Japan marks World War II battle

OKINAWA, Japan, June 23 (UPI) -- Japanese leaders Saturday marked the 62nd anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa with a plea to learn from the past.

The Battle of Okinawa, during the closing days of World War II, is a reminder of the never-ending "terrorism and ethnic conflicts" seen in the world today, Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima said during a memorial service.

The service honored the 200,000 Japanese who died in the Battle of Okinawa, including civilians in mass suicides, the Kyodo news agency reported.

"It is our crucial responsibility" to hand down a lesson from the war to future generations, Nakaima said, adding Japan and the United States still must resolve issues caused by the presence of U.S. military bases in Okinawa.