Tokyo, Apr 28: Japan Sunday for first time commemorated the day the country ended the US occupation and recovered its sovereignty in 1952 after its defeat in the World War II.
A ceremony was held in which the Japanese imperial couple, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as well as about 390 lawmakers, prefectural governors and government officials took part, Xinhua reported.
On April 28, 1952, Japan recovered its sovereignty, except Okinawa prefecture, as the San Francisco Peace Treaty put an end to a seven-year occupation of the country by US-led forces.
Okinawa, Japan's southernmost island prefecture that was returned by the US in 1972, considers April 28 as a "day of insult" and opposed the central government's sovereignty recovery ceremony.
The prefecture's governor, Hirokazu Nakaima, skipped the ceremony and local assembly members staged protests in Ginowan city on the island.
