Positioning of Islands in Modern Japan

Abstract

This chapter discusses the political and social status of Japanese islands since the modern era. Generally speaking, the island areas are considered to be the “periphery” of Japan. However, the periphery is not an essential feature of island areas; rather, it has been formed in the process of Japan’s modernization. Section 1 describes the process of Japanese imperialist attempts to incorporate the Pacific and Nansei Islands into its territory during the period of modernization. The acquisition of resources such as albatrosses and guano incentivized such actions. Section 2 critically discusses Japan’s post-war island policy. Several laws were enacted after the 1950s to resolve the “backwardness” of the island regions. However, Japan’s island policy was based on the principle of “selection and concentration” and prioritized the efficient distribution of population over the realization of residents’ wishes. Many of the abandoned islands were the product of policy. Section 3 analyzes the improvement of transportation infrastructure as a result of the island policy. Transportation to and among islands has been improved by ships, airplanes, and bridges. However, the islands where people can work full time in the central city are an exception and cross-links have weakened the local communities. Thus, the authors conclude that Japan’s island policy—while superficially advocating the self-sufficiency of the islands—is, in reality, keeping them in the “periphery.”