Miki Ken, chief editor at the Ryukyu Shimpo newspaper, once explained to a Taiwanese journalist the reason why Okinawans often travel to other countries in search of Okinawa's roots. The once-independent kingdom, stated Miki, has its own culture and language, and the way it has caromed back and forth between China, Japan, and the United States has created an intense need to build a common view of Okinawa's history.
琉球新報的總編輯三木健曾在接受台灣媒體訪問時表示，琉球曾是獨立的王國，有自己的語言文化，歷史上在中國、日本與美國間的三度轉折，使得琉球子民強烈地試圖建立共同的歷史意志，這是沖繩人往海外「尋根」的主要動力。