governor tamaki denny read a peace dedeclaration. >> i pray that the souls of those who lost their livesn pastst wars may rest in peace. i will continue to pray for peace and happiness in t the future of mankind. >> prime minister abe shinzo delivered a video message. coronavirus measures also forced organizers to scale down the ceremony with only a few hundred people taking part. abe spoke about the u.s. military presence in okinawa. the prefecture hosts most of the country's american facilities, about 70%. abe promised change without setting any specific benchmarks. on this day, those who lost relatives in the war visit the peace monument. it bears the names of everyone who perished. this man was 5 years old when the fightiti erupted.. he lost his father, brother, and grandparents. >> translator: i prayed and asked them to watch over us so that there will be peace and happiness. >> the passage of time brings its own challenges. as fewer and fewer residents have lived through war, many are asking how best to hand down the lessons of history. >> translator: i used to think our lives were