| On May 15, 1972, at midnight, Okinawa reverted back to the sovereignty of mainland Japan. After the national reversion ceremonies, at 2:00 in the afternoon, Okinawa held the "New Okinawa Inauguration Ceremonies" and declared the dissolution of the Government of the Ryukyus and the start of Okinawa Prefecture. The reversion of Okinawa was carried out on the basis of the declaration made by the governments of Japan and the United States and ignored the demands of the prefecture's citizens. The Reversion Committee called it "The Okinawa Disposition" and organized a general protest rally at Yogi Koen Park, right next to Naha Civic Hall, where the official ceremonies were being held. The day was rainy and the citizen's groups demonstrated in the rain. Photograph courtesy of Okinawa Times Publishers "Shashin Kiroku, Okinawa Sengoshi" |
