Mutsumi Nakasone and her family members put their hands together in prayer in front of the Cornerstone of Peace in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, on June 23, 2025. Mutsumi’s grandmother, Ushi Higa, and others died in the 1945 Battle of Okinawa, and Mutsumi took her five grandchildren to the monument to mourn their souls that day. (Mainichi/Shinnosuke Kyan)
Why was June 23 selected as Okinawa Memorial Day?
A) It marked the day U.S. troops withdrew from Okinawa.
B) It was the day Okinawa returned to Japanese administration.
C) It was the day organized Japanese military resistance was said to have ended in Okinawa.
D) It was the day Japan and the U.S. signed peace documents.
Correct Answer: C) It was the day organized Japanese military resistance was said to have ended in Okinawa.
June 23 is observed as “Okinawa Memorial Day” because it is said to be when Japan’s organized military resistance during the Battle of Okinawa ended in 1945, after a Japanese military commander took his own life. The day commemorates the lives lost in the fierce 1945 battle and serves as a reminder of the importance of peace.
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