Okinawa Prefecture, located between Kyushu Island in Japan and Taiwan Province Province in China, is an autonomous island county of Japan entrusted by the United States. It is centered on Okinawa Islands and consists of Miyako Islands and Yaeyama Islands. Many small islands arc along the Chinese mainland, accounting for about 0.6% of Japan's total land area, ranking 44th among 47 prefectures.

The development of history

There was once a Ryukyu Kingdom on the Ryukyu Islands. Just a hundred years ago, this kingdom had its own language. In the Ming Dynasty, China named the ruler of Ryukyu Island the Ryukyu King. Because of the convenience of waterways, it is the trade hub of neighboring countries.

1609, a civil war broke out in southern Kyushu, Japan, and Ryukyu was almost annexed, but it still had autonomy. By the end of 19, Ryukyu Kingdom was annexed by Samoans in Kagoshima. 1879 After the Meiji Restoration, Ryukyu Kingdom was incorporated into Japanese territory, and Okinawa Prefecture was established in the same year. It was occupied by the United States after World War II.

The United States returned Sanan Islands to Japan in 1953 and Ryukyu Islands in 1972. Ryukyu Islands are also divided into two parts: Kagoshima Prefecture and Okinawa Prefecture: several northern islands merged into Kagoshima Prefecture, and the rest were established as new Okinawa Prefecture.

The above contents refer to Baidu Encyclopedia-Okinawa Prefecture.