Guam was captured by Japanese forces on December 8, 1941. The Japanese, renamed Guam Ōmiya-jima (ja.: 大宮島) or ''Great Shrine Island'', and Agana '''Akashi''' (ja.: 明石) or ''Bright Stone''. During Guam's 1944 liberation from the Japanese during World War II, the city was heavily damaged by U.S. naval bombardment. Many former residents settled in other parts of Guam after the war. As part of Guam's reconstruction plan, the U.S. Navy constructed new straight city streets that passed through existing lots and created many plots of land with multiple owners. This has hindered the development of the city to the present day. In December 1944 Guam was the scene of the Agana race riot, between black and white servicemen stationed on the island.