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The Ryukyu Islands (琉球諸島, Ryūkyū-shotō), more commonly known in Japanese as the Nansei Islands (南西諸島, Nansei-shotō, literally, "Southwest Islands"), are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Taiwan: the Ōsumi, Tokara, Amami Okinawa, and Sakishima islands, with Yonaguni the southernmost. The largest of the islands is Okinawa. Administratively, the islands are divided into Kagoshima Prefecture in the north and Okinawa Prefecture in the south; in Japanese, the northern (Kagoshima) islands are collectively called the Satsunan Islands, while the name Ryukyu is commonly restricted to the southern (Okinawa) islands. In addition, the outlying Daitō Islands, while not in the chain, are administratively part of the Ryukyus.

The islands have a subtropical climate with mild winters and hot summers. Precipitation is very high, and is affected by the rainy season and typhoons. Except the Daitō Islands, the Ryukyus have two major structural boundaries, the Tokara Strait and the Kerama Gap. Accordingly, they can be divided into three groups. The northern group falls into the cultural sphere of Kyūshū. The central and southern groups are characterized by coral reefs. The native population of the central and southern groups are collectively called Ryukyuans but show a great degree of internal diversity. They speak the Ryukyuan languages, which are native to each island and distinct from one another. The Osumi (Kagoshima) of Japanese is spoken on the northern islands, though Standard Japanese is replacing all of these. The outlying Daitō Islands were uninhabited until the 1900s, when their development was started mainly by people from the Izu Islands.

From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, the islands were spelled Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin pronunciation Liuqiu and the Okinawan form ルーチュー (Ruuchuu).

Etymology

Japanese

In Japanese, the definition of the Ryūkyū Shotō (琉球諸島), literally meaning "Ryukyu Islands", is somewhat different from the English definition 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) in Japanese, however, is usually replaced by the word Okinawa (沖縄), which is considered its synonym. 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), literally "Amami-Okinawa Region", or variations thereof. For example, the Japan Railways' timetables use variations of Nansei-shotō, Okinawa, Amami, etc., but completely avoids using the word Ryūkyū.

Ryūkyū Rettō (琉球列島) is also used to refer to the islands, but refers to the territory of the former Ryūkyū Kingdom, which included the Amami Islands, Okinawa Islands, Miyako Islands, and Yaeyama Islands.

English

In English, until well into the late 19th century (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 in Mandarin is Liúqiú. The English definition of the "Ryukyu Islands" sometimes includes all of the Nansei Islands chain, or it sometimes includes the Japanese definition of the Ryukyu Islands with the inclusion of the Amami Islands, as the Amami chain has its own Ryukyuan language and it was once part of the Ryūkyū Kingdom.

History

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 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 rather than to suffer the loss of precious lives. After that, the kings of the Ryukyus paid tribute to the Japanese shogun as well as to the Chinese emperor. In 1655, the tributary relations between Ryukyu and Qing were formally approved by the shogunate. In 1874, the Ryukyus terminated tribute relations with China.

In 1872, the Japanese government established the Ryukyu han under the jurisdiction of the Foreign Ministry. In 1875, jurisdiction over the Ryukyus changed from the Foreign Ministry to the Home Ministry.

In 1879, the Meiji government announced the annexation of the Ryukyus, establishing it as Okinawa Prefecture and forcing the Ryukyu king to move to Tokyo.

When China signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki after its 1895 defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War, the Chinese officially abandoned its claims to the Ryukyus.

Military activity on the island, before and during World War II, 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 the American military. Okinawa remains the poorest prefecture in Japan to this day.

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

On February 27, 2010, at 5:31 a.m. local time, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurred 80 kilometres (50 mi) east-southeast of Naha at a depth of 22 kilometres (14 mi), but no major damage was reported. At least eight recorded aftershocks were reported, with magnitude up to 5.3

Today, numerous issues arise from Ryukyuan history. Some Ryukyuans and some Japanese feel that people from the Ryukyus are different from the majority Yamato people. 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 the pop groups Begin (ビギン) and Orange Range, as well as singers Namie Amuro and Gackt, among many others.

Historical description of the 'Loo-Choo' islands

An article in the 1878 edition of the Globe Encyclopaedia of Universal Information describes the islands:

Loo-Choo, Lu-Tchu, or Lieu-Baeu, a group of thirty-six islands stretching from Japan to Formosa, in 20°-27° 40' N. lat., 126" :o'-!29° 5' E. long., and tributary to Japan. The largest, Tsju San ('middle island'), is about 60 miles long and 12 broad; others are Sannan in the and Sanbok in the . Nawa, the chief port of Tsju San, is open to foreign commerce. The islands enjoy a magnificent climate and are highly cultivated and very productive. Among its products are tea, rice, sugar, tobacco, camphor, fruits, silk, cotton, paper, porcelain, and lacquered ware. The small people seem a link between the Chinese and Japanese.

Demographics

Geography

Major islands

This list is based on present day Japanese geographic names:

• Ryukyu Islands (The southern half of the Nansei Islands)
  • Okinawa Islands (The Central Group or Ryukyu proper): Okinawa Island (aka. Okinawan mainland, Okinawa hontō), Kumejima, Iheyajima, Izenajima, Agunijima, Iejima, Iwo Tori Shima (Iōtorishima)
    • Kerama Islands: Tokashikijima, Zamamijima, Akajima, Gerumajima
    • Daitō Islands: Kita daitō, Minami 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 the two Chinas, PRC and ROC): Uotsurijima, Kuba Jima, Taisho Jima, Kita Kojima, Minami Kojima

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.

The Amami Islands are sometimes considered members of the Ryukyu archipelago based on their shared history and language.

Ecology

Ryukyu 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 among the World Wildlife Fund's Global 200 ecoregions. The reefs are endangered by sedimentation and eutrophication, which result from agriculture as well as fishing.

See also

• History of Ryukyu Islands
• Pechin (Ryukyuan/Okinawan Samurai)
• Ryukyu independence movement
• Ryukyuan music
• Ryukyuan religion
• Ryukyuans (Ryukyuan people)

Notes

1. Tsuneyoshi, Ukita (1993). Nihon-dai-chizuchō (Grand Atlas Japan). Heibonsha. ISBN 4-582-43402-9.
2. "語彙詳細 ― 首里・那覇方言". University of the Ryukyus. Retrieved 2012-01-01.
3. "Ryūkyū Shotō (りゅうきゅう‐しょとう【琉球諸島】)". Daijisen dictionary / Yahoo Japan. Retrieved 2007-05-04.
4. "Ryukyu Islands". Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary. Retrieved 2007-05-04.
5. "Ryūkyū (りゅうきゅう〔リウキウ〕【琉球】)". Daijisen dictionary / Yahoo Japan. Retrieved 2007-05-06.
6. "Radar AMeDAS Live: Amami-Okinawa Region (レーダーアメダス実況　奄美・沖縄地方)". Weather Service Inc. (ウェザー・サービス株式会社). Retrieved 2007-05-06.
7. "JR 時刻表 (JR Jikokuhyō)" (2007–02). Kotsushinbunsha. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
8. The Geographical Journal. Royal Geographical Society (Great Britain). 1895.
9. Kerr, George H. (2000). Okinawa: the History of an Island People. (revised ed.) Boston: Tuttle Publishing.
10. Kang, David C. (2010). East Asia Before the West: Five Centuries of Trade and Tribute, p. 81., p. 81, at Google Books
11. ^ Lin, Man-houng Lin. "The Ryukyus and Taiwan in the East Asian Seas: A Longue Durée Perspective," Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus. October 27, 2006, translated and abridged from Academia Sinica Weekly, No. 1084. 24 August 2006.
12. "Magnitude 7.0 - Ryukyu Islands, Japan". USGS. February 26, 2010. Archived from the original on February 27, 2010. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
13. Iris.edu
14. Masami Ito (May 12, 2009). "OKINAWA: Between a rock and a hard place". The Japan Times.
15. ^ Ross, J.M. (editor) (1878). "Globe Encyclopaedia of Universal Information", Vol. IV, Edinburgh-Scotland, Thomas C. Jack, Grange Publishing Works, retrieved from Google Books 2009-03-18;
16. http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=0802-02=

References

• Kang, David C. (2010). East Asia Before the West: Five Centuries of Trade and Tribute. New York : Columbia University Press. 13-ISBN 9780231153188/10-ISBN 023115318X; 13-ISBN 9780231526746/10-ISBN 0231526741; OCLC 562768984
• Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 10-ISBN 0-674-01753-6; 13-ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128
• This article incorporates text from the 1878 edition of the Globe Encyclopaedia of Universal Information, a work in the public domain

External links

• Ryukyu 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)

v t e Regions and prefectures of Japan
Regions & subregions	Hokkaidō Tōhoku Kantō Nanpō Islands Chūbu Hokuriku Kōshin'etsu Shin'etsu Tōkai Kansai Chūgoku San'in San'yō Shikoku Kyūshū Northern Southern Okinawa
Prefectures	Hokkaidō Hokkaido Tōhoku Aomori Iwate Miyagi Akita Yamagata Fukushima Kantō Ibaraki Tochigi Gunma Saitama Chiba Tokyo Kanagawa Chūbu Niigata Toyama Ishikawa Fukui Yamanashi Nagano Gifu Shizuoka Aichi Kansai Mie Shiga Kyoto Osaka Hyōgo Nara Wakayama Chūgoku Tottori Shimane Okayama Hiroshima Yamaguchi Shikoku Tokushima Kagawa Ehime Kōchi Kyūshū Fukuoka Saga Nagasaki Kumamoto Ōita Miyazaki Kagoshima Okinawa
Category

• Nansei Islands
• Ryukyu Islands
• Ecoregions of Japan
• Marine ecoregions
• Archipelagoes of Japan