What if, instead of being returned to Japan in the 70s, Okinawa instead went independant? How could such a situation arise?
There certainly is a heavy degree of national identity in Okinawa- they were only annexed into Japan in the late 19th century and even today they kind of have their own language (though sadly Japanese has kicked its arse over the last century and a bit)
IOTL nonetheless the majority in Okinawa firmly wanted to rejoin Japan. Is it at all possible to somehow sour them on the mainlanders enough that they want independance without messing with pre-war history?
(ps- the topic name is intentionally silly)