United States Military Government of the Ryukyu Islands

United States Military Administration of the Ryukyu Islands 琉球列島米国軍政府 Ryūkyū-rettō Beikoku Gunseifu
1945–1950
Flag
Territory controlled by USMGR
Status	Military occupation
Capital and largest city	Naha
Common languages	Japanese Ryukyuan English
U.S. President
• 1945 (first)	Franklin D. Roosevelt
• 1945–1950 (last)	Harry S. Truman
Governor
• 1945 (first)	Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr.
• 1950 (last)	Robert S. Beightler
Historical era	Cold War
• Battle of Okinawa	1 April – 22 June 1945
• Civil administration	15 December 1950
Currency	A yen (to July 1948)
Preceded by Succeeded by Empire of Japan USCAR

History of Ryukyu
Periods Palaeolithic pre–10,000 BC Early Kaizuka Period 8,000–300 BC Late Kaizuka Period 300 BC–1100 AD Gusuku period 1187–1314 Tenson dynasty 16616 BC?– 1186 AD? Shunten dynasty 1187?– 1259? Eiso dynasty 1260?– 1349 Sanzan 1314–1429 Hokuzan 1314?–1416 Chūzan 1314?–1429 Nanzan 1314?–1429 Ryukyu Kingdom 1429–1879 First Shō dynasty 1429–1469 Second Shō dynasty 1469–1879 Satsuma Invasion 1609 Ryukyu Domain 1872–1879 Japanese Annexation 1879 Meiji 1879–1912 Taishō 1912–1926 Pre-World War II 1926–1945 Militarism Battle of Okinawa 1945 U. S. administration 1945–1972 Military Government 1945–1950 Civil Administration 1950–1972 Government 1952–1972 Tokara Reversion 1952 Amami Reversion 1953 Koza riot 1970 Okinawa Reversion Agreement 1971 Okinawa Reversion 1972 Okinawa Prefecture 1972–present Kagoshima Prefecture 1953–present
Topics Missions to Imperial China Missions from Imperial China Missions to Joseon Missions from Joseon Missions to Edo Independence movement
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The United States Military Government of the Ryukyu Islands abbr. USMGR (琉球列島米国軍政府, Japanese: Ryūkyū-rettō Beikoku Gunseifu, Okinawan: Rūcū ʔAmirika Minhyōjōju), also referred to as U.S. Ryukyu Islands, was the government in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan (centered on the Okinawa Island) from 1945 to 1950, whereupon it was replaced by the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands (USCAR).^[1]

The first prolonged American presence in the Ryukyu Islands commenced with the arrival of Commodore Matthew C. Perry in May 1853, on Okinawa. A bit more than one year later, this presence ended when Perry left. Perry had hoped to use Okinawa as a springboard to opening up relations with Japan during the Bakumatsu period. Almost 100 years later, Americans returned to the islands, beginning in April 1945, after the last battle of World War II came to an end. Again, the American presence was as a stepping stone to Japan.^[2]: 3

The government was headed by the Military Governor (軍政長官, Gunsei Chōkan) and his second-in-command, the Chief Military Government Officer (軍政府長官, Gunsei-fu Chōkan). They were assisted by the Deputy Commander of the Military Government (軍政府副長官, Gunsei-fu Fuku-chōkan).^[2]: 74

Media related to United States Military Government of the Ryukyu Islands at Wikimedia Commons

• United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands
• Government of the Ryukyu Islands, the body of Okinawan self-governance from 1952 to 1972.
• 1945 Katsuyama killing incident
• ja:琉球列島米国軍政府
• Naval Base Okinawa

26°30′N 128°0′E / 26.500°N 128.000°E / 26.500; 128.000