In WWⅡ the US occupied the islands as a military base. Ultimately, in l972 the US--without reference to the situation of China--took it upon themselves to turn the islands over to Japan. Japan then established Okinawa Prefecture, absorbing the islands into Japanese territory.
二次大戰期間美軍佔領琉球做為軍事基地，而後竟在一九七二年未照會中國的情況之下，逕自將琉球交給日本，日本並隨即將其劃為沖繩縣，並入日本領土。