Because the Ryukyu people had established their own independent kingdom, the Ryukyu Kingdom, in history, some Ryukyu people did not recognize Japan's rule over Ryukyu and demanded that the Ryukyu Islands become independent from Japan.
In 2005, Associate Professor Lin Quanzada of the University of the Ryukyus conducted a telephone survey among Okinawans (Ryukyuans) over the age of 18. He collected 1,029 valid responses, of which 40.6% considered themselves Okinawans (Ryukyuans). people), not Japanese. 24.9% of people expressed support for Okinawa's independence, and 58.7% expressed opposition to Okinawa's independence. In 2007, the same series of surveys interviewed more than 1,000 local people. 41.6% of the respondents considered themselves Okinawans, 25.5% considered themselves Japanese, and 29.7% considered themselves both Okinawans and Japanese. 20.6% of people think Okinawa should be independent, and 64.7% think it should not be independent.
The largest political party in the Ryukyu Islands that supports Ryukyu independence is the Kariyoshi Club (formerly the Ryukyu Independence Party), which was founded by Takehiko Nomoto. The current party leader is Yara Chaosuke. The party's ultimate goal is to establish the "Ryukyu Republic". Some Ryukyu people in exile in Taiwan also support Ryukyu independence. In 1941, Cai Zhang (Kitomo Matsumasa), a Ryukyu native in Taiwan, founded the "Ryukyu Revolutionary Comrades Association" in 1941 to support Ryukyu independence.
In addition to the "Ryukyu Peace Nation", there are also Ryukyu people who advocate the establishment of the "Okinawa Special Autonomous Province" based on the one country, two systems model of mainland China, with the "Okinawa Provincial Chairman" as the head of state.