Commentary on themes by historical period

Overview

The Story of the Senkaku Islands’ Territorial Incorporation
　This video presents historical facts beginning with an on-site investigation of the Senkaku Islands conducted by Okinawa Prefecture in 1885 and ending with the Cabinet decision to incorporate the islands into the Japanese territory in 1895. In particular, it features the following facts: Okinawa Prefecture attempted to manage the Senkaku Islands owing to the increasing number of fishery operations around the islands beginning in 1889 and, in 1895, the Japanese government incorporated the Senkaku Islands into Japan’s territory and placed them under the jurisdiction of Okinawa Prefecture due to the necessity for controlling the fisheries activities, and since then Japan had valid control over the Senkaku Islands. The video also features the People’s Republic of China’s claims over the Senkaku Islands and concludes that PRC’s assertions over this period of time are groundless.

Part 1: Okinawa Prefecture’s Investigations of the Senkaku Islands
　Part 1 summarizes the historical facts beginning with an on-site investigation of the Senkaku Islands conducted by Okinawa Prefecture in 1885 and ending with the Cabinet decision to incorporate the Senkaku Islands into Japan’s territory in 1895. The Japanese government at the time paid attention to the Senkaku Islands against the backdrop of the advancement of the Great Powers into East Asia, Okinawa Prefecture conducted an on-site investigation of the Senkaku Islands, following the Japanese government policy of enhancing its surveillance over the peripheral islands to prevent occupation of these islands by the Great Powers. Thereafter, due to the growing activities of Japanese fishermen around the Senkaku Islands, Okinawa Prefecture requested the incorporation of the Islands into the prefecture to exert administrative control over the fishermen.

Part 2: Backgrounds Behind Growing Fisheries Operations and Incorporation into the Prefectural Jurisdiction
　Part 2 features the backgrounds of the incorporation of the Senkaku Islands into Okinawa prefecture. There were growing fishing activities around the Senkaku Islands from around 1889. An event which represents such trend was the establishment of a company named Yaeyama Island Joint Fisheries in Ishigaki Island. Due to the increasing necessity for controlling these fishermen’s activities, Okinawa Prefecture requested the central government to incorporate the Senkaku Islands into the prefecture and the central government accepted the request by making a cabinet decision and placing the islands under the jurisdiction of Okinawa Prefecture in January 1895.

Part 3: Groundless Assertions by the People’s Republic of China (PRC)
　First, Part 3 introduces a brief history of the Senkaku Islands after the incorporation of the islands into Japanese territory in 1895: the Senkaku Islands have been under the valid control of Japan through the exercise of its administrative authority: Koga Tatsushiro, a merchant from Fukuoka Prefecture, developed the islands and more than 240 people lived in the islands in the beginning of the 20th century. the islands were incorporated into an administrative district of Ishigaki Island, and state-owned lands of the islands were sold to Koga Zenji, Tatsuhiro’s son. Although the PRC government asserts that Japan incorporated the Senkaku Islands into its territory in secrecy at the last stage of the Sino-Japanese War and the Senkaku Islands were ceded to Japan later as the islands appertaining or belonging to Taiwan at the conclusion of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, Part III proves that such assertions are groundless.

　As a part of the explanation why PRC’s assertions are groundless, the video presents the Letter of Appreciation dated 1920 sent from the Consul of the Republic of China stationed in Nagasaki. The letter demonstrates the fact that the China recognized the Senkaku Islands as a part of Okinawa Prefecture at the time. China started to claim the Senkaku Islands in 1971, more than 75 years after the incorporation of the islands into Japanese territory in 1895.