Okinawa
STATUS: Former U.S. Administrative entity, from 1945 through 1972.
FORMERLY: Part of Japan.
PRONOUNCED: oh kih NAH wah
CAPITAL: Naha
WORLD LOCATION: Off the coast of Japan.
FIRST LICENSE PLATES IN USE: 1945
MOTOR VEHICLES CURRENTLY REGISTERED: Approx. 15,000 near the end of the series in 1972.
FORMER SLOGANS: "Keystone of the Pacific" ("Keystone of Pacific", only in 1956 and 1957)
GRAPHICS USED: From 1954 on, some form of a "Torii Gate" was illustrated on most Okinawa issues.
PLATES WERE: Officially issued.
1945 through 1950 - white with
black numbers, simple serial number over OKINAWA.
1951 - dark green with yellow
numbers. Civilian plates remained white with black numbers. Military vehicles
had OKINAWA, and the date vertically on the right end of the plate. Simple
serial number.
1952 - black with orange numbers.
Civilian plates remained white with black numbers. Military vehicles had
RYCOM and the date across the bottom of the plate (for Ryukyu Command). Simple
serial number.
1953 - orange with black numbers.
Civilian plates remained white with black numbers. Military vehicles had
OKINAWA, and the date vertically on the right end of the plate. Simple serial
number.
1954 - black with yellow numbers.
Civilian plates remained white with black numbers. Military vehicles had
OKINAWA, and the date vertically on the right end of the plate. Simple serial
number prefixed by a Torii Gate.
1955 - yellow with black numbers.
Civilian plates remained white with black numbers. Military vehicles had
OKINAWA, and the date vertically on the right end of the plate. Serial number
prefixed by a Torii Gate topped with a code letter - C for Civilians
employed by the military, E for Enlisted men, and O for Officers.
1956 - red with white numbers.
Civilian plates remained white with black numbers. "Keystone of Pacific"
slogan. Year vertically at right, category letter and Torii Gate to the left.
1957 - orange with black numbers.
Civilian plates remained white with black numbers. "Keystone of Pacific"
slogan. Year vertically at right, category letter and Torii Gate to the left.
1958 - black with yellow numbers.
Civilian plates remained white with black numbers. "Keystone of the Pacific"
slogan. Date horizontally on right end of plate. Category letter and Torii
Gate on the left end of the plate.
1959 - 1958 issue with metal
black/yellow '59 date tab. Civilian plates remained white with black numbers.
1960 - yellow with black numbers.
Civilian plates remained white with black numbers. Smaller Torii Gate across
the top.
1961 - black with yellow numbers.
Civilian plates remained white with black numbers. Numerical series extended
with a serial letter.
1962 - yellow with black numbers.
Civilian plates remained white with black numbers. Special undated plates
came into use in the following numerical series: Number 1-10 - General
Officers, number 11 through 200 - Field Officers, B201 on up
for all other persons.
1963 - 1962 plate with light
blue '63 date sticker. Civilian plates remained white with black numbers.
1964 - yellow with black numbers.
Civilian issue began with white plate with red numbers and RYUKYU ISLANDS
across the bottom. This civilian issue was either numeric, with a date tab
in the middle, or had the prefix 4B or 5B for small private cars, or C for
trucks. The 2B prefix is also known, and thought to be a small car, and a
5A prefix is thought to have been reserved for trucks. This civilian series
ran through to 1972.
1965 - 1964 plate with white/red
'65 date sticker.
1966 - black on yellow undated
plate. Two letter, three numbers.
1967 - black on yellow undated
plate. Two letter, three numbers.
1968 - black on yellow undated
plate. Two letter, three numbers.
1969 - black on yellow undated
plate. Two letter, three numbers.
1970 - black on yellow undated
plate. Two letter, three numbers.
1971 - black on yellow undated
plate. Two letter, three numbers.
1972 - black on yellow undated
plate. Two letter, three numbers.
1973 - Okinawa goes back under
the control of Japan. Standard Japanese plates are again issued.
SINGLE PLATES OR PAIRS: Pairs
CARS DRIVE ON: Right
Header
plate from the Jerry Boone collection.
|
1955 Okinawa motorcycle plate, black on yellow embossed steel. Possibly the only one known from this year. From the Jerry Boone collection (Ohio). |
|
1956 Okinawa passenger plate, white on red embossed steel, Civilian issue. From the Jerry Boone collection (Ohio). |
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