The U.S. military government took note of the achievements of the Okinawa Advisory Council and in April of 1946 renamed it the Okinawa Civil Government and appointed Koshin Shikiya as governor of the civil government. They also established a legislature and appointed representatives. The political and administrative framework was made with the forceful intention of the U.S. military government. It was said that The U.S. military was the cat and Okinawa was the mouse. Another saying at the time was "The mouse can only play in the range the cat allows," and the civil rights of the residents were fairly confined.
In 1950 four Gunto districts were created; the Amami Islands Gunto, the Okinawa Islands Gunto, the Miyako Islands Gunto, and the Yaeyama Islands. Elections were held and governors were selected, but the wishes of the Okinawans were not at all reflected in the policies of the military government.
During this time, the U.S. military, having separated its occupation of Okinawa from that of mainland Japan, did not initiate any clear- cut policies due to the opposition of the U.S. State Department to permanent U.S. Bases on Okinawa. For this reason, Okinawa was termed the "forgotten island", progress was held in stasis, and confusion on the island continued.
In 1946, the postwar constitution was promulgated on the Japanese mainland and democratization of the nation began under occupation. However, in Okinawa the residents suffered through difficulties obtaining food, high- handedness of the U.S. soldiers, and restrictions on freedoms such as speech, assembly, and the right to self-government. In the midst of these conditions, Okinawans, together with those repatriated from the mainland, began the movement to expand autonomy .
In May 1947, the "Okinawa Kensetsu Kondankai," the first postwar island-wide political assembly, was held and a petition was submitted to the Okinawa Civil Administration Governor concerning demands for the establishment of an assembly that would reflect the will of the Okinawan people, an end to corruption, and a more equitable and adequate supply distribution system. Taking this opportunity, the Okinawa Democratic Union, the Okinawa People's Party, and the Okinawa Socialist Party were established. The military government recognized the local municipal elections for the assemblies and village and city mayors, but was unenthusiastic about the recognition of the election of a governor and an Okinawan assembly. Far from accepting, the reaction, the military authorities were autocratic and there were interruptions of supply deliveries, price hikes, and dissolution of the Okinawa Legislature in an attempt at suppression. This confrontation led to the growth of demands for self-government among the Okinawans.