Ryukyu independence movement

The Ryukyu independence movement (琉球独立運動, Ryūkyū Dokuritsu Undō^?) or Republic of the Ryukyus (Japanese: 琉球共和国, Kyūjitai: 琉球共和國, Hepburn: Ryūkyū Kyōwakoku) is a movement for the independence of Okinawa and the surrounding islands (Ryukyu Islands), from Japan. The movement emerged in 1945, after the end of the Pacific War. Some Ryukyuan people felt, as the Allied Occupation began, that the Ryukyus (Okinawa) should eventually become an independent state, instead of being returned to Japan. The majority pushed for unification with the mainland, hoping that this would hasten the end of the Allied occupation there. The islands were returned to Japan on May 15, 1972 as the Okinawa Prefecture. The US-Japan Security Treaty signed in 1952 provides for the continuation of the American military presence in Japan, and the United States continues to maintain a heavy military presence on Okinawa Island after reunification with Japan. This set the stage for renewed political movement for Ryukyuan independence.

Initially, the Ryukyu Kingdom was a tributary state of China in East-Asia. Kings of Ryukyu sent envoys and paid a tribute to China (Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty). This custom began from 1372 during the Ming Dynasty and lasted until a few years before the downfall of the kingdom in 1879. After the Japanese feudal domain of Satsuma invaded Ryukyu in 1609, the kingdom was forced to send a tribute to Satsuma. Eventually Ryukyu was annexed by the Empire of Japan and transformed into Okinawa Prefecture in 1879. Some nobles resisted the annexation and a few came to China as refugees.

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