The Yokatsu Islands (Japanese: 与勝諸島, Hepburn: Yokatsu-shotō) are a group of eight islands located in the Ryukyu Islands archipelago. It is situated to the east of the Katsuren Peninsula in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The inhabited islands are connected by a series of causeways and bridges. The local economy is dependent on agriculture, small-scale tourism, and salt production. Part of Tsuken Island, and Ukibara and Minamiukibara Islands host United States military facilities. The islands also host ancient Ryukyuan tombs, caves, and archaeological sites.
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Yokatsu Islands in the context of Okinawa Islands
The Okinawa Islands (Japanese: 沖縄諸島 / 沖縄群島, Hepburn: Okinawa Shotō / Okinawa Guntō) are an island group in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, and are the principal island group of the prefecture. The Okinawa Islands are part of the larger Ryukyu Islands group and are located between the Amami Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture to the northeast and the Sakishima Islands of Okinawa Prefecture to the southwest.
The Okinawa Islands, apart from the main island, contain three smaller island groups: the Kerama, Yokatsu and Iheya-Izena island groups.
Yokatsu Islands in the context of Uruma
Uruma (うるま市, Uruma-shi) is a city located in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The modern city of Uruma was established on April 1, 2005, when the cities of Gushikawa and Ishikawa were merged with the towns of Katsuren and Yonashiro (both from Nakagami District). As of 1 October 2020, the city has an estimated population of 125,303 and a population density of 1,500 people per km. The total area is 86.00 km. The city covers part of the east coast of the south of Okinawa Island, the Katsuren Peninsula, and the eight Yokatsu Islands. The Yokatsu Islands include numerous sites important to the Ryukyuan religion, and the city as a whole has numerous historical sites, including: Katsuren Castle, Agena Castle, and Iha Castle and the Iha Shell Mound. It is home to the largest venue for Okinawan bullfighting. The Mid-Sea Road, which crosses the ocean and connects the Yokatsu Islands to the main island of Okinawa, is now a symbol of Uruma.
Uruma is noted for its role in hosting large-scale refugee camps and the initial organization of local government of Okinawa immediately after the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. As such the city is considered the home of the starting point of the restoration of civil life in Okinawa immediately after the end of World War II. United States maintains four military bases in Uruma, some of which span other municipalities in Okinawa: Kadena Ammunition Storage Area, Camp McTureous, Camp Courtney, and White Beach Naval Facility. The bases cover 12.97% of the total area of the city. Two controversies have surrounded American military bases in Uruma: the 1959 Okinawa F-100 crash which killed and injured numerous students and residents, and the transport of Agent Orange via the White Beach Naval Facility for testing in Okinawa in the early 1960s as part of the classified Project AGILE.