Overview: Okinawa Prefecture is a group of subtropical islands in the far south of Japan. It was previously a prosperous maritime trading state called the Ryukyu Kingdom. In the first of 2 episodes about Okinawa, we discover how the Ryukyu Kingdom maintained an independent identity for 450 years. Our guest, historian Uezato Takashi, talks about the clever diplomatic strategies Ryukyu used with its larger neighbors, China and Japan. And we learn how that contributed to an eclectic and original outlook.