The Latest Breaking News from Okinawa

Japan urges ‘highest level of vigilance’ as Omicron subvariant drives record Covid surge

People in Okinawa asked to avoid non-essential outings amid new wave of infections driven by highly transmissible BA.5

The Guardian - AU · Jul 22, 2022

'Yu-Gi-Oh!' creator Kazuki Takahashi found dead

The comic artist was discovered off the coast of Nago, Okinawa, Japan, wearing snorkeling gear. First published in 1996, the series he created became a worldwide sensation.

WEKU · Jul 7, 2022

Kazuki Takahashi death: Yu-Gi-Oh! creator found dead in sea, aged 60

Takahashi was found wearing snorkelling gear in the sea near Nago in Okinawa

The Independent UK · Jul 7, 2022

Emperor, Empress view Ryukyu art treasures in Tokyo

The Emperor and Empress on Wednesday attended the "Ryukyu: Special Exhibition Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Okinawa's Reversion to Japan" at the Tokyo National Museum in Taito Ward, Tokyo.

The Japan News/Yomiuri · May 26, 2022

Okinawa 50 yrs since return / Steam locomotive shows bond with rest of country

The majestic steam locomotive never ran on any tracks in Okinawa Prefecture, never carried any passengers, never pulled any freight. But for the past half-century it has been sitting in a park in Naha as a symbol of Okinawa's link to the rest of Japan upon its post-war return to…

The Japan News/Yomiuri · May 18, 2022

Okinawa marks 50th year since return

Okinawa marked the 50th anniversary of its return to Japanese control on Sunday.

The Japan News/Yomiuri · May 15, 2022

Okinawa 50 yrs since return / Unexploded WWII bombs remain daily threat in Okinawa

Even 50 years after Okinawa Prefecture was returned to Japan, an average of over one unexploded ordnance is found in the prefecture a day. In the past, unexploded bombs have detonated at construction sites, resulting in deaths and injuries. It is estimated that about 1,900 tons of unexploded bombs have…

The Japan News/Yomiuri · May 15, 2022

Okinawa marks 50 years of end to US rule amid protests

Okinawa is marking the 50th anniversary of its return to Japan after 27 years of American rule on May 15, 1972, amid protests against a continued heavy U.S. military presence and lack of support from the mainland

The Independent UK · May 15, 2022

Japan's Okinawa marks half century since U.S. handover as regional tensions grow

The Japanese island chain of Okinawa marked the 50th anniversary on Sunday of the end of U.S. occupation and its return to Japan with calls for more economic growth and fewer U.S. bases despite growing worries over its proximity to an increasingly assertive China.

Reuters · May 15, 2022

EXPLAINER: Why frustration lingers in Okinawa 50 years later

Okinawa on Sunday marks the 50th anniversary of its return to Japan on May 15, 1972, ending 27 years of U.S. rule after one of the bloodiest World War II ground battles was fought on the southern Japanese island

The Independent UK · May 14, 2022