U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Caroline Kennedy; U.S. Consul General, Alfred R. Magelby; and Commanding General of Marine Corps Installations Pacific, Brig. Gen. Joaquin F. Malavet bow after placing flowers on the memorial during the remembrance ceremony June 23 at the Okinawa Peace Memorial Park. The ceremony was held on the 70th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa and brought approximately 5,400 people from Okinawa and other prefectures. Honored guests included Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe; Governor of Okinawa Prefecture, Takeshi Onaga; and the Deputy Commanding General United States Forces Japan, Brig. Gen. Mark R. Wise among others. During the ceremony there was a minute-long moment of silence at noon along with flowers brought to the front and placed on the memorial to honor the dead. Abe and Onaga also gave speaches expressing their grief and sorrow over the nearly 200,000 lives lost during the battle.