There have again been calls in Chinese state media for more research into “historical justice” and legal claims around Ryukyu, as a diplomatic row over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments on Taiwan drags on.
On Wednesday, state-run Global Times in an editorial called for further studies to be done on the Ryukyu island chain, arguing that it was an important issue that was much more than academic.
“The geopolitical position, strategic choices and future trajectory of the Ryukyu Islands not only determine their own fate but also profoundly affect the security concerns of neighbouring countries and regions,” the editorial said.
Located between the islands of Kyushu and Taiwan, the Ryukyu archipelago was once controlled by the independent Ryukyu Kingdom.
The chain includes Okinawa, home to tens of thousands of American troops – one of the largest military contingents in the world outside the United States.
