Having explored rural Okinawa quite a bit in 1964, examined some of the bunkers and caves, even finding some unexploded ordnance...if we needed the island strategically, I'd say the butcher's bill could have been a lot less had the areas suitable for ports and airfields been secured...and left the Japs to slowly starve or surrender. The Japs at that point had no supply options. But, I'm just another armchair E-4.
