Okinawa marks 49th reversion anniv. as pandemic limits base protests

Okinawa marked the 49th anniversary of its reversion to Japan from U.S. control on Saturday, with a rally against the continued U.S. military presence on the southern island prefecture limited by the coronavirus pandemic.Okinawa remained under U.S. rule until 1972 even after Japan regained sovereignty in 1952 following its defeat in World War II.The prefecture constitutes around 0.6 percent of Japan's total land area, but still hosts 70 percent of the total acreage exclusively used by U.S. military facilities in Japan, leading to continued protests.The customary "Peace March" was canceled t…READ FULL ARTICLE