Okinawa Prefecture on Sunday marked the 57th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa, the only World War II ground battle fought against Allied forces on civilian-settled land in Japan.

Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine urged the central government to resolve problems related to U.S. bases in his prefecture. He made a peace declaration during a memorial ceremony at Peace Memorial Park in the city of Itoman, on the southern part of the island of Okinawa.

In April, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's administration submitted the country's first package of bills aimed at constructing a legal framework for the government to follow in responding to military attacks.