One more pivotal aspect of the old system preceding the land adjustments was the reorganization of regional governments carried out in 1896. According to this reorganization Okinawa was divided into five counties or districts. These were the Shimajiri, Nakagami, Kunigami, Miyako, and Yaeyama districts and the central urban areas of Naha and Shuri were divided into two wards.. The first three of the districts were assigned district heads and the Sakishima Islands (the Sakishima, Miyako, and Yaeyama Island groups) were assigned island heads. Naha and Shuri were placed under the control of district heads. This clarified the administrative boundaries.
In 1897 the Magiri and Shimabandokoro offices were renamed as government offices and the number of personnel was greatly reduced. . Furthermore, in 1899, a meeting of the island and district assemblies was called whose members were selected by representatives of the islands and districts.
While this was a step toward autonomy, this assembly was not entirely independent of the prefectural authorities. Reforms leading to a more complete regional autonomy would take another 10 years.
In 1908 the jurisdictional suffixes denoted by the words Magiri and Shima were changed to Cho (Town) and Son (Village). Areas previously denoted by Son were changed to Aza. In the following year, 1909, the prefectural assembly was established but there were still many limitations on its authority. It was not until 1920 at the height of the Taisho democracy that the people of Okinawa enjoyed a similar degree of autonomy as the other prefectures of Japan. The activities of Noboru Jahana calling for participation by Okinawa in the National Diet took until 1912 to be implemented. The participation of Miyako and Yaeyama was not allowed until 1919.