Okinawa on Sunday marked the 74th year since the end of the major World War II ground battle that claimed the lives of more than 200,000 local residents, as well as Japanese and American military personnel.
The annual memorial service was held in the Peace Memorial Park in Itoman, the site of the final stage of the battle.
Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki made a "peace declaration," in which he urged the central government to give up its plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma within the island prefecture.