Irei no Hi

Okinawa Memorial Day (慰霊の日, Irei no Hi) is a public holiday observed in Japan's Okinawa Prefecture annually on June 23 to remember the lives lost during the Battle of Okinawa. It is not observed nationally throughout Japan. The Battle of Okinawa was the only ground engagement of the Pacific War fought on Japanese soil. Over 240,000 people died and numerous buildings on the island were destroyed along with countless historical documents, artifacts and cultural treasures. It is estimated that about half of the war victims were local Okinawan residents, among them many children.