ABSTRACT
Making it certain that the reversion of Okinawa was going to happen was the greatest accomplishment of the Sato government, even if there were more than a few problems with how that was done. On the night of November 20, 1969, the day after the agreement over reversion had been reached, Sato attended a reception hosted by Ambassador Shimoda. Eisaku Sato was marking the end of his 2,797-day term as prime minister, the longest uninterrupted administration in Japanese history. Sato’s words seemed to take pride that Japan, having long absorbed Western European civilization, had achieved its own original development and become strong enough to play a role within the international community. This must have been a profound moment for the generation who had survived the horrors of the war. Sato struggled to find a way to implement voluntary restrictions on textile exports and thereby complete his unfinished business with America.
