Ryukyu Islands

Location of Ryukyu Islands

The Ryukyu Islands, in Japanese called the Nansei Islands (南西諸島, Nansei-shotō^?) (literally Southwest Islands), are a chain of Japanese islands in the western Pacific Ocean at the eastern limit of the East China Sea. They stretch southwest from the island of Kyūshū to the island of Taiwan. The islands are administratively divided into Satsunan Islands to the north, belonging to Kagoshima Prefecture, and Ryukyu Shotō to the south, belonging to Okinawa Prefecture, Japan (Yoron Island is the southernmost island of the Satsunan Islands and Yonaguni the southernmost of the Ryukyu Islands). The largest of the islands is Okinawa Island.

The islands have a subtropical climate with warm winters and hot summers. Precipitation is very high, and is affected by the rainy season and typhoons.

The archipelago is home to the Ryukyuan languages. The original dialects are native to each island and distinct from one another.

Naming

Japanese

In Japanese, the definition of the Ryūkyū Shotō (琉球諸島, Ryūkyū Shotō^?)^[1], literally meaning "Ryukyu Islands", is somewhat different from the English definition^[2] of the word. In Japanese, the term Ryūkyū Shotō is used to refer to the part of the Nansei Islands which is in Okinawa Prefecture (the southern half), as opposed to islands of the same group located in Kagoshima Prefecture (the northern half).

Modern usage of the word Ryūkyū (琉球, Ryūkyū^?) in Japanese, however, is usually replaced by the word Okinawa (沖縄, Okinawa^?), which is considered its synonym.^[3] When referring to the region in the broad sense, the Nansei Islands are sometimes referred to as Amami-Okinawa Chihō (奄美・沖縄地方, Amami-Okinawa Chihō^?), literally "Amami-Okinawa Region", or variations thereof.^[4] For example, the Japanese train timetables JR Jikokuhyō (JR時刻表, JR Jikokuhyō^?) uses variations of Nansei Shotō, Okinawa, Amami, etc., but completely avoids using the word Ryūkyū.^[5]

English

In English, until well into the late 1800s (Meiji period in Japan), the word "Ryukyu" was spelled Luchu, Loo-choo, or Lewchew. These spellings were based on the Chinese pronunciation of the characters for "Ryukyu" (which is "Liúqiú" in modern Mandarin). ^[6]

History

Ryukyuan flag until 1875

Ryukyuan flag from 1875 to 1879

Main article: History of Ryukyu Islands

The Ryukyu Kingdom was once an independent kingdom occupying the island chain, from Yonaguni Island in the southwest to Amami Ōshima in the north. In 1372, it became a tributary state (藩国) of the Ming Dynasty.

In 1609, Shimazu Tadatsune, Lord of Satsuma, invaded the Ryūkyū Kingdom with a fleet of 13 junks and 2,500 samurai, thereby establishing suzerainty over the islands. They faced little opposition from the Ryukyuans, who lacked any significant military capabilities, and who were ordered by King Shō Nei to surrender peacefully rather than suffer the loss of precious lives.^[7] After that, the kings of the Ryukyus paid tribute to the Japanese shogun as well as the Chinese emperor.

In 1879, the Meiji government announced the annexation of the Ryukyus. Messengers sent by the Ryukyuan king had knelt outside the Beijing offices of Chinese Prime Minister Zongli Yamen for three days, pleading not to be separated from China. China, weakened from internal corruption and colonial occupation (including that of Japan) refused the request to send military protection. Instead, China made diplomatic objections and asked Great Britain to arbitrate. Great Britain decided that Japan's claim to the islands was stronger and ruled in Japan's favor. The claims of the indigenous Ryukyuans to the land were ignored.

In the process of annexation, the Japanese military assassinated Ryukyu politicians and civilians who opposed the takeover. The Ryukyu Kingdom became part of its northern neighbor, the Satsuma han. Later, it became its own prefecture, Okinawa Prefecture, when the prefectural system was adopted nationwide. Compulsory Japanese education was enforced on the Ryukyu children, whereby they were taught Japanese language, culture and identity, while strictly forbidden the use of their native language.

Military activity on the island, before and during WWII, especially the Battle of Okinawa, had a devastating effect on the Okinawan people. A huge loss of civilian life left many feeling that they were being mistreated by both the Japanese and American military. Okinawa remains the poorest prefecture in Japan to this day.

The US was granted control over Ryukyu Islands south of 29°N latitude amongst other Pacific islands, under the San Francisco Peace Treaty between the Allied Powers and Japan. US military control over Okinawa began in 1945 with establishment of the Okinawa Advisory Council. This organization eventually became the government of the Ryukyu Islands which existed from 1952 to 1972. Sovereignty was given to Japan in 1972.

Today, there are a number of issues arising from Ryukyuan history. Some Ryukyuans and some Japanese feel that people from the Ryukyus are not "real" Japanese. Some natives of the Ryukyus claim that the central government is discriminating against the islanders by allowing so many American soldiers to be stationed on bases in Okinawa with a minimal presence on the mainland. Additionally, there is some discussion of secession from Japan.

Many popular singers and musical groups come from the Ryukyus. These include (among many others) the pop groups Begin (ビギン) and Orange Range, singers Namie Amuro and Gackt, as well as the group Da Pump. See also Ryukyuan Music and Ryukyuan songs.

People

Main article: Ryukyuans

The Ryukyuans are known for their longevity. The Okinawa Centenarian Study attributes this phenomenon to a combination of diet, exercise, and lifestyle practices.

Traditionally, the people of the Ryukyus speak a chain of languages related to Japanese as members of the Japonic language family. Since the latest Japanese invasion in 1879, Japanese has become the main language of public life on the Ryukyus, especially on Uchinā (Okinawa). Younger and middle-aged people tend not to speak a Ryukyuan language as fluently as Japanese, if at all.

Ecology

Nansei Islands subtropical evergreen forests

The Ryukyu Islands are recognized by ecologists as a distinct subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion. The flora and fauna of the islands have much in common with Taiwan, the Philippines, and Southeast Asia, and are part of the Indomalaya ecozone.

Coral reefs

The coral reefs of the Ryukyus are one of the World Wildlife Fund's Global 200 ecoregions. The reefs are endangered by sedimentation and eutrophication, mostly a result of agriculture, as well as damage from fishing.

Major islands

Map of the major Ryūkyū Islands

This list is based on present day Japanese geographic names:

• Nansei Islands
  • Satsunan Islands (The Northern Half)
    • Ōsumi Islands with:
      • Tanegashima, Yakushima, Kuchinoerabujima, Mageshima in the North-Eastern Group,
      • Takeshima, Iojima, Kuroshima in the North-Western Group.
    • Tokara Islands (The Shichi-tō): Kuchinoshima, Nakanoshima, Gajajima, Suwanosejima, Akusekijima, Tairajima, Kodakarajima, Takarajima
    • Amami Islands: Amami Ōshima, Kikaigashima, Kakeromajima, Yoroshima, Ukeshima, Tokunoshima, Okinoerabujima, Yoronjima

The last sunset of Japan can be admired at the Ryūkyū Shotō

• • Ryūkyū Shotō (The Southern Half)
    • Okinawa Islands (The Central Group or Ryukyu proper): Okinawa Island (aka. Okinawan mainland, Okinawa hontō), Kumejima, Iheyajima, Izenajima, Agunijima, Iejima, Iwo Tori Shima (Iōtorishima) [1]
      • Kerama Islands: Tokashikijima, Zamamijima, Akajima, Gerumajima
      • Daitō Islands: Kita daitō, Mimami daitō, Oki daitō
    • Sakishima Islands ("Further Isles")
      • Miyako Islands: Miyakojima, Ikema, Ogami, Irabu, Shimoji, Kurima, Minna, Tarama
      • Yaeyama Islands: Iriomote, Ishigaki, Taketomi, Kohama, Kuroshima, Aragusuku, Hatoma, Yubujima, Hateruma, Yonaguni
      • Senkaku Islands (claimed by PRC and ROC): Uotsurijima, Kuba Jima, Taisho Jima, Kita Kojima, Minami Kojima

Notes:

• For some of the island names above, the suffix -jima, -shima, and -gashima can be interchanged, omitted, or appended. The suffix means "island." In general, the islands are listed from north to south where possible.
• "Shotō" is replaced with "Islands" in the list except for Ryūkyū Shotō (琉球諸島), since the term "Ryukyu Islands" already exists in English. The Japanese term refers only to the islands that comprise Okinawa Prefecture, while the English term refers to the entire chain of islands between Kyūshū and Taiwan.
• Ryūkyū Rettō (琉球列島) refers to what was once the territory of the former kingdom, which are the Amami Islands, Okinawa Islands, Miyako Islands, and Yaeyama Islands.

See also

• Pechin (Ryukyuan/Okinawan Samurai)
• Ryukyuans (Ryukyuan people)
• History of Ryukyu Islands
• Ryukyuan religion
• Ryukyuan Music and Ryukyuan songs
• Ryukyu independence movement
• Kariyushi Club (The former Ryukyu Independent Party)
• Liuqiu (ancient Chinese name from which modern "Ryukyu" has originated)

References

External links

• Map of Ryukyu Islands, from MSN Encarta
• Nansei Islands subtropical evergreen forests (World Wildlife Fund)
• A Brief History of the Uchinanchu (Okinawans)
• National Archives of Japan: Ryukyu Chuzano ryoshisha tojogyoretsu, scroll illustrating procession of Ryuku emissary to Edo, Hōei 7 (1710)