With post-war chaos settling down, the population of Okinawa was increasing by 20, 000 every year. However, with the confiscation of agricultural land by the U.S. military, farmland was lacking and food self-sufficiency became a social problem. To resolve this, the Government of the Ryukyu Islands formed the "Emigration Program" to Yaeyama and Bolivia, mainly for farmers whose lands were taken away. At the same time many departed Okinawa for various locations in South America.