| United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands | ||||
| Military occupation | ||||
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| Capital | Not specified | |||
| Language(s) | Japanese, Ryukyuan | |||
| Political structure | Military occupation | |||
| Historical era | World War II/Cold War | |||
| - Battle of Okinawa | April 1 – June 21, 1945 | |||
| - Treaty of San Francisco | April 28, 1952 | |||
| - Returned to Japan | May 14, 1972 | |||
| Currency | B yen (1945–1958) US dollar (1958–1972) |
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The United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands (琉球列島米国民政府 Ryūkyū-rettō Beikokumin Seifu) (USCAR) was the government in Okinawa, Japan after World War II until 1972.
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After the Battle of Okinawa in World War II, the armed forces of the United States occupied Okinawa and set up a local government. In 1952, Japan signed the Treaty of San Francisco and admitted the control of Okinawa by the U.S. government.
USCAR, which was a subordinate organization of the forces of the United States, surveilled the Ryukyuan Government and could overrule all the decisions made by the Ryukyuan Government. Technically speaking, USCAR was thus a civil affairs administration of the United States Military Government (USMG).
Two important articles of the post-war peace treaty of April 28, 1952 are the following.
Article 3: Japan will concur in any proposal of the United States to the United Nations to place under its trusteeship system, with the United States as the sole administering authority, Nansei Shoto south of 29 degrees north latitude (including the Ryukyu Islands and the Daito Islands), Nanpo Shoto south of Sofu Gan (including the Bonin Islands, Rosario Island and the Volcano Islands) and Parece Vela and Marcus Island. Pending the making of such a proposal and affirmative action thereon, the United States will have the right to exercise all and any powers of administration, legislation and jurisdiction over the territory and inhabitants of these islands, including their territorial waters.
Article 4b: Japan recognizes the validity of dispositions of property of Japan and Japanese nationals made by or pursuant to directives of the United States Military Government in any of the areas referred to in Articles 2 and 3.
After a referendum, on May 15, 1972, control of Okinawa was given back to Japan, and USCAR was abolished. This completed the disposition of this Japanese property by USMG.
The post of Governor of the Ryukyu Islands was created in 1945 and replaced in 1957 by the High Commissioner and the Civil Administrator of the Ryukyu Islands until 1972.
The government was headed by a Chief Executive, who for the first time was elected by the Ryukyuan people on the same day as elections to the Legislature in November 1968. Previously the Chief Executive was elected by members of the Legislature.
The government consisted of the legislature, the administrative body, and the courts. The members of legislature were elected. The legislature often had conflicts with USCAR. The head of the administrative body was assigned by USCAR (1952–60), assigned the leader of the dominant party of the legislature (1960–66), elected in the legislature (1966–68), and elected by the citizens (1968–72). The legislature made its own laws.
The official currency was the B yen from 1945–1958, when the B yen was abolished and the US dollar was brought into use. The government printed Ryukyuan postage stamps and passports. Cars drove on the right in contrast to the main islands of Japan. The island switched to driving on the left in 1978 to bring it in line with the rest of Japan.
The Criminal Code of Ryukyu restricted the flying of any national flags except the Flag of the United States [1] The protesters against the Ryukyu government flew Hinomaru, the flag of Japan. Civil ships of Ryukyu flew an ensign derived from International maritime signal flag "D" instead of Japanese or American ensigns. The D ensign was not well known internationally, so the Ryukyuan ships were sometimes seized. The ensign changed to "Hinomaru below a triangular flag labeled Ryukyu" in 1967[2] [3]