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Commentary on themes by historical period

Classification by historical periods IV
From postwar, until the manifestation of the movement toward the reversion of Okinawa to Japan

(1) Senkaku Islands under U.S. administration

i. Understanding of the Senkaku Islands by the U.S. (U.S. Military)

　 The United States Military Government, which had occupied and governed the Ryukyu Islands after WWII, included the Senkaku Islands as a part of Ryukyu from the start of the occupation.

　The first activity report prepared by the United States Military Government (issued in July 1946; refer to the figure on the right) depicts the Senkaku Islands as “SENKAKU-GUNTO,” as a part of the Ryukyu Islands.

　 After that, Ordinance No. 68 “Provisions of the Government of the Ryukyu Islands” issued by the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands (USCAR) (promulgated on February 29, 1952), and Proclamation No.27 “Geographical Boundaries of the Ryukyu Islands” (promulgated on December 25, 1953), among other documents, designated the area of the Ryukyu Islands using longitude and latitude, and the Senkaku Islands were included within that range.

　In the agreed minutes appended to the Okinawa Reversion Agreement (signed June 17, 1971), Japan and the United States are in agreement that the area marked in the abovementioned Proclamation No. 27 is the target region of the agreement.

　In our research, it has been confirmed that the Senkaku Islands were regarded as a part of Ryukyu in the documents summarizing the basic information used by the U.S. Military in carrying out military operations against Japan during the warNo.47No.48. Hence, we can confirm that the U.S. Military has consistently recognized the Senkaku Islands as a part of Ryukyu since the time of the war.

SUMMATION of UNITED STATES
ARMY MILITARY GOVERNMENTACTIVITIES
in the RYUKYU ISLANDS No1
July-November 1946
Summation of U.S. Military Government Activities in the Ryukyu Islands No.1 (July 1946). First report published after WWII.
Repository：Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

ii. Understanding of the Senkaku Islands by the U.S. (U.S. Military) after WWII

　Based on our research, descriptions of the Senkaku Islands were found in documents pertaining to the Yaeyama Islands, compiled by the Yaeyama Provisional Government after the end of 1947No.49.

Summary: The United States (U.S. Forces) had consistently included the Senkaku Islands within the scope of the Ryukyu Islands even during WWII, and had placed the islands under its administration after the occupation of Okinawa.