China ships near Senkakus

China ships near Senkakus

ISHIGAKI, Japan - Photo from a Kyodo News airplane shows (from front) the Chinese maritime surveillance vessels Haijian 49 and 50 and the Japan Coast Guard patrol ship Ryukyu in Japanese territorial waters about 12 kilometers north-northeast of Uotsuri Island of the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea at 1:51 p.m. on April 23, 2013. China claims the Japan-administered islands.

1950 Chinese diplomatic draft sees Senkakus as part of Ryukyus

1950 Chinese diplomatic draft sees Senkakus as part of Ryukyus

TOKYO, Japan - File photo taken in June 2011 shows (from front) Minamikojima, Kitakojima and Uotsuri islands, part of the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which China and Taiwan also claim. A Chinese diplomatic draft in 1950 on a peace treaty with Japan indicated Chinese recognition of the Senkaku Islands as part of the Ryukyu Islands, sources familiar with the document said Dec. 28, 2012.

(1)Historic plaques restored at Naha castle

(1)Historic plaques restored at Naha castle

NAHA, Japan - Visitors view one of two restored historic lacquer plaques that were unveiled to the public Sept. 1 at Shuri Castle in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture. The plaques conveyed congratulatory greetings by China's Qing Dynasty rulers to King Sho Kei (1700-1751) of the Ryukyu Kingdom, which ruled the Ryukyu Islands, now known as Okinawa Prefecture.

Gov't to remember WWII victims of battles off Kyushu

Gov't to remember WWII victims of battles off Kyushu

NAHA, Japan - A ship carrying about 470 bereaved family members of the victims of U.S. naval attacks during World War II near islands between Okinawa and Kagoshima prefectures leave Naha port Nov. 29, 2001. They will take part in a series of government-sponsored memorial services to mourn for people who were on some 130 ships sunk by U.S. submarines around the Ryukyu Islands.

Gov't to remember WWII victims of battles off Kyushu

Gov't to remember WWII victims of battles off Kyushu

NAHA, Japan - A ship carrying about 470 bereaved family members of the victims of U.S. naval attacks during World War II near islands between Okinawa and Kagoshima prefectures leave Naha port Nov. 29, 2001. They will take part in a series of government-sponsored memorial services to mourn for people who were on some 130 ships sunk by U.S. submarines around the Ryukyu Islands.

(1)Historic plaques restored at Naha castle

(1)Historic plaques restored at Naha castle

NAHA, Japan - Visitors view one of two restored historic lacquer plaques that were unveiled to the public Sept. 1 at Shuri Castle in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture. The plaques conveyed congratulatory greetings by China's Qing Dynasty rulers to King Sho Kei (1700-1751) of the Ryukyu Kingdom, which ruled the Ryukyu Islands, now known as Okinawa Prefecture. (Kyodo)

Okinawa school baseball team member's "passport" used in 1968

Okinawa school baseball team member's "passport" used in 1968

Photo taken on June 21, 2015, shows a Japan Travel Document, issued by the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands, of a Konan High School baseball team member used in 1968 to travel from Okinawa to Hyogo Prefecture to play in the summer high school baseball tournament at Koshien Stadium. Since Okinawa was under the administration of the United States at that time, people of Okinawa needed the document when they visited Japan. The "passport" shown in the photo is exhibited at Okinawa Cellular Stadium in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Ryukyu rites mark start of New Year

Ryukyu rites mark start of New Year

NAHA, Japan - The ''king of the Ryukyu Islands'' heads a procession celebrating the New Year and praying for peace, at Shuri Castle Park in Naha on Jan. 1. The procession is a reproduction of the 17th to 19th century New Year's celebration rites conducted in the kingdom of the Ryukyus, which was absorbed into Japan in 1879 and is now called Okinawa Prefecture.