Although the exact timing is unclear, it is believed that the Kingdom of the Ryukyus began to trade and exchange with the nations of Southeast Asia in the latter half of the 14th century.
China’s Ming dynasty had banned trade in those years with those countries with which it had no diplomatic relations.
Owing to its friendly ties with the dynasty, the Ryukyus was able to take on much of Ming’s foreign commerce. Chinese goods were much in demand at the time.
Ryukyuan traders sold those goods in Japan and around Southeast Asia, and conversely delivered those items they obtained in those places to the Chinese Emperor.
It was thus in this form of intermediary trade that the Ryukyus began their exchanges with Southeast Asia.

Ryukyuan ships made the voyage to ports across Southeast Asia to carry out trade.
The Kingdom of Siam (Thailand) topped the list of these ships’ destinations, with other trade partners that included Malacca (Malaysia), Pattani (Thailand and Malaysia),
Java (Indonesia),Palembang (Indonesia), Sumatra (Indonesia), Sunda (Indonesia),Annam (Vietnam) and so on. Malacca and some other regions also served as a gateway for the voyagers to trade with India,
Arabia, and Europe. The Ryukyuans referred to these Southeast Asian regions collectively as “Manaban,” and they worked to deepen their exchanges with them.

＜Annotation＞

*Each region’s names are cited from the document below.

The Ryukyus’ primary imports from Southeast Asia were pepper and other spices, and sappanwood, which was used as an ingredient in dyes and Chinese herbal medicines.
These would often then be shipped to Ming China as tribute to the court or sold to mainland Japan and Korea. Ceramics produced in Ming China and Southeast Asia were also important trade goods.
Representative works of pottery made in Thailand and Vietnam.(The picture is provided by Okinawa Prefectural Buried Cultural Property Center)

The Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu, a total of nine sites including Shurijo Castle, were inscribed as World Heritage Sites in 2000.

Colorful coral inhabit the beautiful waters, which are also some of the clearest anywhere in the world. In the forests of this subtropical oceanic climate, you can encounter precious flora and fauna that you would not be able to see in mainland Japan.
National parks have been designated in the Yanbaru area (2016), which stretches over three villages Kunigami, Higashi and Ogimi in the northern region of the main island, the Kerama Islands (2014) and the Iriomote-Ishigaki area (1972).

The Japanese government is seeking to have Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Yanbaru in the northern region of the Okinawa main island and Iriomote Island registered as UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.
Yanbaru has many rare species, including the Okinawa rail and Pryer’s woodpecker, living in its dynamic forest with a rich diverse plant life. In addition, all seven species of mangroves native to Japan are distributed on Iriomote Island, and the indigenous Iriomote cat has been designated an endangered species.

In the Peace Memorial Park plaza, a monument has been erected in a prayer for world peace and souls of the war dead. The names of the people who died during the Battle of Okinawa is inscribed on the Cornerstone of Peace Memorial, regardless of nationality or whether or not they were soldier or civilian.
The number of people fallen during the war includes 149,425 from Okinawa Prefecture, 77,417 from other prefectures, and 14,572 from other countries (as of June 2016).