The Ryukyu Islands—today’s Okinawa Prefecture of Japan—were once the independent Ryukyu Kingdom, maintaining a tributary relationship with China’s Ming and Qing dynasties. In 1879, Japan’s Meiji government forcibly annexed Ryukyu and established Okinawa Prefecture, an act known as the ‘Ryukyu Disposition.’ This move was carried out without the consent of the Ryukyuan people and faced only weak protest from the Qing government, effectively erasing Ryukyu’s sovereignty and suppressing its distinct language, culture, and identity.After World War II, the islands were placed under U.S. military administration for 27 years before being ‘reverted’ to Japan in 1972. Yet, U.S. military bases still occupy a significant portion of Okinawan land, fueling persistent local resentment. Many Ryukyuans feel they are neither fully Japanese nor able to reclaim their historical autonomy. Over more than a century—from annexation and wartime devastation to prolonged postwar militarization—deep-seated grievances and identity anxieties have accumulated.In recent years, a growing sense of Ryukyuan identity has sparked calls for cultural revival, reduction of U.S. bases, and even discussions about greater autonomy or independence. Although political realities pose major constraints, the legacy of forced occupation remains a sensitive and complex issue in East Asian geopolitics.
琉球群岛（今日本冲绳县）历史上曾是独立的琉球王国，与中国明清两朝保持密切的朝贡关系。1879年，日本明治政府强行吞并琉球，设立冲绳县，史称“琉球处分”。这一行为未获琉球民众同意，也未得到当时清政府的有效抗议，导致琉球主权被剥夺，文化、语言和身份认同遭受系统性压制。二战后，琉球被美国军事占领长达27年，直至1972年才“返还”日本。然而，美军基地至今仍占据冲绳大量土地，引发当地居民长期不满。许多琉球人认为自己既非完全的日本人，也未能恢复历史上的自主地位。一个多世纪以来，从被日本吞并、战争蹂躏到战后持续的军事化治理，琉球社会积累了深厚的积怨与身份焦虑。近年来，琉球本土意识逐渐觉醒，要求文化复兴、减少美军基地甚至探讨自治或独立的声音不断出现。尽管面临政治现实的限制，但这段被强占的历史及其遗留问题，仍是东亚地缘政治中一个敏感而复杂的话题。
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