History Of Okinawa

Okinawa   Japan   World
605 Ryukyu is first mentioned in the annals of Chinese history. (Ryukyu being the old namefor Okinawa) 645 Taika Reform.    
1372 King Satto sends the first tribute misson to Ming dynasty. 1338 Muromachi shogunate established.    
1429 Sho Hashi unifies the three principalities into one centralized kingdom. (The first Sho dynasty is established)        
1458 Conflict and rebellions of Gosamaru and Amawari.     1453 Fall of the Byzantine Empire overthrown.
1470 Kanamaru ascends the throne and becomes King Sho En. (The Second Sho dynasty begins). 1477 Onin War ends. 1492 Columbus lands in the Bahamas.
    1600 Battle of Sekigahara. 1602 Shkespeare's Hamlet.
1609 The Shimazu Family leads military expendition of Kyushu against the Ryukyu Islands.     1789 French Revolution begins.
1853 U.S. Commodore Matthew C. Perry calls at Naha. 1853 Commodore Perry arrives at Uraga, Tokyo Bay.    
1879 Okinawa Prefecture established (Disposal of the Ryukyus). 1868 Meiji Restoration. 1914 Outbreak of First World War.
1945 Okinawa invaded by U.S. Forces, fighting ends on June 23. 1941 Pacific War begins. 1917 Russian Revolutions.
1951 The San Francisco PeaceTreaty places Okinawa and Amami under American administration. 1945 Pacific War ends. 1950 Korean War.
1969 President Nixon and Prime Minister Sato announce agreement for the return of Okinawa to Japan in 1972 in a joint statement. 1964 Tokyo Olympics.    
1972 Reversion to Japan. 1970 World Exposition is in Osaka.    
1975 Okinawa International Ocean Expositon held.     1975 Vietnam War ends
1987 The 42nd National Athletic Meeting (Kaiho Kokutai) held in Okinawa.     1991 Outbreak of Gulf War
1995 Cornerstone of Peace erected. 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. 1991 Collapse of the Soviet Union.
With extracts from "Outline of Okinawa", Okinawa history
timeline Department of Planning and Development,
Okinawa Prefecture February 1999