United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands
From November 1966 to January 1969 Unger served as High Commissioner of the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands. During this time he became the first High Commissioner to begin the process of granting more power to the people of the Ryukyu Islands. In his first meeting with the Ryukyu Legislature, he stated a willingness to rescind ordinances passed by his predecessors on the grounds that the legislature pass similar laws to handle the problems the ordinances covered. After consulting with local people, he also pushed the U.S. Government to allow the direct election of the Chief Executive of the Government of the Ryukyu Islands. This resulted, in 1968, in the election of Chobyo Yara, a reform candidate who served until 1972 when control of Okinawa was given back to Japan.