The Geographical Significance and Political Attribute of Related Appellation of Ryukyu Islands

Ryukyu Islands is a geographical unit that has a special geopolitical relation with China.In history,the vassal relation which was established between Ming and Qing dynasties of China and Ryukyu kingdom represented by Ryukyu Islands lasted for five hundred years.Today the geo-strategic significance of Ryukyu Islands is closely connected with the sovereignty of Diaoyu Islands of China and the maritime rights and interests of East China Sea.In fact,the forced annexation of Ryukyu Islands by Japan was not recognized by the international communities.In order to annex Ryukyu Islandslegally,Japan implicitly eliminated Ryukyu characteristics for naming the islands,by sometimes usingNansei Islandswhich is a generalized regional appellation to remove its political properties,and sometimes applyingSatsunan Islandswhich disintegrates the islands,and sometimes calling Ryukyu IslandsOkinawa islandsfor concealing the history of the islands.The confusion created by Japan in appellation of Ryukyu Islands leads to a vague understanding of relevant geographical concepts of Ryukyu Islands for the international communities.Starting from the analysis of historical evolution of the appellations related to Ryukyu Islands,this article explores the geographical significance and political connotation of related appellations likeNansei islands,Satsunan islandsandOkinawa islands.Ryukyu Islandsis a general name for the islands ruled by Ryukyu Kingdom in history.The political significance of appellation ofRyukyu Islandsis the denial of Japanese annexation of Ryukyu Islands and the assertion of independence of them.Nansei islandsis a generalized regional appellation in Japanese to all the islands scattered between the southwest of Kyushu Island of Japan and the northeast of Taiwan Island of China,which means the islands to the southwest of Japan.The political significance of appellation ofNansei islandsis manifested from two aspects: one is elimination of Ryukyu characteristics in the appellation and the other is to induce international communities to acknowledge thesovereigntyofNansei Islands.Satsunan Islandsin Japanese refers to the combination of three groups of islands including Osumi Islands of Japan,Tokara Islands of Ryukyu kingdom and Amami Islands.The name means the islands to the south of Satsuma(Kagoshima Prefecture).The political significance of the appellation ofSatsunan Islandsis also reflected from two aspects: one is disintegration of Ryukyu Islands and the other is to claim thesovereigntyofSatsunan Islands.Okinawa Islandsis a name of the islands in Japanese which includes Ryukyu Islands(including Kerama Islands),Daito Islands and Sakishima Islands.The political significance of this appellation is,on the one hand to eliminate Ryukyu characteristics and on the other,to disintegrate Ryukyu Islands.Correct understanding of the geographical significance and political connotation of the related appellations of Ryukyu Islands is of significance on bilateral relations on Ryukyu issues for China in the future.