Okinawa marks 81 years since end of WWII ground battle amid defense buildup

Okinawa on Tuesday marked 81 years since the end of a fierce World War II ground battle between Japan and the United States that took the lives of more than 200,000 military personnel and civilians.The island prefecture continues to bear the heavy burden of hosting U.S. military bases, more than 50 years after its reversion from U.S. rule, while Japan is also boosting its defense capabilities in the southern region amid the Chinese military's growing maritime activities."We remember the misery of war, and we vow to never repeat the folly," Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki said in a peace declarati…READ FULL ARTICLE