The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe holds a ceremony Sunday to commemorate the day that Japan recovered its sovereignty under the San Francisco Peace Treaty, which took effect on April 28, 1952, ending the Allied Powers' occupation of Japan.
But it must be questioned whether it is proper to hold such a ceremony. The government's having the Emperor and the Empress attend the ceremony also smacks of political use of the Emperor.
April 28, 1952, was the day that the Okinawa, Amami and Ogasawara islands were administratively separated from Japan and placed under the administration of the United States. Although these islands have reverted to Japan, Okinawa is still suffering from a heavy presence of the U.S. armed forces.