Search｜Photos & Images & Videos｜KYODO NEWS IMAGES INC

80th anniversary of end of WWII ground battle in Okinawa

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (L) visits a museum near the Tower of Himeyuri in Itoman in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, on June 23, 2025, the 80th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa in World War II. More than half of around 240 female students mobilized as nursing aides, called Himeyuri Gakutotai, died in the battle along with their teachers. (Pool photo)

E

80th anniversary of end of WWII ground battle in Okinawa

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba prepares to lay flowers at the Tower of Himeyuri in Itoman in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, on June 23, 2025, the 80th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa in World War II. More than half of around 240 female students mobilized as nursing aides, called Himeyuri Gakutotai, died in the battle along with their teachers. (Pool photo)

E

80th anniversary of end of WWII ground battle in Okinawa

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (L) visits a museum near the Tower of Himeyuri in Itoman in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, on June 23, 2025, the 80th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa in World War II. More than half of around 240 female students mobilized as nursing aides, called Himeyuri Gakutotai, died in the battle along with their teachers. (Pool photo)

E

Noda's 1st trip to Okinawa

ITOMAN, Japan - Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda offers flowers at the Himeyuri no To monument commemorating a corps of female students recruited as nurses for Japanese soldiers during the 1945 Battle of Okinawa, in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, on Feb. 26, 2012. Noda made his first visit to the prefecture as head of the government the same day in a bid to persuade Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima during a meeting the following day to accept a long-stalled plan for the relocation of a key U.S. base within the southern island prefecture.

E

Renovated Himeyuri Peace Museum in Okinawa reopens

ITOMAN, Japan - The Himeyuri Peace Museum in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, reopened its doors on April 13 after renovation, featuring new displays on female students who died in the 1945 Okinawa battle while nursing wounded Japanese soldiers.

E

Ex-Himeyuri student relates tragedy of war

A former member of the Himeyuri Student Corps, which consisted of female high school students mobilized as nursing personnel during World War II, talks on July 11, 2015, about her experience in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, at the site of the Ihara First Surgical Cave in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture. The tour visiting battlefield sites with surviving former Himeyuri students was held for the first time in 20 years in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

E

Ex-Himeyuri student relates experience of Battle of Okinawa

Momoko Yonaha, a former member of the Himeyuri Student Corps that consisted of female high school students mobilized as nursing personnel during World War II, talks about her experience of the 1945 Battle of Okinawa on a bus during a tour on July 11, 2015, in the town of Haebaru, Okinawa Prefecture. The tour visiting battlefield sites with surviving former Himeyuri students was held for the first time in 20 years in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

E

"Battle of Okinawa" survivor recounts war experience for students

Yoshiko Shimabukuro explains her traumatic experience in the Battle of Okinawa at the end of World War II to high school students on an excursion at the Himeyuri Peace Museum in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, southwestern Japan, in this photo taken on March 22, 2015. The majority of over 220 high school girls mobilized as nursing aides died in the battle. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

E

Role of telling war experience passed on to younger generation

Hiromi Onabe, who works at the Himeyuri Peace Museum in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, southwestern Japan, explains exhibits at the facility to high schoolers on an excursion on June 2, 2015. She assumes the role of a "storyteller" about the experiences of surviving "Himeyuri students" mobilized as nursing aides in the closing days of World War II. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

E

Renovated Himeyuri Peace Museum in Okinawa

The Himeyuri Peace Museum in Itoman in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, featuring female students who died in the World War II Battle of Okinawa in 1945 while nursing wounded Japanese soldiers as members of the Himeyuri Gakutotai nursing unit, is unveiled to surviving unit members after renovation on April 11, 2021, a day ahead of its opening to the public.

E

Renovated Himeyuri Peace Museum in Okinawa

The Himeyuri Peace Museum in Itoman in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, featuring female students who died in the World War II Battle of Okinawa in 1945 while nursing wounded Japanese soldiers as members of the Himeyuri Gakutotai nursing unit, is unveiled to surviving unit members after renovation on April 11, 2021, a day ahead of its opening to the public.

E

Renovated Himeyuri Peace Museum in Okinawa

The Himeyuri Peace Museum in Itoman in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, featuring female students who died in the World War II Battle of Okinawa in 1945 while nursing wounded Japanese soldiers as members of the Himeyuri Gakutotai nursing unit, is unveiled to surviving unit members after renovation on April 11, 2021, a day ahead of its opening to the public. (Pool photo)

E

Okinawa in distress

Twenty years after the war, Okinawa is under U.S. control. Residents feel uneasy due to the Vietnam conflict. Prime Minister Eisaku Sato visits Okinawa for the first time as prime minister. Demonstration to petition for reversion to the motherland. Prime Minister Sato visits various places in Okinawa, including the U.S. base in Okinawa, Prime Minister Sato visiting Okinawa, Prime Minister Sato arriving at Naha Airport, Prime Minister Sato visiting Himeyuri Tower, and demonstrations on Miyakojima Island, etc. Date of shooting unknown, release date: August 27, 1965, Date of release: August 27, 1965.

E

Guided tour inside Okinawa WWII army hospital cave

A guide (C) explains about the Okinawa Imperial Japanese Army Hospital Cave in Haebaru, Okinawa Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on Jan. 22, 2015, where members of the all-female Himeyuri student corps were mobilized in 1945 as nurses to care for injured Japanese soldiers during World War II. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

E

Stench in Okinawa WWII army hospital cave reproduced on guided tour

Katsuya Uechi, a guide at the Haebaru Culture Center, holds out on Jan. 22, 2015, a bottle containing the replicated stench endured by members of the all-female Himeyuri student corps when mobilized in 1945 as nurses to care for injured Japanese soldiers at the Okinawa Imperial Japanese Army Hospital Cave (background) in Haebaru, Okinawa Prefecture, southwestern Japan. Uechi hopes that replicating the smell will help visitors better understand the harsh conditions during the war. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

E

Noda's 1st trip to Okinawa

ITOMAN, Japan - Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda offers flowers at the Himeyuri no To monument commemorating a corps of female students recruited as nurses for Japanese soldiers during the 1945 Battle of Okinawa, in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, on Feb. 26, 2012. Noda made his first visit to the prefecture as head of the government the same day in a bid to persuade Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima during a meeting the following day to accept a long-stalled plan for the relocation of a key U.S. base within the southern island prefecture. (Kyodo)

E

Head of war museum in Okinawa

Photo taken May 24, 2018, shows Chokei Futenma, head of the Himeyuri peace memorial museum in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture. Futenma is the first director born after World War II in charge of the museum dedicated to hand down the stories of Himeyuri Gakutotai, a nursing unit consisting of female students and teachers mobilized during the war. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

E

75th anniversary of end of World War II Okinawa battle

A memorial service is held at the Tower of Himeyuri in Itoman in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, on June 23, 2020, the 75th anniversary of the end of a major ground battle in Okinawa during World War II. More than half of over 220 female students mobilized as nursing aides called Himeyuri Gakutotai died in the battle along with their teachers. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

E

75th anniversary of end of World War II Okinawa battle

Yoshiko Shimabukuro, a former member of the Himeyuri nursing unit of female students mobilized in Okinawa during World War II, prays in Itoman in the southern Japan prefecture on June 23, 2020, the 75th anniversary of the end of a major ground battle in Okinawa during the war.(Kyodo) ==Kyodo

E

Japan Crown Prince Naruhito in adulthood

Photo taken Sept. 19, 1987, shows Prince Hiro, now Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito, visiting the Himeyuri war memorial in Itoman in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan. Crown Prince Naruhito is set to become emperor on May 1, 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

E

Emperor, empress in Okinawa

File photo taken on April 23, 1993, shows Japanese Emperor Akihito (L) and Empress Michiko offering flowers for war dead at the Tower of Himeyuri in the Okinawan city of Itoman. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

E

Renovated Himeyuri Peace Museum in Okinawa reopens

ITOMAN, Japan - The Himeyuri Peace Museum in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, reopened its doors on April 13 after renovation, featuring new displays on female students who died in the 1945 Okinawa battle while nursing wounded Japanese soldiers. (Kyodo)