Leaders of the Group of Eight major powers had a traditional Okinawan dinner Saturday night at Shuri Castle here in the prefectural capital, including boiled sliced pig's ear, goya bitter melon and locally brewed awamori liquor.
Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori hosted the dinner for the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and the United States in the castle's Hokuden (North Hall), which used to receive foreign envoys in the days of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
Okinawa got its modern name when the kingdom was incorporated into Japan in 1879.