The Japanese island chain of Okinawa celebrated the 50th anniversary of the end of US occupation and its restoration to Japan with rituals and festivities on Sunday (May 15), despite rising concern over their closeness to an aggressive China.

        Okinawa, a group of tropical islands off the coast of southwest Japan, far closer to Taiwan than Tokyo, was devastated by WWII. During two months of violent warfare between US and Japanese forces, up to a third of the population was killed. After it, the United States ruled for about 30 years.

        Now, as China asserts itself in the Pacific area and tensions escalate around Taiwan, which Beijing considers a renegade province, Okinawans are frightened that they may find themselves on the front lines once more, particularly in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

        "These are little islands," a protester on Miyako Island, where Japan's newest army facility is located, stated, declining to provide her name. "Building a military facility will not defend them; rather, it will make them an assault target." On Okinawa, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will attend events commemorating the transfer, while Emperor Naruhito will speak via videolink from Tokyo.

        Okinawans have long complained about having to endure the disproportionate burden of hosting bases, and the subject has provoked major protests on occasion. Only a fifth of 1,115 respondents outside the prefecture indicated they strongly opposed US bases, according to a poll conducted by public broadcaster NHK in March.

        Tensions are expected to grow since MPs from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) have stated that they want additional defense spending, including missiles capable of hitting targets on foreign land, which may be placed on Okinawa. This year, the country is reviewing its national security policy. Denny Tamaki, the current governor of Okinawa, wants to minimize the base footprint, but plans to relocate several sites off the island, including transferring some Marines to Guam, are progressing slowly.