Okinawa Island (ʔuhuji)
    • Kerama Islands (kirama)
  • Miyako Islands (myāku)
    • Miyako-jima
  • Yaeyama Islands ('ēma)
    • Iriomote Island (ʔiriʔumuti)
    • Ishigaki Island (ʔishigaci)
    • Yonaguni ('yunaguni)
  • Senkaku Islands (ʔiyukubajima)
  • Daitō Islands (ʔuhuʔagarijima)
    • Minamidaitōjima (fēʔuhuʔagarijima)
    • Kitadaitōjima (nishiʔuhuʔagarijima)
    • Okidaitōjima (ʔuciʔuhuʔagarijima)

Natural parks

Approximately 36% percent of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as natural parks, namely the Iriomote-Ishigaki, Kerama Shotō, and Yambaru National Parks; Okinawa Kaigan and Okinawa Senseki Quasi-National Parks; and Irabu, Kumejima, Tarama, and Tonaki Prefectural Natural Parks.

Ecology

The dugong is an endangered marine mammal related to the manatee. Iriomote is home to one of the world's rarest and most endangered cat species, the Iriomote cat. The region is also home to at least one endemic pit viper, Trimeresurus elegans. The islands of Okinawa are surrounded by some of the most abundant coral reefs found in the world. The world's largest colony of rare blue coral is found off Ishigaki Island. The sea turtles return yearly to the southern islands of Okinawa to lay their eggs. The summer months carry warnings to swimmers regarding venomous jellyfish and other dangerous sea creatures.

Okinawa is a major producer of sugar cane, pineapple, papaya, and other tropical fruit, and the Southeast Botanical Gardens represent tropical plant species.

GusukuArch
Arch at an Okinawan Castle ruin
Naha Shuri Castle50s3s4500
Ishigaki center city
Ishigaki
Asahi-machi Naha Okinawa01s3s4410
Naha

Geology

The island is largely composed of coral, and rainwater filtering through that coral has given the island many caves, which played an important role in the Battle of Okinawa. Gyokusendo is an extensive limestone cave in the southern part of Okinawa's main island.

Climate

The island experiences temperatures above 20 °C (68 °F) for most of the year. The climate of the islands ranges from humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) in the north, such as Okinawa Island, to tropical rainforest climate (Köppen climate classification Af) in the south such as Iriomote Island. Snowfall is unheard of at sea level. However, on January 24, 2016, sleet was reported in Nago for the first time on record.

Municipalities

Cities

Map of Okinawa Prefecture Ja
Map of Okinawa Prefecture
     City      Town      Village

Eleven cities are located within the Okinawa Prefecture:

Name Area (km2) Population Map
Rōmaji Kanji Okinawan other languages [script]

(name in brackets)

Kana Rōmaji
Flag of Ginowan, Okinawa.svg Ginowan 宜野湾市 じのーん Jinōn 19.51 94,405 Ginowan in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Ishigaki, Okinawa.svg Ishigaki 石垣市 いしがち ʔIshigaci Isïgaksï, Ishanagzï (Yaeyama) 229 47,562 IshigakiCityMap.png
Flag of Itoman, Okinawa.svg Itoman 糸満市 いちゅまん ʔIcuman 46.63 59,605 Itoman in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Miyakojima, Okinawa.svg Miyakojima 宮古島市 なーく、みゃーく Nāku, Myāku Myaaku (Miyakoan) 204.54 54,908 Miyakojima in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Nago, Okinawa.svg Nago 名護市 なぐ Nagu Naguu [ナグー] (Kunigami) 210.37 61,659 Nago in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Naha, Okinawa.svg Naha (capital) 那覇市 Okinawan kana hwa.png Nafa 39.98 317,405 Naha in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Nanjo, Okinawa.svg Nanjō 南城市 Okinawan kana hwe.pngーぐOkinawan kana si.png Fēgusiku 49.69 41,305 Nanjo in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Okinawa, Okinawa.svg Okinawa 沖縄市 うちなー ʔUcinā 49 138,431 Okinawa-shi in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Tomigusuku, Okinawa (no text).svg Tomigusuku 豊見城市 Okinawan kana ti.pngみぐOkinawan kana si.png Timigusiku 19.6 61,613 Tomigusuku in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Urasoe, Okinawa.svg Urasoe 浦添市 うらOkinawan kana si.png ʔUrasī 19.09 113,992 Urasoe in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Uruma, Okinawa.svg Uruma うるま市 うるま ʔUruma 86 118,330 Uruma in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Name Area (km2) Population District Type Map
Rōmaji Kanji Okinawan other languages [script]

(name in brackets)

Kana Rōmaji
Flag of Aguni, Okinawa.svg Aguni 粟国村 あぐに ʔAguni 7.63 772 Shimajiri District Village Aguni in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Chatan Okinawa.svg Chatan 北谷町 ちゃたん Catan 13.62 28,578 Nakagami District Town Chatan in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Ginoza, Okinawa.svg Ginoza 宜野座村 じぬざ Jinuza 31.28 5,544 Kunigami District Village Ginoza in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Haebaru, Okinawa.svg Haebaru 南風原町 Okinawan kana hwe.pngーばる Fēbaru 10.72 37,874 Shimajiri District Town Haebaru in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Higashi Okinawa.JPG Higashi 東村 Okinawan kana hwi.pngがし Figashi Agaarijimaa [アガーリジマー]

(Kunigami)

81.79 1,683 Kunigami District Village Higashi in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Ie, Okinawa.svg Ie 伊江村 いい ʔIi Ii [イー] (Kunigami) 22.75 4,192 Kunigami District Village Ie Village in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Iheya, Okinawa.svg Iheya 伊平屋村 いひゃ、後地 ʔIhya, Kushijī 21.72 1,214 Shimajiri District Village Iheya in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Izena, Okinawa.svg Izena 伊是名村 いじな、前地 ʔIjina, Mējī 15.42 1,518 Shimajiri District Village Izena in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Kadena, Okinawa.svg Kadena 嘉手納町 Okinawan kana di.pngなー Kadinā 15.04 13,671 Nakagami District Town Kadena in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Kin, Okinawa.svg Kin 金武町 ちん Cin Chin [チン] (Kunigami) 37.57 11,259 Kunigami District Town Kin in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Kitadaito, Okinawa.svg Kitadaitō 北大東村 うふあがりじま ʔUhuʔagarijima 13.1 615 Shimajiri District Village Kitadaito in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Kitanakagusuku, Okinawa.svg Kitanakagusuku 北中城村 にしなかーぐOkinawan kana si.png Nishinakāgusiku 11.53 16,040 Nakagami District Village Kitanakagusuku in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Kumejima, Okinawa.png Kumejima 久米島町 くみじま Kumijima 63.5 7,647 Shimajiri District Town Kumejima in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Kunigami, Okinawa.svg Kunigami 国頭村 くんじゃん Kunjan Kunzan (Kunigami) 194.8 4,908 Kunigami District Village Kunigami in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Minamidaito, Okinawa.svg Minamidaitō 南大東村 Okinawan kana hwe.pngーうふあがりじま Hwēʔuhuʔagarijima 30.57 1,418 Shimajiri District Village Minamidaito in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Motobu, Okinawa.svg Motobu 本部町 Okinawan kana tu.png Mutubu Mutubu (Kunigami) 54.3 13,441 Kunigami District Town Motobu in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Nakagusuku, Okinawa.svg Nakagusuku 中城村 なかーぐOkinawan kana si.png Nakāgusiku 15.46 20,030 Nakagami District Village Nakagusuku in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Nakijin, Okinawa.svg Nakijin 今帰仁村 なちじん Nacijin Nachizin (Kunigami) 39.87 9,529 Kunigami District Village Nakijin in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Nishihara, Okinawa.svg Nishihara 西原町 にしばる Nishibaru 15.84 34,463 Nakagami District Town Nishihara in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Ogimi Okinawa.JPG Ōgimi 大宜味村 Okinawan kana u.pngじみ Ujimi Uujimii (Kunigami) 63.12 3,024 Kunigami District Village Ogimi in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Onna, Okinawa.svg Onna 恩納村 うんな ʔUnna Unna (Kunigami) 50.77 10,443 Kunigami District Village Onna in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Tarama, Okinawa.svg Tarama 多良間村 たらま Tarama Tarama (Miyakoan) 21.91 1,194 Miyako District Village Tarama in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Taketomi, Okinawa.svg Taketomi 竹富町 だきOkinawan kana du.png Dakidun Teedun (Yaeyama) 334.02 4,050 Yaeyama District Town Taketomi in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Tokashiki, Okinawa.svg Tokashiki 渡嘉敷村 Okinawan kana tu.pngかしち Tukashici 19.18 697 Shimajiri District Village Tokashiki in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Tonaki, Okinawa.svg Tonaki 渡名喜村 Okinawan kana tu.pngなち Tunaci 3.74 406 Shimajiri District Village Tonaki in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Yaese Okinawa logo type version.JPG Yaese 八重瀬町 え゙ーOkinawan kana si.png Ēsi 26.9 29,488 Shimajiri District Town Yaese in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Yomitan, Okinawa.svg Yomitan 読谷村 Okinawan kana 'yu.pngんたん Yuntan 35.17 40,517 Nakagami District Village Yomitan in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Yonabaru, Okinawa.svg Yonabaru 与那原町 Okinawan kana 'yu.pngなばる Yunabaru 5.18 18,410 Shimajiri District Town Yonabaru in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Yonaguni, Okinawa.svg Yonaguni 与那国町 Okinawan kana 'yu.pngなぐに Yunaguni Dunan, Juni (Yonaguni)

Yunoon (Yaeyama)

28.95 2,048 Yaeyama District Town Yonaguni in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg
Flag of Zamami, Okinawa.svg Zamami 座間味村 ざまみ Zamami 16.74 924 Shimajiri District Village Zamami in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg

Town mergers

Demography

Okinawa prefecture population pyramid in 2020
Okinawa prefecture population pyramid in 2020

Ethnic groups

The indigenous Ryukyuan people make up the majority of Okinawa Prefecture's population and are also the main ethnic group of the Amami Islands to the north. Large Okinawan diaspora communities persist in places such as South America and Hawaii. With the introduction of American military bases, there are an increasing number of half-American children in Okinawa, including prefecture governor Denny Tamaki. The prefecture also has a sizable minority of Yamato people from mainland Japan; exact population numbers are difficult to establish, as the Japanese government does not officially recognise Ryukyuans as a distinct ethnic group from Yamatos.

The overall ethnic identity of Okinawa residents is rather split. According to a telephone poll conducted by Lim John Chuan-tiong (林泉忠), an associate professor with the University of the Ryukyus, 40.6% of respondents identified as "沖縄人 (Okinawan)", 21.3% identified as "日本人 (Japanese)" and 36.5% identified as both.

Population

Okinawa prefecture age pyramid as of 1 October  2003 (2003 -10-01)
(per thousands of people)

Age People
0–4 G50.png G30.png G05.png G03.png G01.png 84
5–9 G50.png G30.png G10.png 85
10–14 G50.png G30.png G10.png G01.png G01.png 87
15–19 G50.png G30.png G10.png G05.png G03.png G01.png 94
20–24 G50.png G30.png G10.png G05.png G01.png 91
25–29 G100.png G01.png G01.png 97
30–34 G100.png G03.png G01.png 99
35–39 G50.png G30.png G10.png G01.png G01.png 87
40–44 G50.png G30.png G10.png G05.png G01.png 91
45–49 G100.png G01.png 96
50–54 G100.png G05.png G01.png 100
55–59 G50.png G10.png G05.png G01.png G01.png 64
60–64 G50.png G10.png G05.png G03.png 65
65–69 G50.png G10.png G05.png G03.png G01.png 66
70–74 G50.png G05.png G01.png 53
75–79 G30.png G05.png G03.png G01.png 37
80 + G50.png G05.png G03.png 55

Okinawa Prefecture age pyramid, divided by sex, as of 1 October  2003 (2003 -10-01)
(per thousands of people)

Males Age Females
43 G30.png G10.png G05.png 0–4 R30.png R10.png R03.png 41
44 G30.png G10.png G05.png G01.png 5–9 R30.png R10.png R03.png 41
45 G30.png G10.png G05.png G01.png G01.png 10–14 R30.png R10.png R03.png R01.png 42
48 G50.png 15–19 R30.png R10.png R05.png R03.png 46
46 G30.png G10.png G05.png G03.png 20–24 R30.png R10.png R05.png R01.png R01.png 45
49 G50.png G01.png 25–29 R50.png 48
49 G50.png G01.png 30–34 R50.png R03.png 50
43 G30.png G10.png G05.png 35–39 R30.png R10.png R05.png R01.png 44
46 G30.png G10.png G05.png G03.png 40–44 R30.png R10.png R05.png R01.png R01.png 45
49 G50.png G01.png 45–49 R30.png R10.png R05.png R03.png R01.png 47
52 G50.png G05.png 50–54 R50.png 48
32 G30.png G03.png 55–59 R30.png R03.png 32
32 G30.png G03.png 60–64 R30.png R03.png R01.png 33
32 G30.png G03.png 65–69 R30.png R05.png R01.png 34
24 G10.png G10.png G05.png 70–74 R30.png 29
14 G10.png G03.png G01.png 75–79 R10.png R10.png R03.png R01.png 23
17 G10.png G05.png G03.png 80 + R30.png R10.png 38

Per Japanese census data, Okinawa prefecture has had continuous positive population growth since 1960.

Historical population
Year Pop. ±%
1873 166,789 —    
1920 572,000 +242.9%
1930 578,000 +1.0%
1940 575,000 −0.5%
1950 915,000 +59.1%
1960 883,000 −3.5%
1970 945,000 +7.0%
1980 1,107,000 +17.1%
1990 1,222,000 +10.4%
2000 1,318,220 +7.9%
2010 1,392,818 +5.7%
2020 1,457,162 +4.6%

Language and culture

Tomori Stone Lion 202006 01
Shisa
OkinawaPottery
Awamori pots

Having been a separate nation until 1879, Okinawan language and culture differ in many ways from those of mainland Japan.

Language

There remain six Ryukyuan languages which, although related, are incomprehensible to speakers of Japanese. One of the Ryukyuan languages is spoken in Kagoshima Prefecture, rather than in Okinawa Prefecture. These languages are in decline as the younger generation of Okinawans uses Standard Japanese. Mainland Japanese and some Okinawans generally perceive the Ryukyuan languages as "dialects". 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 ("Okinawan Japanese"), which is often mistaken by non-Okinawans as the Okinawan language proper. The actual traditional Okinawan language is still used in traditional cultural activities, such as folk music and folk dance. There is a radio-news program in the language as well.

Religion

Okinawans have traditionally followed Ryukyuan 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.

Culture

Okinawan culture bears traces of its various trading partners. One can find Chinese, Thai and Austronesian influences in the island's customs. Perhaps Okinawa's most famous cultural export is karate, probably a product of the close ties with and influence of China on Okinawan culture. Karate is thought to be a synthesis of Chinese kung fu with traditional Okinawan martial arts.

A 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.

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. Its body is often bound with snakeskin (from pythons, imported from elsewhere in Asia, rather than from Okinawa's venomous Trimeresurus flavoviridis, which are too small for this purpose). Okinawan culture also features the eisa dance, a traditional drumming dance. A traditional craft, the fabric named bingata, is made in workshops on the main island and elsewhere.

The Okinawan diet consists of low-fat, low-salt foods, such as whole fruits and vegetables, legumes, tofu, and seaweed. Okinawans are particularly well known for consuming purple potatoes, also known as Okinawan sweet potatoes. Okinawans used to be known for their longevity compared to the rest of Japan and the world in general. This particular island is a so-called Blue Zone, an area where people are purported to live longer than most others elsewhere in the world. Possible explanations for this were diet, low-stress lifestyle, caring community, activity, and spirituality of the inhabitants of the island.

A cultural feature of the Okinawans is the forming of moais. A moai is a community social gathering and groups that come together to provide financial and emotional support through emotional bonding, advice giving, and social funding. This provides a sense of security for the community members and as mentioned in the Blue Zone studies, may have been a contributing factor to the longevity of its people. However, in recent decades Okinawans' life expectancy has fallen significantly (also bringing into question the general validity of the 'Blue Zones' denominaton), which often has been blamed on cultural influence from the rest of Japan, as well as foreign influences on Okinawans' lifestyle.

Two Okinawan writers have received the Akutagawa Prize: Eiki Matayoshi in 1995 for The Pig's Retribution (豚の報い, Buta no mukui) and Shun Medoruma in 1997 for A Drop of Water (Suiteki). The prize was also won by Okinawans in 1967 by Tatsuhiro Oshiro for Cocktail Party (Kakuteru Pāti) and in 1971 by Mineo Higashi for Okinawan Boy (Okinawa no Shōnen).

Karate

Karate originated in Okinawa. Over time, it developed into several styles and sub-styles. On Okinawa, the three main styles are considered to be Shōrin-ryū, Gōjū-ryū and Uechi-ryū. Internationally, the various styles and sub-styles include Matsubayashi-ryū, Wadō-ryū, Isshin-ryū, Shōrinkan, Shotokan, Shitō-ryū, Shōrinjiryū Kenkōkan, Shorinjiryu Koshinkai, and Shōrinji-ryū.

Architecture

Nakamura House Kitanakagusuku01n3104
Nakamura house
Naha Shuri Castle20s5s3200
Shuri Castle in Naha

Despite widespread destruction during World War II, there are many remains of a unique type of castle or fortress known as gusuku; the most significant are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List (Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu). In addition, twenty-three Ryukyuan architectural complexes and forty historic sites have been designated for protection by the national government. Shuri Castle in Naha is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Whereas most homes in Japan are made from wood and allow free-flow of air to combat humidity, typical modern homes in Okinawa are made from concrete with barred windows to protect from flying plant debris and to withstand regular typhoons. Roofs are designed with strong winds in mind, in which each tile is cemented on and not merely layered as seen with many homes in Japan. The Nakamura House (ja:中村家住宅 (沖縄県)) is an original 18th century farmhouse in Kitanakagusuki. Many roofs also display a lion-dog statue, called a shisa, which is said to protect the home from danger. Roofs are typically red in color and are inspired by Chinese design.

Education

The public schools in Okinawa are overseen by the Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. The agency directly operates several public high schools including Okinawa Shogaku High School. The U.S. Department of Defense Dependents Schools operates 13 schools total in Okinawa. Seven of these schools are located on Kadena Air Base.

Okinawa has many types of private schools. Some of them are cram schools, also known as juku. Others, such as Nova, solely teach language. There are 10 colleges/universities in Okinawa, including the University of the Ryukyus, the only national university in the prefecture, and the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, a new international research institute. Okinawa's American military bases also host the Asian Division of the University of Maryland University College.

Sports

Martial arts

Martial arts, such as tegumi and Okinawan kobudō originated among the indigenous people of Okinawa Island. Due to its central location, Okinawa was influenced by various cultures including Japan, China and Southeast Asia in its martial arts culture.

Karate

Karate ShuriCastle
Karate training with Shinpan Gusukuma sensei at Shuri Castle c. 1938, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan

Karate originated in the Ryukyu Kingdom, under Chinese influence. Following Okinawa's occupation Karate spread to the United States of America and onto the rest of the world. It is now popular across the world, for example Karate was included in the 2020 Olympics.

Association football

FC Ryukyu is a professional football team based on Okinawa. Since 2014 they have competed in the second or third tier in the national league system.

Basketball

沖縄アリーナ
Okinawa Arena, a home game of Ryukyu Golden Kings on B.League professional basketball team.

The Ryukyu Golden Kings are a professional basketball team that compete in the B.League, the top-tier professional basketball league of Japan. They are successful, having won the national title five times (most recently in 2023).

The Okinawa Arena has hosted the Japanese men's basketball team for various 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers. It was also one of five venues to host the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, the other four were in the Philippines and Indonesia.

Handball

  • Ryukyu Corazon (Naha)

Baseball

Announced on July 18, 2019, BASE Okinawa Baseball Club will be forming the first-ever professional baseball team on Okinawa, the Ryukyu Blue Oceans. The team is expected to be fully organized by January 2020 and intends on joining the Nippon Professional Baseball league.

In addition, various baseball teams from Japan hold training during the winter in Okinawa prefecture as it is the warmest prefecture of Japan with no snow and higher temperatures than other prefectures.

Golf

There are numerous golf courses in the prefecture, and there was formerly a professional tournament called the Okinawa Open.

Transportation

Air transportation

  • Aguni Airport
  • Hateruma Airport
  • Iejima Airport
  • New Ishigaki Airport
  • Kerama Airport
  • Kitadaito Airport
  • Kumejima Airport
  • Minami-Daito Airport
  • Miyako Airport
  • Naha Airport
  • Shimojishima Airport
  • Tarama Airport
  • Yonaguni Airport

Highways

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

Rail

Ports

The major ports of Okinawa include:

  • Naha Port
  • Port of Unten
  • Port of Kinwan
  • Nakagusukuwan Port
  • Hirara Port
  • Port of Ishigaki

Economy

The 34 U.S. military installations on Okinawa are financially supported by the U.S. and Japan. The bases provide jobs for Okinawans, both directly and indirectly; in 2011, the U.S. military employed over 9,800 Japanese workers in Okinawa. As of 2012 the bases accounted for up to 5% of the economy. However, Koji Taira argued in 1997 that because the U.S. bases occupy around 20% of Okinawa's land, they impose a deadweight loss of 15% on the Okinawan economy. The Tokyo government also pays the prefectural government around ¥10 billion per year in compensation for the American presence, including, for instance, rent paid by the Japanese government to the Okinawans on whose land American bases are situated. A 2005 report by the U.S. Forces Japan Okinawa Area Field Office estimated that in 2003 the combined U.S. and Japanese base-related spending contributed $1.9 billion to the local economy. On January 13, 2015, in response to the citizens electing governor Takeshi Onaga, the national government announced that Okinawa's funding will be cut, due to the governor's stance on removing the US military bases from Okinawa, which the national government does not want happening.

The Okinawa Convention and Visitors Bureau is exploring the possibility of using facilities on the military bases for large-scale meetings, conferencing, exhibitions events.

United States military installations

Notable people

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Prefectura de Okinawa para niños

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Okinawa Prefecture Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.