January 13, 1890

Petition to Incorporate the Senkaku Islands from the Yaeyama Islands Government

The Yaeyama Islands government petitioned Okinawa Governor Maruoka Kanji to approve its incorporating Kumeakashima Island (now Taisho Island) and two other islands into its jurisdiction. On January 13, 1890, Maruoka sent a letter requesting permission to allow the Yaeyama Islands to incorporate the islands, as there was a need to regulate fishermen, to Yamagata Aritomo, at that time both home minister and prime minister. (Ref. 1)

On February 7, 1890, Suematsu, director of the Prefectural Bureau at the Home Ministry, responded by requesting Maruoka to report the details of the orders given on December 5, 1885, regarding the postponement of construction of sovereignty markers. (Ref. 2)

On February 26, 1890, Maruoka sent a copy of the documents to Suematsu and asked for a response to his earlier request. (Ref. 3)

 

 

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Ref.1 :"Mujinto Kubashima Uotsurishima no gi ni tsuki ukagai" (Request Regarding the Uninhabited Islands Kuba Island and Uotsuri Island), Ko 1, in Teikoku hanto kankei zakken (Matters Related to Imperial Territory) 1-4-1-7, from the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Ref.2 :Ken'oki 6, in Teikoku hanto kankei zakken (Matters Related to Imperial Territory) 1-4-1-7, from the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Ref.3 :"Okinawa-ken chiji yori Naimusho kenchi kyokucho e no kaito" (Response from Governor of Okinawa to Director of Prefectural Bureau at Home Ministry), in Teikoku hanto kankei zakken (Matters Related to Imperial Territory), from the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

 

Reference Materials
"Senkaku Retto" (The Senkaku Islands), in Kikan Okinawa (Okinawa Quarterly) 56 (March 25, 1971), p. 112. Kikan Okinawa is the journal of Nanpo Doho Engokai (Assistance Association for Okinawa and Ogasawara Islands).

 

 

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→ Further Petition from Okinawa Prefecture and Postponement of Construction of Sovereignty Markers (December 5, 1885)