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131-786: Uruma is noted for its role in hosting large-scale refugee camps and the initial organization of local government of Okinawa immediately after the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. As such the city is considered the home of the starting point of the restoration of civil life in Okinawa immediately after the end of World War II . United States maintains four military bases in Uruma, some of which span other municipalities in Okinawa: Kadena Ammunition Storage Area, Camp McTureous , Camp Courtney , and White Beach Naval Facility. The bases cover 12.97% of

262-594: A British Commonwealth fleet with Australian , New Zealand and Canadian ships and personnel. The Japanese land campaign (mainly defensive) was conducted by the 67,000-strong (77,000 according to some sources) regular 32nd Army and some 9,000 Imperial Japanese Navy troops at Oroku Naval Base (only a few hundred of whom had been trained and equipped for ground combat), supported by 39,000 drafted local Ryukyuan people (including 24,000 hastily drafted rear militia called Boeitai and 15,000 non-uniformed laborers). The Japanese had used kamikaze tactics since

393-572: 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

524-426: A connecting saddle that formed part of Shuri's outer defenses. The Japanese had prepared their positions well and fought tenaciously. The Japanese soldiers hid in fortified caves. American forces often lost personnel before clearing the Japanese out from each cave or other hiding place. The Japanese sent out Okinawans at gunpoint to obtain water and supplies for them, which led to civilian casualties. The American advance

655-473: A large-scale movement to return to their homes, and the population of Ishikawa decreased rapidly. In the aftermath of World War II the Ishikawa area of Uruma was used as a large-scale refugee camp. The camp was built and operated by the U.S. occupation forces, and is considered the starting point of the reconstruction and recovery of Okinawa after the war. The 1959 Okinawa F-100 crash occurred on June 30, 1959. In

786-598: A long campaign of island hopping , the Allies were planning to use Kadena Air Base on the large island of Okinawa as a base for Operation Downfall , the planned invasion of the Japanese home islands , 340 mi (550 km) away. The United States created the Tenth Army , a cross-branch force consisting of the U.S. Army 7th , 27th , 77th and 96th Infantry Divisions with the 1st , 2nd , and 6th Marine Divisions , to fight on

917-554: 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

1048-490: A minimum of 14 and up to 18 escort carriers were in the area at all times. Until 20 April, British Task Force 57, with 4 large and 6 escort carriers, remained off the Sakishima Islands to protect the southern flank. The protracted length of the campaign under stressful conditions forced Admiral Chester W. Nimitz to take the unprecedented step of relieving the principal naval commanders to rest and recuperate. Following

1179-641: A nursing unit. This mobilization was conducted by an ordinance of the Ministry of the Army, not by law. The ordinances mobilized the students as volunteer soldiers for form's sake; in reality, the military authorities ordered schools to force almost all students to "volunteer" as soldiers; sometimes they counterfeited the necessary documents. About half of the Tekketsu Kinnōtai were killed, including in suicide bomb attacks against tanks and in guerrilla operations. Among

1310-596: A practice rather common in Heian-period Japan. However, the association with Ulleung Island was soon forgotten because the reference to Silla was dropped when his poem was recorded in the Senzai Wakashū (1188). Thereafter waka poets only thought uruma as an island somewhere outside Japan with an unintelligible language. At the same time, it evoked a sense of familiarity because the phrase uruma no ichi (market in Uruma)

1441-598: 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

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1572-406: A relatively new agricultural product. Land improvement has made small-scale rice production possible. Pigs have been raised in Uruma since the end of World War II. Uruma produces also several specialty agricultural products. The city is noted for the production of mozuku seaweed. Tsuken Island produces a specialty variety of carrots, which are known in Japan as the "Tsuken Ninjin". "Nuchi-masu", or

1703-560: A result, the media has drawn renewed interest in the Ryukyu independence movement . 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

1834-650: A separate nation until 1879, Okinawan language and culture differ in many ways from those of mainland Japan. 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

1965-409: A series of crimes involving American troops in Japan, including the rape of a young girl of 14 by a Marine on Okinawa. The U.S. military imposed a temporary 24-hour curfew on military personnel and their families to ease the anger of local residents. Some cited statistics that the crime rate of military personnel is consistently less than that of the general Okinawan population. However, some criticized

2096-672: A strong reciprocal training agreement with the University of Hawaiʻi. Uruma is noted for several historic and religious sites, including the Iha Shell Mound, Katsuren Castle, and Agena Castle. The Iha Shell Mound is located in the Iha district of Uruma. The site sits on a large limestone fault slope, and dates from the late Jōmon period , ca. 2500 – 1000 BC. The Iha Shell Mound is approximately 60 centimetres (24 in) thick and covers an area of 150 square metres (1,600 sq ft). The site

2227-400: A terrible spectacle rather than as the intended victim. We forgot self for the moment as we groped hopelessly for the thought of that other man up there. The US Navy's Task Force 58 , deployed to the east of Okinawa with a picket group of 6 to 8 destroyers, kept 13 carriers (7 fleet carriers and 6 light carriers) on duty from 23 March to 27 April and a smaller number thereafter. Until 27 April,

2358-407: 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

2489-466: Is administered by Department of Defense Education Activity for English-speaking United States military dependents. It is run under the supervision of the Okinawa Department of Defense Dependents Schools District. The senior high schools of Uruma are operated by Okinawa Prefecture. Okinawa Prefectural Yokatsu Senior High School-Yokatsu Midorigaoka Junior High School is a joint secondary school in

2620-728: Is controversial. 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

2751-528: Is home to the quarters of the 3rd Marine Division Headquarters and the III Marine Expeditionary Force . Camp Courtney is utilized for office space and living quarters for Marines and military families. The camp includes a post office, theater, bank, church, and recreational facilities. Camp McTureous is a United States Marine Base located in the west side of the Agena district of Uruma. The camp

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2882-756: Is limited to the jointly operated high-speed bus Route 111. JA Okinawa operates local buses to the Katsuren Peninsula and the Yokatsu Islands. Ryukyu Bus operates the Gushikawa Bus Terminal , Okinawa Bus operates the Yakena Bus Terminal , which is also used by Ryukyu Bus, and Toyo Bus operates the Toyo Bus Awase Office . The Okinawa Expressway , which runs 57.3 kilometres (35.6 mi) from Naha to Nago , has one interchange in Uruma,

3013-520: Is naturally protected by the Tengan River to the north. The Ōgawa Aji , or regional ruler of the Ōgawa Magiri of the Ryūkyū Kingdom , occupied the castle for several generations. For this reason the castle is also known as the Ōgawa gusuku . Details of the history of both the castle and the aji are unclear, and no archaeological excavation has been carried out on the castle. It was likely built in

3144-451: Is protected as a national treasure of Japan. The castle remains now hold numerous utaki sites of worship of the Ryukyuan religion, and are scattered with fragments of Chinese ceramics from the 14th to the 15th century. The area around the castle is now used as Agena Park. Katsuren Castle is a gusuku , or Okinawan castle , in former Katsuren Town. The castle is known as Kacchin Gushiku in

3275-707: 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. Okinawa prefecture age pyramid as of 1 October 2003 (per thousands of people) Okinawa Prefecture age pyramid, divided by sex, as of 1 October 2003 (per thousands of people) Per Japanese census data, Okinawa prefecture has had continuous positive population growth since 1960. Having been

3406-506: Is the largest base area in the city, it represents only 7% of the total size of the base. Camp Courtney is a United States Marine Base located in the north of Uruma on Kin Bay. The camp was established in 1956 and occupies 1.348 square kilometres (0.520 sq mi) in the Konbu, Tengan, and Uken districts of Uruma. Camp Courtney is part of the larger Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler , and

3537-838: 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

3668-522: The Battle of Leyte Gulf , but for the first time they became a major part of the defense. Between the American landing on 1 April and 25 May, seven major kamikaze attacks were attempted, involving more than 1,500 planes. The 32nd Army initially consisted of the 9th , 24th and 62nd Divisions and the 44th Independent Mixed Brigade. The 9th Division was moved to Taiwan before the invasion, resulting in shuffling of Japanese defensive plans. Primary resistance

3799-572: 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,

3930-617: The III Amphibious Corps on the Hagushi beaches on the western coast of Okinawa on 1 April. The 2nd Marine Division conducted a demonstration off the Minatoga beaches on the southeastern coast to deceive the Japanese about American intentions and delay movement of reserves from there. Tenth Army swept across the south-central part of the island with relative ease, capturing the Kadena and

4061-628: 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. 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

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4192-621: The Okinawan language . It sits 98 meters (322 ft) above sea level on the small Katsuren Peninsula , and is flanked by the Pacific Ocean on two sides. The "golden age" of Katsuren Castle was in the mid-15th century, when the castle was controlled by the Aji of Katsuren, Amawari (died 1458), before his death in conflicts with Shō Taikyū (1415–1460) of Shuri and Gosamaru (died 1458), Aji of Nakagusuku Castle . Katsuren Castle has an active shrine of

4323-625: 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

4454-539: The Ryukyuan religion within its first bailey . In the 2010 Okinawa earthquake damaged an outer wall at the northeast of the third bailey of the castle. Katsuren Castle was designated a Designated Historical Monument in 1972, and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 as part of one of the nine Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu . United States military bases in Uruma cover 6.632 square kilometres (2.561 sq mi), or 12.97% of

4585-410: The Ryukyuan religion , many of which are located on the Yokatsu Islands. Hamahiga Island is located approximately 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) northeast of Kudaka Island, which is considered the holiest place of the Ryukyuan religion. The tombs of Amamikyu and Shinerikyu are located on Hamahiga. Amamikyu and Shinerikyu are worshipped at their tombs, and the noro priestess of Higa conducts prayers at

4716-504: 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

4847-597: 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

4978-535: The Southeast Botanical Gardens represent tropical plant species. 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. The island experiences temperatures above 20 °C (68 °F) for most of

5109-544: 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

5240-552: 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

5371-572: The Yomitan airbases within hours of the landing. In light of the weak opposition, General Buckner decided to proceed immediately with Phase II of his plan, the seizure of northern Okinawa. The 6th Marine Division headed up the Ishikawa Isthmus and by 7 April had sealed off the Motobu Peninsula . Six days later on 13 April, the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Marine Regiment , reached Hedo Point at

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5502-478: The hiragana syllabary instead of kanji characters because, according to the city, it looks endearing and soft. The name of the city of Uruma comes from a poetic name for Okinawa Island. A folk etymology, which was adopted by the city itself, segments uruma into uru (fine sand or coral in Okinawan ) and *ma (island?). Another theory relates it to urumaa , meaning cricket in Okinawan. The Okinawan origin of

5633-463: 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

5764-464: The "salt of life", is produced from the mineral-rich seawater of Uruma. Yamashiro-cha is a locally produced tea grown in the Yamashiro area of the city. Uruma is located near the center of Okinawa Island, facing east. The city occupies the southern rim of Kin Bay as well as the north of Nakagusuku Bay . The highest point in the city is Mount Ishikawa at 204 metres (669 ft). The longest river in

5895-471: The 14th century. The Ōgawa reached their greatest period of prosperity in the 15th century. At some point the castle was destroyed by the army of the Ryūkyū Kingdom. The outer gate of Agena Castle no longer exists, but as the inner gate is bored through the limestone foundation and is surrounded on both sides with quarried rocks, it still exists. The inner gate is an early example of an arched castle gate, and

6026-410: The 21 male and female secondary schools that made up these student corps, 2,000 students died on the battlefield. Even with the female students acting mainly as nurses to Japanese soldiers, they were still exposed to the harsh conditions of war. There was a hypnotic fascination to the sight so alien to our Western philosophy. We watched each plunging kamikaze with the detached horror of one witnessing

6157-685: The Gushikawa Library) is in the Tairagawa district, and was built in 1989. The Ishikawa Library, located in the Akebono district, was built in 1990. The Katsuren Library, located in Katsurenhenna, was built in 1997. The libraries collectively hold 391,359 volumes. The largest park in Uruma, the Agena Central Park, is located near the historical remains of Agena Castle. The castle and its moat make up

6288-413: The Ishikawa Interchange. Japan National Route 329 , which similarly runs between Naha and Nago, runs through the western districts of Uruma. The city, including the Yokatsu Islands, is also served by numerous prefectural highways. The Port of Kinwan (19,400 hectares (48,000 acres)) encompasses the coastal areas of Naha, Uruma, and other municipalities on Okinawa island. The port area covers the entirety of

6419-644: The Japanese suicide attacks , although Ushijima had disbanded the majority of the suicide boat battalions before the battle because of expected low effectiveness against a superior enemy. The boat crews were re-formed into three additional infantry battalions. Operation Ten-Go ( Ten-gō sakusen ) was the attempted attack by a strike force of ten Japanese surface vessels, led by Yamato and commanded by Admiral Seiichi Itō . This small task force had been ordered to fight through enemy naval forces, then beach Yamato and fight from shore, using her guns as coastal artillery and her crew as naval infantry. The Ten-Go force

6550-492: The Japanese actually had about 700, dismantled or well camouflaged and dispersed into scattered villages and towns; the US Fifth Air Force disputed Navy claims of kamikaze coming from Formosa. The ships lost were smaller vessels, particularly the destroyers of the radar pickets , as well as destroyer escorts and landing ships. While no major Allied warships were lost, several fleet carriers were severely damaged. Land-based Shin'yō-class suicide motorboats were also used in

6681-545: The Japanese garrison of two and a half divisions. The staff calculated that superior quality and numbers of weapons gave each US division five or six times the firepower of a Japanese division. To this, would be added the Americans' abundant naval and air firepower. On Okinawa, the Imperial Japanese Army mobilized 1,780 schoolboys aged 14–17 years into front line service as an Iron and Blood Imperial Corps ( Japanese : 鉄血勤皇隊 , romanized :  Tekketsu Kinnōtai ), while female Himeyuri students were organized into

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6812-533: The Katsuren Henna district. Other senior high schools include Ishikawa Senior High School, Gushikawa Senior High School, Maehara Senior High School, Gushikawa Commercial Senior High School, and Chūbu Agricultural High School. Uruma is connected to the other municipalities of Okinawa Island by transit bus with numerous routes originating from the Naha Bus Terminal . The four bus companies that serve Okinawa, Ryukyu Bus , Okinawa Bus , Naha Bus Co., Ltd. , and Toyo Bus , all have lines in Uruma, but service via Naha Bus

6943-407: The Melvin Price Report, by 1955, the military had displaced 250,000 residents. 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

7074-416: The Okinawa Prefecture: (name in brackets) These are the towns and villages in each district : (name in brackets) ( Kunigami ) Yunoon ( Yaeyama ) 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

7205-416: The Okinawan mainland is bordered by Kin Bay to the east, and has a long coastline with significant industrial development. The northernmost point of the city is marked by Ishikawadake (204 metres (669 ft)), a low hill on the border of Uruma and the city of Kin. The Kinbu Fishing Port is located in the Gushikawa area. The Katsuren Peninsula extends south from Okinawa Island and used to be incorporated as

7336-475: 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 early 2008, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice apologized after

7467-471: The Port Operations Naval Facility White Beach, is a United States Navy base located southern tip of the Katsuren Peninsula at the Northeast of Nakagusuku Bay , also known as Buckner Bay. The base covers 1.568 square kilometres (0.605 sq mi) in the Heishikiya and Nohen districts of the city. White Beach serves as the staging area for the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit . Nuclear submarines and warships and submarines make regular calls to

7598-412: The Royal Navy carriers had armored flight decks , they experienced only a brief interruption to their force's operations. The land battle took place over about 81 days beginning on 1 April 1945. The first Americans ashore were soldiers of the 77th Infantry Division who landed in the Kerama Islands , 15 mi (24 km) west of Okinawa on 26 March. Subsidiary landings followed, and the Kerama group

7729-413: 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. During the Korean War , B-29 Superfortresses flew bombing missions over Korea from Kadena Air Base on Okinawa. The military buildup on

7860-454: 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

7991-555: 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

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8122-411: 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

8253-405: 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

8384-641: The U.S. military presence on the island. 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

8515-510: The U.S. occupation authorities, and strengthened calls for the island to be returned to the control of the Japanese government. The city of Uruma was formed on April 1, 2005 from the merger of the cities of Gushikawa and Ishikawa , and the towns of Katsuren and Yonashiro , both from Nakagami District . Uruma, despite its low amount of arable land, is noted for several agricultural products. The city, like most areas of Okinawa, produces sugarcane . Cut flowers , notably chrysanthemums , are

8646-552: 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. 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

8777-482: The area of present-day Uruma was reorganized as the five villages of Misato, Gushikawa, Katsuren, and Yonashiro. In the pre-war period Uruma had the most productive sugarcane industry in Okinawa Prefecture due to sources of irrigation and fertile soil. The areas of present-day Uruma were affected in World War II during the initial part of the Battle of Okinawa . L-Day, the initial land invasion of Okinawa Island, occurred on April 1, 1945. American forces swept across

8908-455: The attack. Okinawa Prefecture 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 ) and a geographic area of 2,281 km (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

9039-467: The attackers retreated, only to repeat their offensive the following night. A final assault on 14 April was again repulsed. The effort led the 32nd Army's staff to conclude that the Americans were vulnerable to night infiltration tactics but that their superior firepower made any offensive Japanese troop concentrations extremely dangerous, and they reverted to their defensive strategy. The 27th Infantry Division , which had landed on 9 April, took over on

9170-408: The battleship's crew, and to aim for the bow or the stern where armor was believed to be the thinnest.) Of Yamato ' s screening force, the light cruiser Yahagi and four of the eight destroyers were also sunk. The Imperial Japanese Navy lost some 3,700 sailors, including Admiral Itō, at the cost of ten US aircraft and twelve airmen. The British Pacific Fleet , taking part as Task Force 57,

9301-479: The beginning of the year at the sites. The forests of the southeast tip of Hamahiga are home to a cave that is considered one of the residences of Amamikyu and Shinerikyu; a stalactite in a cave at the site is a center of worship for numerous children. Nearby are other holy sites related to Shinerikyu, Maitreya , and Nirai Kanai (most notably the Miruku Gate and Mount Yugafu). There are a significant number of noro priestesses and yuta mediums on Hamahiga Island,

9432-665: The central part of the park. Agena Central Park is home to the Agena Bullfighting Ring. The Ayahashi Road Race Through the Sea Tournament is held in April. The race is divided into 3.8 kilometres (2.4 mi), 10 kilometres (6.2 mi), and half marathon runs. Runners cross from Yonashiro over the Mid-Sea Road, which is partially closed to traffic during the race, to Henza Island. Uruma is home to numerous sites associated with

9563-637: The city are located in Gushikawa, Ishikawa, Katsuren, and Henza. The City of Uruma maintains 17 elementary schools (Miyamori, Shiromae, Iha, Yonashiro, Minamihara, Katsuren, Heishikiya, Higa, Tsuken, Kawasaki, Tengan, Agena, Taba, Gushikawa, Kanehara, Nakahara, Akamichi, and Ayahashi), and 9 middle schools (Ishikawa, Iha, Tsuken, Yokatsu, Yokatsu 2nd, Agena, Gushikawa, Takaesu, and Gushikawa East). The city closed and consolidated numerous elementary and middle schools in 2012. In addition, Uruma maintains 18 preschools. Bechtel Elementary School, located on Camp McTureous,

9694-523: The city is the Tengan River , which runs for 12.20 kilometres (7.58 mi) from Mount Yomitan (201 metres (659 ft)) to Kin Bay in the Akano district of the city. The city includes sixty-two wards, repartited in the four former municipalities. The city consists of three geographic areas: a land area on Okinawa Island proper, the Katsuren Peninsula , and the eight Yokatsu Islands . The majority of

9825-526: The city of Uruma sits on a dissected plateau , and has numerous hills and indentations. The islands of the city are flat and low-lying and are primarily composed of Ryukyuan limestone . The land area of the city of Uruma on Okinawa Island includes the former cities of Ishikawa to the north and Gushikawa to the south. These areas are the most populated parts of the city, and are crossed by the Okinawa Expressway and Ishikawa By-pass . The area of Uruma on

9956-1826: The classified Project AGILE. Logbooks of the privately owned merchant marine ship SS Schuyler Otis Bland show that chemicals agents were delivered to White Beach under armed guard on April 25, 1962, then transported to other areas of the island. 1959 Kadena Air Base F-100 crash Battle of Okinawa [REDACTED] Simon B. Buckner Jr.   † [REDACTED] Roy Geiger [REDACTED] Chester W. Nimitz [REDACTED] Raymond A. Spruance [REDACTED] William Halsey Jr. Ground units : [REDACTED] Tenth Army Naval units : [REDACTED] Fifth Fleet Ground units : [REDACTED] 32nd Army Naval units : [REDACTED] Combined Fleet [REDACTED] United States Navy [REDACTED] Royal Navy [REDACTED] Royal Australian Navy [REDACTED] Royal New Zealand Navy [REDACTED] Royal Canadian Navy [REDACTED] Ground Forces [REDACTED] Imperial Japanese Navy [REDACTED] Imperial Japanese Army Air Service 850 Kamikaze Aircraft [REDACTED] Ground Forces [REDACTED] American personnel: Battle casualties: ~50,000, including ~12,500 dead Army: 19,929 Navy: 10,007 at Okinawa, 1,294 on USS Franklin Marines: 19,460 Non-battle casualties : 26,211 to 33,096 (all causes) [REDACTED] British personnel: Battle casualties: 119 Killed, 83 Wounded. 228 Aircraft Lost, 4 fleet carriers lightly damaged in Kamikaze strikes. Second Sino-Japanese War The Battle of Okinawa ( Japanese : 沖縄戦 , Hepburn : Okinawa-sen ) , codenamed Operation Iceberg ,

10087-453: The coastal areas of Uruma, including those of the Yokatsu Islands. Okinawa Prefectural Chūbu Hospital is located in the Miyazato district of Uruma. The hospital traces its history to the refugee camps in 1945, which were staffed by personnel from the University of Hawaiʻi . Chubu Hospital was formally established in 1946, and is one of 6 prefectural hospitals in Okinawa Prefecture, and maintains

10218-464: The construction of six new helipads. 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: Approximately 36% percent of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as natural parks , namely

10349-698: The control of the Chūzan Kingdom, which covered the central area of Okinawa Island and its nearby islands. The Katsuren area of Uruma became notably prosperous in the mid-15th century. Katsuren Castle, and a surrounding jōkamachi castle town, were constructed in this period. Under the Ryukyu Kingdom six magiri , a type of regional administrative district in pre-modern Okinawa, covered areas of present-day Uruma: 'Nzatō Magiri (parts of which were also located in present-day Okinawa City), Gushichaa Magiri, Kachin magiri, and Yunagushiku Magiri. Nakagushiku Magiri included Tsuken Island. The Ryūkyū Kingdom ended in 1872 with

10480-853: The council. City council members are affiliated with the Okinawa Social Mass Party , the Shinsei Club, the New Komeito Party , the Japan Revolutionary Communist League , the Japanese Communist Party , and the 21st Century Club . Uruma has eleven post offices: one each in Gushikawa, Agena, Shirinkawa, Higashi Gushikawa, Ishikawa, Ishikawa Shiromae, Ishikawa Higashionna, Yokatsu, Katsuren, Henza, and Yonashiro. The city maintains two police stations: Uruma Police Station and Ishikawa Police Station. Fire stations for

10611-448: The course of the battle, including fighters, attack aircraft, scout planes, bombers and dive-bombers. The invasion was supported by a fleet consisting of 18 battleships , 27 cruisers , 177 destroyers / destroyer escorts , 39 aircraft carriers (11 fleet carriers , 6 light carriers and 22 escort carriers ) and various support and troop transport ships . The British naval contingent accompanied 251 British naval aircraft and included

10742-415: The crash, a United States Air Force North American F-100 Super Sabre on a flight from nearby Kadena Air Base suffered an engine fire and crashed into Miyamori Elementary School and surrounding houses. Eleven students and six other people in the neighborhood were killed, and 210 were injured, including 156 students at the school. The F-100 crash contributed to ill will among the Okinawan population towards

10873-449: The depot. On May 15, 1972, the U.S. government handed over the islands to Japanese administration. The 1995 kidnaping, beating, and rape of a 12-year-old girl by three U.S. servicemen triggered large protests in Okinawa. Reports by the local media of accidents and crimes committed by U.S. servicemen have reduced the local population's support for the U.S. military bases. A strong emotional response has emerged from certain incidents. As

11004-404: The east coast of Okinawa Island. 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,

11135-691: The east of the Katsuren Peninsula, and one, Tsuken Island , sits to the southeast. The Uruma City Festival is held in October, and is the largest festival in the city. It features bullfighting, performing arts, and live concerts. Uruma has three communities centers, each of which have facilities for performances, cooking classes, and other cultural events. They are located in the Ishikawa Akebono, Katsuren Henna, and Yonashiro Yakema districts. The Uruma City Library maintains three branches. The Main Library (formerly

11266-461: The establishment of the Ryūkyū Domain , which was soon abolished with the establishment of Okinawa Prefecture in 1879. The existing system of magiri in Uruma continued with the establishment of Okinawa Prefecture. The magiri were abolished in 1907 under Imperial Edict 46, and the central government extended the establishment of cities, towns, and village organization to Okinawa Prefecture. In 1908

11397-419: The facility. White Beach consists primarily of two piers , designated Navy Pier and Army Pier. The Navy pier is 24 metres (79 ft) in width and 850 metres (2,790 ft) in length, and the Army pier is 24 metres (79 ft) in width and 450 metres (1,480 ft) in length. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Okinawa Naval Base is located directly adjacent to White Beach. The White Beach Naval Facility

11528-596: The ferocity of the fighting, the intensity of Japanese kamikaze attacks and the sheer numbers of Allied ships and armored vehicles that assaulted the island. The battle was the bloodiest and fiercest of the Pacific War, with some 50,000 Allied and around 100,000 Japanese casualties, also including local Okinawans conscripted into the Japanese Army. According to local authorities, at least 149,425 Okinawan people were killed, died by coerced suicide or went missing. In

11659-455: 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

11790-458: 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

11921-422: The island quickly, and by April 5 had secured the entirety of the Katsuren Peninsula. A smaller invasion force captured Tsuken Island on the same day, and encountered stiff resistance from the Japanese military. Tsuken Island was completely devastated by fire in the battle. After the capture of Tsuken, American forces reached Ikei Island on April 9, thus securing all the Yokatsu Islands. The area that became Ishikawa

12052-674: The island. The Tenth Army was unique in that it had its own Tactical Air Force (joint Army-Marine command) and was supported by combined naval and amphibious forces. Opposing the Allied forces on the ground was the Japanese Thirty-Second Army . The Battle of Okinawa was the single longest sustained carrier campaign of the Second World War. The battle has been referred to as the "typhoon of steel" in English, known in Japanese as " tetsu no bōfū ". The nicknames refer to

12183-504: 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. On 1 April 1945,

12314-467: The latter being typically female, but sometimes male. Uruma is administered from the city hall in Bikuni. The Uruma Board of Education oversees the middle school, elementary schools, and community education centers of the city. The Uruma City Council consists of 34 members who serve a four-year term, and are led by a chairperson (Kazuo Nishino, born 1950) and vice-chairperson (Mitsuo Higashihama, born 1954) of

12445-569: The main island. 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

12576-482: 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 Gonsalves were returned to Japan. On June 25, 2018, Okinawa residents held

12707-428: 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

12838-487: The narrow isthmus of Okinawa. The 96th Infantry Division began to encounter fierce resistance in west-central Okinawa from Japanese troops holding fortified positions east of Highway No. 1 and about 5 mi (8 km) northwest of Shuri , from what came to be known as Cactus Ridge . The 7th Infantry Division encountered similarly fierce Japanese opposition from a rocky pinnacle located about 1,000 yd (910 m) southwest of Arakachi (later dubbed " The Pinnacle "). By

12969-647: The naval operations surrounding the battle, both sides lost considerable numbers of ships and aircraft, including the Japanese battleship Yamato . After the battle, Okinawa provided the victorious Allies a fleet anchorage, troop staging areas, and airfields in proximity to Japan as they planned to invade the Japanese home islands. In all, the US Army had over 103,000 soldiers (of these, 38,000+ were non-divisional artillery , combat support and HQ troops, with another 9,000 service troops), over 88,000 Marines and 18,000 Navy personnel (mostly Seabees and medical personnel). At

13100-551: The night of 8 April, American troops had cleared these and several other strongly fortified positions. They suffered over 1,500 battle casualties in the process while killing or capturing about 4,500 Japanese. Yet the battle had only begun, for it was realized that "these were merely outposts," guarding the Shuri Line. The next American objective was Kakazu Ridge ( 26°15′32″N 127°44′13″E  /  26.259°N 127.737°E  / 26.259; 127.737 ), two hills with

13231-539: The northernmost tip of the island. By this point, the bulk of the Japanese forces in the north (codenamed Udo Force ) were cornered on the Motobu Peninsula. The terrain was mountainous and wooded, with the Japanese defenses concentrated on Mount Yaedake , a twisted mass of rocky ridges and ravines on the center of the peninsula. There was heavy fighting before the Marines finally cleared Yaedake on 18 April. However, this

13362-486: The period of 26 March to 30 April, 20 American ships were sunk and 157 damaged by enemy action. By 30 April the Japanese had lost more than 1,100 planes to Allied naval forces alone. Between 6 April and 22 June, the Japanese flew 1,465 kamikaze aircraft in large-scale attacks from Kyushu, 185 individual kamikaze sorties from Kyushu, and 250 individual kamikaze sorties from Taiwan , then called Formosa . While US intelligence estimated there were 89 planes on Formosa,

13493-510: The practice of changing the fleet designation with the change of commanders, US naval forces began the campaign as the US 5th Fleet under Admiral Spruance, but ended it as the 3rd Fleet under Admiral Halsey. Japanese air opposition had been relatively light during the first few days after the landings. However, on 6 April the expected air reaction began with an attack by 400 planes from Kyushu . Periodic heavy air attacks continued through April. During

13624-494: The ridge and therefore failed with the loss of 22 tanks (see ja:嘉数の戦い ). Although flame tanks cleared many cave defenses, there was no breakthrough, and the XXIV Corps suffered 720 casualties. The losses might have been greater except for the fact that the Japanese had practically all of their infantry reserves tied up farther south, held there by another feint off the Minatoga beaches by the 2nd Marine Division that coincided with

13755-484: The right, along the west coast of Okinawa. General John R. Hodge now had three divisions in the line, with the 96th in the middle and the 7th to the east, with each division holding a front of only about 1.5 mi (2.4 km). Hodge launched a new offensive on 19 April with a barrage of 324 guns, the largest ever in the Pacific Ocean Theater . Battleships, cruisers, and destroyers joined the bombardment, which

13886-516: The start of the Battle of Okinawa, the US Tenth Army had 182,821 personnel under its command. It was planned that Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr. would report to Vice Admiral Richmond K. Turner until the amphibious phase was completed, after which he would report directly to Admiral Raymond A. Spruance . Total aircraft in the US Navy, Marine and Army Air Force exceeded 3,000 over

14017-435: The statistics as unreliable, since violence against women is under-reported. Between 1972 and 2009, U.S. servicemen committed 5,634 criminal offenses, including 25 murders, 385 burglaries, 25 arsons, 127 rapes, 306 assaults and 2,827 thefts. Yet, per Marine Corps Installations Pacific data, U.S. service members are convicted of far fewer crimes than local Okinawans. In 2009, a new Japanese government came to power and froze

14148-530: The threat from suicide boats. On 31 March, Marines of the Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion landed without opposition on Keise Shima, four islets just 8 mi (13 km) west of the Okinawan capital of Naha . A group of 155 mm (6.1 in) "Long Tom" artillery pieces went ashore on the islets to cover operations on Okinawa. The main landing was made by the XXIV Corps and

14279-522: The total area of the city. Two controversies have surrounded American military bases in Uruma: the 1959 Okinawa F-100 crash which killed and injured numerous students and residents, and the transport of Agent Orange via the White Beach Naval Facility for testing in Okinawa in the early 1960s as part of the classified Project AGILE. In the Japanese language the name of the city is written using

14410-533: The total area of the city. While the bases are located on a mix of national, prefectural, municipal, and private property, 4.964 square kilometres (1.917 sq mi), or 75% of base areas are on privately held land. The Kadena Ammunition Storage Area (26.579 square kilometres (10.262 sq mi)) is the third largest military base in Okinawa Prefecture, and spans the municipalities of Okinawa City, Kadena, Yomitan, Onna, and Uruma. While it covers fully 1.877 square kilometres (0.725 sq mi) in Uruma and

14541-483: The town of Katsuren. The peninsula extends 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) from the island, is 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi) to 2.6 kilometres (1.6 mi) wide, and covers 15 square kilometres (5.8 sq mi). The peninsula is the home base for access to the Yokatsu Islands, as well as home to two U.S. military facilities, Camp Courtney and White Beach. The eight Yokatsu Islands are located in Uruma City. Seven sit to

14672-441: The western end of the peninsula, on 16 April. In addition to conventional hazards, the 77th Infantry Division encountered kamikaze attacks and even local women armed with spears. There was heavy fighting before the area was declared secured on 21 April and became another airbase for operations against Japan. While the 6th Marine Division cleared northern Okinawa, the US Army 96th and 7th Infantry Divisions wheeled south across

14803-443: The word, however, has long been questioned. In fact, it was in mainland Japan that the word was first attested and eventually came to refer to Okinawa. The first known reference to uruma is a waka poem by Fujiwara no Kintō in the early 11th century. He compared a woman's coldheartedness to the incomprehensible speech of drifters from Ureung Island (迂陵島, identified as Ulleung Island ) of Goryeo Kingdom , which Kintō called Silla,

14934-473: 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. Eleven cities are located within

15065-520: Was poetically associated with Mino Province . From the viewpoint of mainland Japanese poets, Okinawa might have been an ideal referent of uruma because, despite the exotic name of Ryūkyū , the first reference to Okinawan-composed waka poems was as early as 1496. The first known identification of uruma as Okinawa Island can be found in the Moshiogusa (1513), but the association remained weak for some time. For example, Hokkaido , in addition to Okinawa,

15196-658: Was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army and United States Marine Corps forces against the Imperial Japanese Army . The initial invasion of Okinawa on 1 April 1945 was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific Theater of World War II . The Kerama Islands surrounding Okinawa were preemptively captured on 26 March by the 77th Infantry Division . The 82-day battle lasted from 1 April until 22 June 1945. After

15327-551: Was a major refugee camp set up by the American military near the end of the battle. The Okinawa Advisory Council , the predecessor to the United States Military Government of the Ryukyu Islands was established in Ishikawa, and temporarily became the political, educational, and cultural center of Okinawa. In 1946 the Advisory Council was moved to the village of Sashiki, now a district of Nanjō, refugees began

15458-594: Was assigned the task of neutralizing the Japanese airfields in the Sakishima Islands, which it did successfully from March 26 to April 10. On April 10, its attention was shifted to airfields in northern Formosa. The force withdrew to San Pedro Bay on April 23. On May 1, the British Pacific Fleet returned to action, subduing the airfields as before, this time with naval bombardment as well as aircraft. Several kamikaze attacks caused significant damage, but as

15589-474: Was built at the end of the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. 95,000 military engineers arrived on Okinawa Island to convert the island into a staging area for an invasion of the Japanese main islands. While the island was not used for an invasion of Japan, White Beach remained a permanent military facility. White Beach played a role in the controversial Agent Orange testing in Okinawa in the early 1960s under an American program to test unconventional weapons as part of

15720-462: Was established in 1956 and occupies 1.348 square kilometres (0.520 sq mi) in the Kawasaki district of Uruma. Camp McTureous is part of the larger Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler . Camp McTureous is utilized for living quarters for Marines and military families. The camp includes Bechtel elementary school and recreational facilities. White Beach Naval Facility , formally referred to as

15851-473: Was first discovered in 1920, and is one of only a few fully excavated shell mounds in Okinawa. The site includes remains of fish and animal bones, earthen and stoneware, and goods made out of horn. Agena Castle is a gusuku located in the north of Agena district of Uruma, in former Gushikawa City. It was built on a base of Ryūkyūan limestone and occupies 8,000 square metres (86,000 sq ft). Agena Castle sits at an altitude of 49 metres (161 ft), and

15982-572: Was followed by 650 Navy and Marine planes attacking the Japanese positions with napalm , rockets, bombs, and machine guns. The Japanese defenses were sited on reverse slopes , where the defenders waited out the artillery barrage and aerial attack in relative safety, emerging from the caves to rain mortar rounds and grenades upon the Americans advancing up the forward slope. A tank assault to achieve breakthrough by outflanking Kakazu Ridge failed to link up with its infantry support attempting to cross

16113-462: 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

16244-402: Was inexorable but resulted in a high number of casualties on both sides. As the American assault against Kakazu Ridge stalled, Lieutenant General Ushijima—influenced by General Chō—decided to take the offensive. On the evening of 12 April, the 32nd Army attacked American positions across the entire front. The Japanese attack was heavy, sustained, and well organized. After fierce close combat ,

16375-405: Was not the end of ground combat in northern Okinawa. On 24 May, the Japanese mounted Operation Gi-gou: a company of Giretsu Kuteitai commandos were airlifted in a suicide attack on Yomitan. They destroyed 70,000 US gallons (260,000 L) of fuel and nine planes before being killed by the defenders, who lost two men. Meanwhile, the 77th Infantry Division assaulted Ie Shima , a small island off

16506-431: 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 ,

16637-558: Was referred to as uruma in the Shōzaishū (1597). The mainland Japanese poetic practice was adopted by Okinawan waka poets in the late 17th century. The Omoidegusa (1700), a purely Japanese poetic diary by Shikina Seimei , is known for its extensive use of the word uruma . In the Sanzan Period (1322–1429), or Three Kingdom period, numerous gusuku , or castles were built across Okinawa Island. The area of present-day Uruma fell under

16768-441: 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

16899-400: Was secured over the next five days. In these preliminary operations, the 77th Infantry Division suffered 27 dead and 81 wounded, while the Japanese dead and captured numbered over 650. On March 28, 1945, 394 civilians on Tokashiki island were forced by Japanese soldiers to kill themselves after the landing of US troops. The operation provided a protected anchorage for the fleet and eliminated

17030-400: Was spotted by submarines shortly after it left the Japanese home waters and was intercepted by US carrier aircraft. Under attack from more than 300 aircraft over a two-hour span, the world's largest battleship sank on 7 April 1945 after a one-sided battle, long before she could reach Okinawa. (US torpedo bombers were instructed to aim for only one side to prevent effective counter flooding by

17161-432: Was to be led in the south by Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushijima , his chief of staff , Lieutenant General Isamu Chō and his chief of operations, Colonel Hiromichi Yahara . Yahara advocated a defensive strategy , whilst Chō advocated an offensive one. In the north, Colonel Takehido Udo was in command. The naval troops were led by Rear Admiral Minoru Ōta . They expected the Americans to land 6–10 divisions against

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