Japanese settlement in Micronesia
Encyclopedia
Large-scale Japanese settlement in Micronesia occurred in the first half of the 20th century when Japan
colonised much of Micronesia
. Modern-day Micronesian countries and territories including the Mariana Islands
, Federated States of Micronesia
, Palau
and the Marshall Islands
were once part of the South Pacific Mandate
between 1914 to 1945. During the Second World War, the Japanese settlers outnumbered the Micronesians within the mandate territory, and extensively intermarried with Micronesians. A few Japanese also resided in Kiribati
and Nauru
where they worked as contract labourers or established businesses. Japanese settlers in the mandated islands often intermarried with the local women and raised local families. After 1945, most of the Japanese settlers were repatriated to Japan, but the offspring of Japanese settlers and Micronesians were allowed to remain behind. These offspring usually identify themselves as Micronesians rather than Japanese, and constitute a sizeable minority in the each of the territories' populace.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
colonised much of Micronesia
Micronesia
Micronesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is distinct from Melanesia to the south, and Polynesia to the east. The Philippines lie to the west, and Indonesia to the southwest....
. Modern-day Micronesian countries and territories including the Mariana Islands
Mariana Islands
The Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east...
, Federated States of Micronesia
Federated States of Micronesia
The Federated States of Micronesia or FSM is an independent, sovereign island nation, made up of four states from west to east: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. It comprises approximately 607 islands with c...
, Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
and the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
were once part of the South Pacific Mandate
South Pacific Mandate
The was the Japanese League of Nations mandate consisting of several groups of islands in the Pacific Ocean which came under the administration of Japan after the defeat of the German Empire in World War I.-Early history:Under the terms of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, after the start of World...
between 1914 to 1945. During the Second World War, the Japanese settlers outnumbered the Micronesians within the mandate territory, and extensively intermarried with Micronesians. A few Japanese also resided in Kiribati
Kiribati
Kiribati , officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The permanent population exceeds just over 100,000 , and is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres, straddling the...
and Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
where they worked as contract labourers or established businesses. Japanese settlers in the mandated islands often intermarried with the local women and raised local families. After 1945, most of the Japanese settlers were repatriated to Japan, but the offspring of Japanese settlers and Micronesians were allowed to remain behind. These offspring usually identify themselves as Micronesians rather than Japanese, and constitute a sizeable minority in the each of the territories' populace.
Main articles
- Federated States of Micronesia: Japanese settlement in the Federated States of MicronesiaJapanese settlement in the Federated States of MicronesiaJapanese settlement in what now constitutes modern-day Federated States of Micronesia dates back to the end of 19th century, when Japanese traders and explorers settled on the central and eastern Carolines, although earlier contacts can not be completely excluded...
- Kiribati: Japanese settlement in KiribatiJapanese settlement in KiribatiJapanese presence in Kiribati dates back to the 20th century when labourers were hired to work in Kiribati's phosphate mines. As compared to the other Micronesian countries which came under Japanese rule in the first half of the 20th century, the majority of the Japanese consisted of transient...
- Marshall Islands: Japanese settlement in the Marshall IslandsJapanese settlement in the Marshall IslandsJapanese settlement in the Marshall Islands was spurred on by Japanese trade in the Pacific region. The first Japanese explorers arrived in the Marshall Islands in the late 19th century, although permanent settlements were not established until the 1920s. As compared to other Micronesian islands in...
- Palau: Japanese settlement in PalauJapanese settlement in PalauThere is a small Japanese community in Palau, which mainly consists of Japanese expatriates residing in Palau over a long-term basis. A few Japanese expatriates started to reside in Palau after it gained independence in 1994, and established long-term businesses in the country...