As Okinawa marked the 45th anniversary of its reversion to Japanese rule, Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga expressed frustration Monday with the continued presence of U.S. military bases in his prefecture.

"Even after the reversion, (Okinawa) continues to suffer from incidents and accidents linked to U.S. bases, environmental and other concerns," Onaga said in a statement, calling the bases the "biggest impediment to development" there.

Okinawa hosts the bulk of the U.S. military facilities in Japan, and the consequences of that decades-long task have caused fierce resentment against U.S. servicemen. Crimes linked to the bases are a source of constant grievance.