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The islands that now make up Okaniwa Prefecture were formerly not part of Japan , but part of an independent nation called the Ryukyu Kingdom . Okinawa's location in the East China Sea, and the relatively close proximity to Japan, Korea China and South East Asia allowed the Ryukyu Kingdom to become a prosperous trading nation. However, in 1609 the Japanese Satsuma clan, who controlled the region that is now Kagoshima Prefecture , invaded. Following this invasion, although the Ryukyu Kingdom remained nominally independent, it was effectively under the control of the Satsuma. In 1879, following the Meiji Restoration, The Ryukyu Kingdom was abolished and became Okinawa Prefecture.
Following the end of World War II and the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, for 27 years Okinawa was under US administration. During this time the US military established numerous bases on Okinawa-Honto and elsewhere. On May 15, 1972, Okinawa once again became part of Japan , although to this day the US maintains a large military presence there.
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