Okinawa Prefecture observed the 25th anniversary of its reversion to Japan on May 15. However, the prefecture has not yet seen a reduction in the size of military bases as in mainland Japan. There still are large U.S. military bases on Okinawa, so the prefectural citizens still shoulder a heavy burden.

Since the schoolgirl assault incident by military servicemen two years ago, base issues have come to the forefront of attention. The Japanese and U.S. governments approved the relocation of Futenma Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) within five to seven years on the condition that another location was found for the MCAS. A special land law was revised in the Japanese Diet and became effective before May 15 so that land which anti-war landowners had withheld could be used on a continued basis. Some citizens living near Camp Schwab in the Henoko area of Nago City started to campaign against the building of an airfield on the ocean. Even after 25 years since the reversion in 1972, there remain many issues directly and indirectly related to the presence of military bases.

The Okinawa Times, Asahi Shimbun, and the Lewis-Harris organization conducted public opinion polls respectively on Okinawa on April 20-21, in mainland Japan on April 27-28, and in the United States on May 1 to 5. According to the results of the polls, 72% of the citizens of Okinawa and mainland Japan wished to reduce the size of military bases on Okinawa gradually, while 48% of American citizens wished to keep the present status of the bases and 44% hoped for reduction. On maintaining the U.S.-Japan Defense Treaty in the future, 57% of Okinawan citizens, 76% of mainland citizens, and 79% of U.S. citizens supported it. The number of Okinawans who support the treaty have been increasing year by year.

The Special Action Committee on Okinawa (SACO) announced its final plan to reduce the size of bases on Okinawa. However new sites have to be found to accept the relocation plans made