In 1979 an official delegation from the Japanese government composed of 50 academics, government officials from the Foreign and Transport ministries, officials from the now-defunct Okinawa Development Agency, and Hiroyuki Kurihara, visited the islands and camped on Uotsuri for about four weeks.
1979 udsendtes en officiel delegation fra den japanske regering bestående af 50 akademikere, regeringstjenestemænd fra udenrigs- og transportministerierne, tjenestemænd fra den senere nedlagte Okinawa Development Agency og Hiroyuki Kurihara.