Tsushima Island
Encyclopedia
Tsushima Island is an island
of the Japanese Archipelago
situated in the middle of the Tsushima Strait
at 34°25'N and 129°20'E. The main island of Tsushima was once a single island, but the island was divided into two in 1671 by the Ōfunakosiseto canal and into three in 1900 by the Manzekiseto canal. Tsushima is composed of North Tsushima Island (Kami Jima), South Tsushima Islands (Shimo Jima), and over 100 smaller islands. Generally the name Tsushima refers to all the islands. The main three islands are the largest island of Nagasaki Prefecture
and the sixth largest in Japan
. (excluding Honshu
, Kyushu
, Shikoku
and Hokkaido
). The city of Tsushima
encompasses the entire island.
and Kyūshū
of the Japanese mainland. The Tsushima Strait
splits at the Tsushima Island Archipelago into two channels; the wider channel, also closer to the mainland of Japan, is the Tsushima Strait
. Ōfunakoshi-Seto and Manzeki-Seto, the two canals built in 1671 and 1900 respectively, connect the deep indentation of Asō Bay
to the east side of the island. The archipelago
comprises over 100 smaller islets in addition to the main island.
Tsushima is the closest Japanese territory to the Korean peninsula
, lying approximately 50 km from Busan
; on a clear day, the hills and mountains of the Korean peninsula are visible from the higher elevations on the two northern mountains. The nearest Japanese port Iki
, situated entirely in the Tsushima Basin
, is also 50 km away. Tsushima Island and Iki Island
contain the Iki–Tsushima Quasi-National Park, designated as a nature preserve and protected from further development. Much of Tsushima, 89%, is covered by natural vegetation and mountains.
The Japanese government administers Tsushima Island as a single entity, although artificial waterways have separated it into two islands connected by the narrow isthmus
outlined by the Aso Bay. The northern area is known as Kamino-shima
(上島), and the southern island as Shimono-shima
(下島). Both sub-islands have a pair of mountains: Shimo-no-shima has Mount Yatate (矢立山), 649 m (2,130 ft) high, and Ariake-yama (有明山), 558 m (1,831 ft) high. Kami-no-shima has Mi-take (御嶽), 487 m (1,598 ft). The two main sections of the island are now joined by a combination bridge and causeway. The island has a total area of 696.26 km2.
winds. The average temperature is 15.5°C, and the average yearly precipitation is 2,132.6 mm. The highest temperature ever recorded on the island is 36.0°C, in 1966, and the lowest –8.6°C, in 1895. Mostly throughout the year, Tsushima is 1 – 2°C cooler than the city of Nagasaki. The island's rainfall is generally larger than that of the main islands of Japan, which is attributed to the difference in their size. Because Tsushima is small and isolated, it is exposed on all sides to moist marine air, which releases precipitation as it ascends the island's steep slopes. Continental monsoon winds carry loess
(yellow sand) from China
in the spring and cool the island in the winter. The rainy season
begins and ends later than other areas in Nagasaki Prefecture, and Tsushima rarely suffers direct hits by typhoons.
, marten
s, and mice
. Migrating birds that make stops on island include hawk
s, harrier
s, eagle
s, and Black-throated Loons. Forest, which covers 90% of the island, consists of broad-leafed evergreens, conifers, and deciduous trees, including cypress. Honey bees are common, with many used to produce commercial honey.
on the eastern coast of the island. The number of employees in the primary industries has been decreasing, while employee growth in the secondary and tertiary industries has increased.
to the island in 1999. In 2008, 72,349 Koreans visited the island. Due to a drop in the value of the won
, the number fell to 45,266 in 2009. Korean tourists generate an estimated ¥2.1 billion in revenue for the local economy and generate about 260 jobs on the island.
Tsushima Airport
serves the island.
states that Tsushima was one of the eight original islands created by the Shinto
deities Izanagi
and Izanami
. Archeological evidence suggests that Tsushima was already inhabited by settlers from the Japanese archipelago
and Korean peninsula
from the Jōmon period
to the Kofun period
. According to the Sanguo Zhi, a Chinese historical
text, a thousand families in Tsushima founded the Tsuikaikoku (対海国). It was one of the about 30 that composed the Yamataikoku
union countries. These families exerted control over Iki Island
, and established trading links with Yayoi
Japan. Since Tsushima had almost no land to cultivate, islanders earned their living by fishing and trading.
Beginning in the early 6th century, Tsushima was a province of Japan, known as Tsushima Province
.
Under the Ritsuryō system
, Tsushima became a province of Japan
. This province was linked with Dazaifu, the political and economical center of Kyūshū
, as well as the central government of Japan. Due to its strategic location, Tsushima played a major role in defending Japan against invasions from the Asian continent and developing trade lines with Baekje
and Silla
of Korea. After Baekje, which was helped by Japan, was defeated by Silla and Tang Dynasty
forces at the Battle of Hakusukinoe
in 663, Japanese border guards were sent to Tsushima, and Kaneda Castle was constructed on the island.
Tsushima Province was controlled by the Tsushima no Kuni no miyatsuko
(対馬国造) until the Heian period
, and then by the Abiru clan
until the middle of the 13th century. The role and title of "Governor of Tsushima" was exclusively held by the Shōni clan
for generations. However, since the Shōni actually resided in Kyūshū, it was the Sō clan
, known subjects of the Shōni, who actually exerted control over these islands. The Sō clan governed Tsushima until the late 15th century.
, private trade started between Goryeo
, Tsushima, Iki
, and Kyūshū, but halted during the Mongol invasions of Japan
between 1274 and 1281. The Goryeosa
, a history of the Goryeo dynasty, mentions that in 1274, an army of Mongol troops that included many Korean soldiers killed a great number of people on the islands.
Tsushima became one of the major bases of the Wokou
, Japanese pirates, also called wakō, along with the Iki and Matsuura
. Due to repeated pirate raids, the Goryeo dynasty and the subsequent Joseon Dynasty
, at times placated the pirates by establishing trade agreements, as well as negotiating with the Muromachi shogunate and its deputy in Kyūshū, and at times used force to neutralize the pirates. In 1389, General Pak Wi (朴威) of Goryeo attempted to clear the island of Wokou pirates, but uprisings in Korea forced him to return home.
On June 19, 1419, the recently-abdicated king Taejong of Joseon
sent general Yi Jong-mu to an expedition to Tsushima island to clear it of the Wokou pirates, using a fleet of 227 vessels and 17,000 soldiers, known in Japanese as the Ōei Invasion
. The Japanese samurai drove out the Korean army to the Korean Peninsulaon July 3, 1419., and Korea gave up occupation of Tsushima . In 1443, the Daimyo of Tsushima, Sō Sadamori proposed a Gyehae treaty
. The number of trade ships from Tsushima to Korea was decided by this treaty, and the Sō clan monopolized the trade with Korea.
In 1510, Japanese traders initiated an uprising against Joseon's stricter policies on Japanese traders from Tsushima and Iki coming to Busan
, Ulsan
and Jinhae
to trade. The So Clan supported the uprising, but it was soon crushed. The uprising was later came to be known as the "Three-Ports Incident" (三浦の乱 (Sanbo-No-Ran) in Japan and 삼포왜란 in Korea). Trade resumed under the direction of King Jungjong
in 1512, but only under strictly limited terms, and only twenty-five ships were allowed to visit Joseon annually.
In the late 16th century, Japanese leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi
united the various feudal lords (daimyo) under his command. Planning to unite all factions with a common cause, Hideyoshi's coalition invaded Joseon Dynasty
Korea in an attack leading to the Seven-Year War. Tsushima was the main naval base for this invasion, and in continuing support of the war, large numbers of Korean laborers were transported to Tsushima until 1603.
After Japan's attempts at conquest failed, peace was re-established between the two nations. Once again, the islands became a port for merchants. Both the Joseon Dynasty and the Tokugawa shogunate
sent their trading representatives to Tsushima, governing trade until 1755.
Until the Meiji era
, Tsushima's status as a frontier between Japan and Korea, its heavy dependence on the Korean economy, as well as its unique institutions/systems of governance (which strongly resembled those of Korean, not Japanese, institutions - for instance, kanshaku law was a system of land measurement for taxation unique to Tsushima and identical to the Korean system of gyeolbu; Tsushima law resembled Korean law in its calculation of finances; "unfree labor" or slavery for fixed periods of time, always rare in any form in the rest of Japan, existed as an established institution, often as a form of punishment, in Tsushima as it did in Korea; internal exiling of criminals as a formal punishment was more likely modeled on Korean punishments than anything in Japanese codices; and according to Murai Shosuke, Tsushima was largely settled by what he terms "marginal men" prior to 1510) set it apart from other territories of Japan; while there is no doubt that most of the people there spoke a dialect of Japanese (that was heavily influenced, at least in vocabulary, by Korean), and that their daily customs, social structure, and economic interactions were largely culturally Japanese, whether or not they considered themselves "Korean" or "Japanese" does not seem to be an issue that can be addressed.
tried to establish a base on the island in 1861, but the effort failed due to British intervention. (See Tsushima Incident
).
As a result of the abolition of the han system
, the Tsushima Fuchu domain became part of Izuhara Prefecture in 1871. In the same year, Izuhara Prefecture was merged with Imari Prefecture, which was renamed Saga Prefecture
in 1872. Tsushima was transferred to Nagasaki Prefecture in 1872, and its districts of Kamiagata (上県) and Shimoagata (下県) were merged to form the modern city of Tsushima
. This change was part of widespread reforms within Japan which started after 1854. Japan was at this time becoming a modern nation state and regional power, with widespread changes in government, industry, and education.
After the First Sino-Japanese War
ended with the Treaty of Shimonoseki
, Japan felt humiliated when the Triple Intervention
of the three great powers of Germany, France, and Russia forced it to return the valuable Liaodong Peninsula to China under threat of force. Consequently, the Japanese leadership correctly anticipated that a war with Russia or another Western imperial power was eventually likely. Between 1895 and 1904, the Japanese navy blasted the Manzeki-Seto canal 25 m wide and 3 m deep, which was later expanded to 40 m wide and 4.5 m deep (Nagasaki prefectural website), through a mountainous rocky isthmus of the island, between Aso Bay
to the west and Tsushima Strait to the east, technically dividing the island into three islands (topographical map). Strategic concerns explain the scope and funding of the canal project by Japan during an era when it was still struggling to establish an industrial economy. The canal enabled the Japanese to move transports and warships quickly between their main naval bases in the Inland Sea (directly to the east), via the Kanmon and Tsushima Strait, into the Korea Strait
, or to destinations beyond in the Yellow Sea
.
During the Russo-Japanese War
in 1905, the Russian Baltic fleet under Admiral Rozhestvensky, after making an almost year-long trip to East Asia from the Baltic coast, was crushed by the Japanese under Admiral Togo Heihachiro
at the Battle of Tsushima
. The Japanese third squadron (cruisers) began shadowing the Russian fleet off the tip of the south island, and followed it through the Tsushima Strait where the main Japanese fleet waited. The battle began at slightly east-northeast of the northern island around midday, and ended to its north a day later when the Japanese surrounded the Russian Fleet. Few battles in history have been so decisive.
During the Korean War
when the Korean People's Army
approached the coastal areas of South Korea
near Busan
in August 1950, many prominent South Koreans took refuge in Tsushima.
In the 1973 one of the transmitters for the OMEGA-navigation system was built on Tsushima. It was dismantled in 1998.
Today, Tsushima is part of Nagasaki Prefecture
of Japan. On March 1, 2004, the six towns on the island, including Izuhara, Mitsushima, Toyotama, Mine, Kami-agata, and Kami-tsushima, were merged to create the city of Tsushima. About 700 Japan Self-Defense Forces
personnel are stationed on the island to watch the local coastal and ocean areas.
, South Korea, municipal assembly designated June 19 as "Daemado Day," (Daemado is the Korean pronunciation of the Chinese characters of Tsushima (對馬島)) and claimed the island as South Korean territory, stating that the island had been annexed by the Korean Joseon Dynasty
on that date in 1419. In 2008, 50 members of the parliament in South Korea proposed making another demand for Tsushima. A public opinion poll in Korea showed that 50.6% of the general populace agreed with the proposal.
A Japanese conservative group, called the Japan Conference (日本会議, Nihon Kaigi), has protested the purchase of land on Tsushima by Koreans, especially a fishing lodge operated by Koreans adjacent to the local Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
base. Eriko Yamatani
, a member of Japan's national government, has called for special legislation to restrict land sales to foreigners on the island and to implement measures to boost the local economy without having to depend heavily on South Korean tourists. Koreans own about 0.007 percent of the land on Tsushima.
On several occasions in 2009, right-wing Japanese nationalists (calling themselves 在特會新風) verbally attacked Korean visitors to Tsushima Island. Upon arrival at the port and on the streets of the island, the Koreans were greeted by the nationalists with chants of "go home" and "kimchi
s" or "Chosen-jin" ("Chosen" is the Japanese word for Korean peninsula
, and due to its frequent and often derogatory use during Japanese occupation of Korea, the phrase "Chosen-jin" has negative connotations in Korea and is often used by Japanese right-wing nationalists for that purpose.) The protests were extensively reported in the Korean media and videos of the incidents were posted on the internet.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
of the Japanese Archipelago
Japanese Archipelago
The , which forms the country of Japan, extends roughly from northeast to southwest along the northeastern coast of the Eurasia mainland, washing upon the northwestern shores of the Pacific Ocean...
situated in the middle of the Tsushima Strait
Tsushima Strait
is the eastern channel of the Korea Strait, which lies between Korea and Japan, connecting the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea.The Tsushima Strait is the broader eastern channel to the east and southeast of Tsushima Island, with the Japanese islands of Honshū to the east and northeast, and...
at 34°25'N and 129°20'E. The main island of Tsushima was once a single island, but the island was divided into two in 1671 by the Ōfunakosiseto canal and into three in 1900 by the Manzekiseto canal. Tsushima is composed of North Tsushima Island (Kami Jima), South Tsushima Islands (Shimo Jima), and over 100 smaller islands. Generally the name Tsushima refers to all the islands. The main three islands are the largest island of Nagasaki Prefecture
Nagasaki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.- History :Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province of Hizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki...
and the sixth largest in Japan
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...
. (excluding Honshu
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
, Kyushu
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
and Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
). The city of Tsushima
Tsushima, Nagasaki
is a city governed by Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. It is the only city of Tsushima Subprefecture and it encompasses all of Tsushima Island Archipelago, which lies in the Tsushima Strait north of Nagasaki on the western side of Kyūshū, the southernmost mainland island of Japan. the city has an...
encompasses the entire island.
Geography
Tsushima Island is located west of the Kanmon Strait at a latitude between HonshūHonshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
and Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
of the Japanese mainland. The Tsushima Strait
Tsushima Strait
is the eastern channel of the Korea Strait, which lies between Korea and Japan, connecting the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea.The Tsushima Strait is the broader eastern channel to the east and southeast of Tsushima Island, with the Japanese islands of Honshū to the east and northeast, and...
splits at the Tsushima Island Archipelago into two channels; the wider channel, also closer to the mainland of Japan, is the Tsushima Strait
Tsushima Strait
is the eastern channel of the Korea Strait, which lies between Korea and Japan, connecting the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea.The Tsushima Strait is the broader eastern channel to the east and southeast of Tsushima Island, with the Japanese islands of Honshū to the east and northeast, and...
. Ōfunakoshi-Seto and Manzeki-Seto, the two canals built in 1671 and 1900 respectively, connect the deep indentation of Asō Bay
Asō Bay
is a deep fjord that nearly cleaves in two the Japanese island of Tsushima. The bay is also notable for having a significant rias coastline, with various small islands found in close proximity to the shore....
to the east side of the island. The archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
comprises over 100 smaller islets in addition to the main island.
Tsushima is the closest Japanese territory to the Korean peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
, lying approximately 50 km from Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
; on a clear day, the hills and mountains of the Korean peninsula are visible from the higher elevations on the two northern mountains. The nearest Japanese port Iki
Iki, Nagasaki
is a city located at Iki Island in Nagasaki, Japan. It is located approximately 80 kilometers northeast of Fukuoka on mainland Kyūshū. The city consists of five inhabited and 17 uninhabited islands, and its entire area is within the Iki-Tsushima Quasi-National Park...
, situated entirely in the Tsushima Basin
Tsushima Basin
The or Ulleung Basin is an oceanic basin located where the Sea of Japan meets the Korea Strait. It lies immediately south of Ulleung-do and Liancourt Rocks, in the eastern end of the South Korean EEZ and the western end of the Japanese EEZ.In 1978, the Japanese government registered the name...
, is also 50 km away. Tsushima Island and Iki Island
Iki Island
Iki Island is an island lying between the island of Kyūshū and the Tsushima islands in the Tsushima Strait, the eastern channel of the Korea Strait. It is currently part of Nagasaki Prefecture of Japan. The city of Iki is the centre of the local government. The island has three ports.The island’s...
contain the Iki–Tsushima Quasi-National Park, designated as a nature preserve and protected from further development. Much of Tsushima, 89%, is covered by natural vegetation and mountains.
The Japanese government administers Tsushima Island as a single entity, although artificial waterways have separated it into two islands connected by the narrow isthmus
Isthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...
outlined by the Aso Bay. The northern area is known as Kamino-shima
Kamino-shima
or is the double-mountained 'northern end of Tsushima Island, which lies in the Korea / Tsushima Straits between the East China Sea to the south and the Sea of Japan to the north, and Korea to the west and mainland Japan to the east. The famous naval Battle of Tsushima was fought east...
(上島), and the southern island as Shimono-shima
Shimono-shima
or is the southern end of Tsushima Island, which lies in the Korea / Tsushima Straits between the East China Sea to the south and the Sea of Japan to the north, and Korea to the west and mainland Japan to the east....
(下島). Both sub-islands have a pair of mountains: Shimo-no-shima has Mount Yatate (矢立山), 649 m (2,130 ft) high, and Ariake-yama (有明山), 558 m (1,831 ft) high. Kami-no-shima has Mi-take (御嶽), 487 m (1,598 ft). The two main sections of the island are now joined by a combination bridge and causeway. The island has a total area of 696.26 km2.
Climate
Tsushima has a marine subtropical climate strongly influenced by the monsoonMonsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
winds. The average temperature is 15.5°C, and the average yearly precipitation is 2,132.6 mm. The highest temperature ever recorded on the island is 36.0°C, in 1966, and the lowest –8.6°C, in 1895. Mostly throughout the year, Tsushima is 1 – 2°C cooler than the city of Nagasaki. The island's rainfall is generally larger than that of the main islands of Japan, which is attributed to the difference in their size. Because Tsushima is small and isolated, it is exposed on all sides to moist marine air, which releases precipitation as it ascends the island's steep slopes. Continental monsoon winds carry loess
Loess
Loess is an aeolian sediment formed by the accumulation of wind-blown silt, typically in the 20–50 micrometre size range, twenty percent or less clay and the balance equal parts sand and silt that are loosely cemented by calcium carbonate...
(yellow sand) from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in the spring and cool the island in the winter. The rainy season
Wet season
The the wet season, or rainy season, is the time of year, covering one or more months, when most of the average annual rainfall in a region occurs. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the...
begins and ends later than other areas in Nagasaki Prefecture, and Tsushima rarely suffers direct hits by typhoons.
Ecology
The island is inhabited by Tsushima cat, wild boar, deerDeer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, marten
Marten
The martens constitute the genus Martes within the subfamily Mustelinae, in family Mustelidae.-Description:Martens are slender, agile animals, adapted to living in taigas, and are found in coniferous and northern deciduous forests across the northern hemisphere. They have bushy tails, and large...
s, and mice
MICE
-Fiction:*Mice , alien species in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy*The Mice -Acronyms:* "Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions", facilities terminology for events...
. Migrating birds that make stops on island include hawk
Hawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
s, harrier
Harrier (bird)
A harrier is any of the several species of diurnal hawks forming the Circinae sub-family of the Accipitridae family of birds of prey. Harriers characteristically hunt by flying low over open ground, feeding on small mammals, reptiles, or birds....
s, eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
s, and Black-throated Loons. Forest, which covers 90% of the island, consists of broad-leafed evergreens, conifers, and deciduous trees, including cypress. Honey bees are common, with many used to produce commercial honey.
Industry
According to a 2000 census, 23.9% of the local population is employed in primary industries, while 19.7% and 56.4% of the population are employed in secondary and tertiary industries, respectively. Of these economic activities, fishing amounts to 82.6% of the primary industry, with much of it dedicated to catching squidSquid
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...
on the eastern coast of the island. The number of employees in the primary industries has been decreasing, while employee growth in the secondary and tertiary industries has increased.
Tourism
Tourism, targeting mainly South Koreans, has recently made a great contribution to the islands' economy. The number of Korean tourists to the island increased greatly after the launching of a high-speed ferry service from BusanBusan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
to the island in 1999. In 2008, 72,349 Koreans visited the island. Due to a drop in the value of the won
Korean won
The won was the currency of Korea between 1902 and 1910. It was subdivided into 100 chon .-Etymology:Won is a cognate of the Chinese yuan and Japanese yen.-History:...
, the number fell to 45,266 in 2009. Korean tourists generate an estimated ¥2.1 billion in revenue for the local economy and generate about 260 jobs on the island.
Tsushima Airport
Tsushima Airport
Tsushima Airport is an airport located northeast Tsushima, a city in the Nagasaki Prefecture of Japan.-Airlines and destinations:...
serves the island.
Early history
Japanese mythologyJapanese mythology
Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculturally based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon comprises innumerable kami...
states that Tsushima was one of the eight original islands created by the Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
deities Izanagi
Izanagi
is a deity born of the seven divine generations in Japanese mythology and Shinto, and is also referred to in the roughly translated Kojiki as "male-who-invites" or Izanagi-no-mikoto. It is also pronounced Izanaki-no-Okami....
and Izanami
Izanami
In Japanese mythology, is a goddess of both creation and death, as well as the former wife of the god Izanagi-no-Mikoto. She is also referred to as Izanami-no-kami.-Goddess of Creation:...
. Archeological evidence suggests that Tsushima was already inhabited by settlers from the Japanese archipelago
Japanese Archipelago
The , which forms the country of Japan, extends roughly from northeast to southwest along the northeastern coast of the Eurasia mainland, washing upon the northwestern shores of the Pacific Ocean...
and Korean peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
from the Jōmon period
Jomon period
The is the time in Japanese prehistory from about 14,000 BC to 300 BC.The term jōmon means "cord-patterned" in Japanese. This refers to the pottery style characteristic of the Jōmon culture, and which has markings made using sticks with cords wrapped around them...
to the Kofun period
Kofun period
The is an era in the history of Japan from around 250 to 538. It follows the Yayoi period. The word kofun is Japanese for the type of burial mounds dating from this era. The Kofun and the subsequent Asuka periods are sometimes referred to collectively as the Yamato period...
. According to the Sanguo Zhi, a Chinese historical
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
text, a thousand families in Tsushima founded the Tsuikaikoku (対海国). It was one of the about 30 that composed the Yamataikoku
Yamataikoku
or is the Sino-Japanese name of an ancient country in Wa during the late Yayoi period . The Chinese history Sanguo Zhi first recorded Yemetaiguo or Yemayiguo as the domain of shaman Queen Himiko...
union countries. These families exerted control over Iki Island
Iki Island
Iki Island is an island lying between the island of Kyūshū and the Tsushima islands in the Tsushima Strait, the eastern channel of the Korea Strait. It is currently part of Nagasaki Prefecture of Japan. The city of Iki is the centre of the local government. The island has three ports.The island’s...
, and established trading links with Yayoi
Yayoi period
The is an Iron Age era in the history of Japan traditionally dated 300 BC to 300 AD. It is named after the neighbourhood of Tokyo where archaeologists first uncovered artifacts and features from that era. Distinguishing characteristics of the Yayoi period include the appearance of new...
Japan. Since Tsushima had almost no land to cultivate, islanders earned their living by fishing and trading.
Beginning in the early 6th century, Tsushima was a province of Japan, known as Tsushima Province
Tsushima Province
was an old province of Japan on Tsushima Island which occupied the area corresponding to modern-day Tsushima, Nagasaki. It was sometimes called .-Political History:...
.
Under the Ritsuryō system
Ritsuryo
is the historical law system based on the philosophies of Confucianism and Chinese Legalism in Japan. The political system in accord to Ritsuryō is called "Ritsuryō-sei"...
, Tsushima became a province of Japan
Provinces of Japan
Before the modern prefecture system was established, the land of Japan was divided into tens of kuni , usually known in English as provinces. Each province was divided into gun ....
. This province was linked with Dazaifu, the political and economical center of Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, as well as the central government of Japan. Due to its strategic location, Tsushima played a major role in defending Japan against invasions from the Asian continent and developing trade lines with Baekje
Baekje
Baekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
and Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
of Korea. After Baekje, which was helped by Japan, was defeated by Silla and Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
forces at the Battle of Hakusukinoe
Battle of Baekgang
The Battle of Baekgang, also known as Battle of Baekgang-gu or by the Japanese name Battle of Hakusukinoe , was a battle between Baekje restoration forces and their ally, Yamato Japan, against the allied forces of Silla and the Tang Dynasty of ancient China...
in 663, Japanese border guards were sent to Tsushima, and Kaneda Castle was constructed on the island.
Tsushima Province was controlled by the Tsushima no Kuni no miyatsuko
Kuni no miyatsuko
Kuni no miyatsuko were officials in ancient Japan at the time of the Yamato court.They were in charge of provinces , although it is not always very clear what those provinces were...
(対馬国造) until the Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
, and then by the Abiru clan
Abiru clan
The was a Japanese clan which served the Kamakura shogunate as local officials on Tsushima. It is believed the clan may have been derived from the Taira clan, but the validity of this notion is not fully evident from primary sources....
until the middle of the 13th century. The role and title of "Governor of Tsushima" was exclusively held by the Shōni clan
Shoni clan
was a family of Japanese nobles descended from the Fujiwara family, many of whom held high government offices in Kyūshū. Prior to the Kamakura period , "Shōni" was originally a title and post within the Kyūshū government, roughly translating to "Junior Counselor", and working under a Daini...
for generations. However, since the Shōni actually resided in Kyūshū, it was the Sō clan
So clan
The Sō were a Japanese clan claiming descent from Taira Tomomori. The clan governed and held Tsushima Island from the 13th-century through the late 19th-century, from the Kamakura period until the end of the Edo period and the Meiji restoration....
, known subjects of the Shōni, who actually exerted control over these islands. The Sō clan governed Tsushima until the late 15th century.
Medieval history
Tsushima was an important trade center during this period. After the Toi invasionToi invasion
The Toi invasion was the invasion of northern Kyūshū by Jurchen pirates in 1019. Toi meant barbarian in the Korean language at the time....
, private trade started between Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
, Tsushima, Iki
Iki Island
Iki Island is an island lying between the island of Kyūshū and the Tsushima islands in the Tsushima Strait, the eastern channel of the Korea Strait. It is currently part of Nagasaki Prefecture of Japan. The city of Iki is the centre of the local government. The island has three ports.The island’s...
, and Kyūshū, but halted during the Mongol invasions of Japan
Mongol invasions of Japan
The ' of 1274 and 1281 were major military efforts undertaken by Kublai Khan to conquer the Japanese islands after the submission of Goryeo to vassaldom. Despite their ultimate failure, the invasion attempts are of macrohistorical importance, because they set a limit on Mongol expansion, and rank...
between 1274 and 1281. The Goryeosa
Goryeosa
The Goryeosa or History of Goryeo is the principal surviving history of Korea's Goryeo Dynasty. It was composed nearly a century after the fall of Goryeo, during the reign of King Sejong...
, a history of the Goryeo dynasty, mentions that in 1274, an army of Mongol troops that included many Korean soldiers killed a great number of people on the islands.
Tsushima became one of the major bases of the Wokou
Wokou
Wokou , which literally translates as "Japanese pirates" in English, were pirates of varying origins who raided the coastlines of China and Korea from the 13th century onwards...
, Japanese pirates, also called wakō, along with the Iki and Matsuura
Matsuura, Nagasaki
is a city located in Nagasaki, Japan. Matsuura City is bordered on three sides by mountains. Matsuura Bay makes up the fourth side.-History:Mention of a "Matsuura County" appears in written records from the Heian period, and this area was the home of the Matsuura clan, a local warrior clan...
. Due to repeated pirate raids, the Goryeo dynasty and the subsequent Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
, at times placated the pirates by establishing trade agreements, as well as negotiating with the Muromachi shogunate and its deputy in Kyūshū, and at times used force to neutralize the pirates. In 1389, General Pak Wi (朴威) of Goryeo attempted to clear the island of Wokou pirates, but uprisings in Korea forced him to return home.
On June 19, 1419, the recently-abdicated king Taejong of Joseon
Taejong of Joseon
King Taejong was the third king of the Joseon Dynasty in Korea and the father of King Sejong the Great.-Founding of Joseon:...
sent general Yi Jong-mu to an expedition to Tsushima island to clear it of the Wokou pirates, using a fleet of 227 vessels and 17,000 soldiers, known in Japanese as the Ōei Invasion
Oei Invasion
The , known as the Gihae Eastern Expedition in Korea, was the 1419 military expedition from Joseon against pirate bases on Tsushima Island, which is located in the middle of the Korea Strait between the Korean Peninsula and Kyushu....
. The Japanese samurai drove out the Korean army to the Korean Peninsulaon July 3, 1419., and Korea gave up occupation of Tsushima . In 1443, the Daimyo of Tsushima, Sō Sadamori proposed a Gyehae treaty
Treaty of Gyehae
Also called in Japan, the Gyehae Treaty was signed in 1443 between the Joseon dynasty and Sō Sadamori as a means of controlling Japanese piracy and legitimizing trade between Tsushima island and three Korean ports.-Precedents:...
. The number of trade ships from Tsushima to Korea was decided by this treaty, and the Sō clan monopolized the trade with Korea.
In 1510, Japanese traders initiated an uprising against Joseon's stricter policies on Japanese traders from Tsushima and Iki coming to Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
, Ulsan
Ulsan
Ulsan , officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's seventh largest metropolis with a population of over 1.1 million. It is located in the south-east of the country, neighboring Busan to the south and facing Gyeongju to the north and the Sea of Japan to the east.Ulsan is the...
and Jinhae
Jinhae
Jinhae is a district in Changwon City, South Korea. This region is served by the Korean National Railroad, and is famous for its annual cherry blossom festival every spring....
to trade. The So Clan supported the uprising, but it was soon crushed. The uprising was later came to be known as the "Three-Ports Incident" (三浦の乱 (Sanbo-No-Ran) in Japan and 삼포왜란 in Korea). Trade resumed under the direction of King Jungjong
Jungjong of Joseon
Jungjong of Joseon , born Yi Yeok, ruled during the 16th century in what is now Korea. He succeeded his half-brother, Yeonsangun, because of the latter's tyranical misrule, which culminated in a coup placing Jungjong on the throne.-Jo Gwang-jo's reforms:On the day Yeonsangun was deposed, soldiers...
in 1512, but only under strictly limited terms, and only twenty-five ships were allowed to visit Joseon annually.
In the late 16th century, Japanese leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
united the various feudal lords (daimyo) under his command. Planning to unite all factions with a common cause, Hideyoshi's coalition invaded Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
Korea in an attack leading to the Seven-Year War. Tsushima was the main naval base for this invasion, and in continuing support of the war, large numbers of Korean laborers were transported to Tsushima until 1603.
After Japan's attempts at conquest failed, peace was re-established between the two nations. Once again, the islands became a port for merchants. Both the Joseon Dynasty and the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
sent their trading representatives to Tsushima, governing trade until 1755.
Until the Meiji era
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, Tsushima's status as a frontier between Japan and Korea, its heavy dependence on the Korean economy, as well as its unique institutions/systems of governance (which strongly resembled those of Korean, not Japanese, institutions - for instance, kanshaku law was a system of land measurement for taxation unique to Tsushima and identical to the Korean system of gyeolbu; Tsushima law resembled Korean law in its calculation of finances; "unfree labor" or slavery for fixed periods of time, always rare in any form in the rest of Japan, existed as an established institution, often as a form of punishment, in Tsushima as it did in Korea; internal exiling of criminals as a formal punishment was more likely modeled on Korean punishments than anything in Japanese codices; and according to Murai Shosuke, Tsushima was largely settled by what he terms "marginal men" prior to 1510) set it apart from other territories of Japan; while there is no doubt that most of the people there spoke a dialect of Japanese (that was heavily influenced, at least in vocabulary, by Korean), and that their daily customs, social structure, and economic interactions were largely culturally Japanese, whether or not they considered themselves "Korean" or "Japanese" does not seem to be an issue that can be addressed.
Modern history
The Imperial Russian NavyImperial Russian Navy
The Imperial Russian Navy refers to the Tsarist fleets prior to the February Revolution.-First Romanovs:Under Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich, construction of the first three-masted ship, actually built within Russia, was completed in 1636. It was built in Balakhna by Danish shipbuilders from Holstein...
tried to establish a base on the island in 1861, but the effort failed due to British intervention. (See Tsushima Incident
Tsushima Incident
The Tsushima Incident occurred in 1861 when the Russians attempted to establish a year-round anchorage on the coast of the island of Tsushima, a Japanese territory located between Honshu and Korea.-Arrival of the Posadnik:...
).
As a result of the abolition of the han system
Abolition of the han system
The was an act, in 1871, of the new Meiji government of the Empire of Japan to replace the traditional feudal domain system and to introduce centralized government authority . This process marked the culmination of the Meiji Restoration in that all daimyo were required to return their authority...
, the Tsushima Fuchu domain became part of Izuhara Prefecture in 1871. In the same year, Izuhara Prefecture was merged with Imari Prefecture, which was renamed Saga Prefecture
Saga Prefecture
is located in the northwest part of the island of Kyūshū, Japan. It touches both the Sea of Japan and the Ariake Sea. The western part of the prefecture is a region famous for producing ceramics and porcelain, particularly the towns of Karatsu, Imari, and Arita...
in 1872. Tsushima was transferred to Nagasaki Prefecture in 1872, and its districts of Kamiagata (上県) and Shimoagata (下県) were merged to form the modern city of Tsushima
Tsushima, Nagasaki
is a city governed by Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. It is the only city of Tsushima Subprefecture and it encompasses all of Tsushima Island Archipelago, which lies in the Tsushima Strait north of Nagasaki on the western side of Kyūshū, the southernmost mainland island of Japan. the city has an...
. This change was part of widespread reforms within Japan which started after 1854. Japan was at this time becoming a modern nation state and regional power, with widespread changes in government, industry, and education.
After the First Sino-Japanese War
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
ended with the Treaty of Shimonoseki
Treaty of Shimonoseki
The Treaty of Shimonoseki , known as the Treaty of Maguan in China, was signed at the Shunpanrō hall on April 17, 1895, between the Empire of Japan and Qing Empire of China, ending the First Sino-Japanese War. The peace conference took place from March 20 to April 17, 1895...
, Japan felt humiliated when the Triple Intervention
Triple Intervention
The was a diplomatic intervention by Russia, Germany, and France on 23 April 1895 over the terms of the Treaty of Shimonoseki signed between Japan and Qing dynasty China that ended the First Sino-Japanese War.-Treaty of Shimonoseki:...
of the three great powers of Germany, France, and Russia forced it to return the valuable Liaodong Peninsula to China under threat of force. Consequently, the Japanese leadership correctly anticipated that a war with Russia or another Western imperial power was eventually likely. Between 1895 and 1904, the Japanese navy blasted the Manzeki-Seto canal 25 m wide and 3 m deep, which was later expanded to 40 m wide and 4.5 m deep (Nagasaki prefectural website), through a mountainous rocky isthmus of the island, between Aso Bay
Asō Bay
is a deep fjord that nearly cleaves in two the Japanese island of Tsushima. The bay is also notable for having a significant rias coastline, with various small islands found in close proximity to the shore....
to the west and Tsushima Strait to the east, technically dividing the island into three islands (topographical map). Strategic concerns explain the scope and funding of the canal project by Japan during an era when it was still struggling to establish an industrial economy. The canal enabled the Japanese to move transports and warships quickly between their main naval bases in the Inland Sea (directly to the east), via the Kanmon and Tsushima Strait, into the Korea Strait
Korea Strait
The Korea Strait is a sea passage between South Korea and Japan, connecting the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan in the northwest Pacific Ocean...
, or to destinations beyond in the Yellow Sea
Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...
.
During the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
in 1905, the Russian Baltic fleet under Admiral Rozhestvensky, after making an almost year-long trip to East Asia from the Baltic coast, was crushed by the Japanese under Admiral Togo Heihachiro
Togo Heihachiro
Fleet Admiral Marquis was a Fleet Admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy and one of Japan's greatest naval heroes. He was termed by Western journalists as "the Nelson of the East".-Early life:...
at the Battle of Tsushima
Battle of Tsushima
The Battle of Tsushima , commonly known as the “Sea of Japan Naval Battle” in Japan and the “Battle of Tsushima Strait”, was the major naval battle fought between Russia and Japan during the Russo-Japanese War...
. The Japanese third squadron (cruisers) began shadowing the Russian fleet off the tip of the south island, and followed it through the Tsushima Strait where the main Japanese fleet waited. The battle began at slightly east-northeast of the northern island around midday, and ended to its north a day later when the Japanese surrounded the Russian Fleet. Few battles in history have been so decisive.
During the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
when the Korean People's Army
Korean People's Army
The Korean People's Army , also known as the Inmin Gun, are the military forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kim Jong-il is the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army and Chairman of the National Defence Commission...
approached the coastal areas of South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
near Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
in August 1950, many prominent South Koreans took refuge in Tsushima.
In the 1973 one of the transmitters for the OMEGA-navigation system was built on Tsushima. It was dismantled in 1998.
Today, Tsushima is part of Nagasaki Prefecture
Nagasaki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.- History :Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province of Hizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki...
of Japan. On March 1, 2004, the six towns on the island, including Izuhara, Mitsushima, Toyotama, Mine, Kami-agata, and Kami-tsushima, were merged to create the city of Tsushima. About 700 Japan Self-Defense Forces
Japan Self-Defense Forces
The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II Allied occupation of Japan. For most of the post-war period the JSDF was confined to the islands of Japan and not permitted to be deployed...
personnel are stationed on the island to watch the local coastal and ocean areas.
Territorial claims and disputes
In March 2005, the MasanMasan
Masan was a formerly a municipal city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. The city was situated on Masan Bay , approximately 35 km west of Busan. It was known for its textile industry, and it was the site of Hite Brewery's production facilities.During the control of the Mongolians, the...
, South Korea, municipal assembly designated June 19 as "Daemado Day," (Daemado is the Korean pronunciation of the Chinese characters of Tsushima (對馬島)) and claimed the island as South Korean territory, stating that the island had been annexed by the Korean Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
on that date in 1419. In 2008, 50 members of the parliament in South Korea proposed making another demand for Tsushima. A public opinion poll in Korea showed that 50.6% of the general populace agreed with the proposal.
A Japanese conservative group, called the Japan Conference (日本会議, Nihon Kaigi), has protested the purchase of land on Tsushima by Koreans, especially a fishing lodge operated by Koreans adjacent to the local Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
The , or JMSDF, is the naval branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. It was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy after World War II....
base. Eriko Yamatani
Eriko Yamatani
is a Japanese politician. Her real name is Eriko Ogawa 小川 恵里子.Born in Musashino, Tokyo, her father was Sankei Shimbun, a newspaper reporter. She spent her childhood in Fukui city, where her wealthy family ran the geisha ryokan Beniya at Awara Onsen. Later her father was defeated in the general...
, a member of Japan's national government, has called for special legislation to restrict land sales to foreigners on the island and to implement measures to boost the local economy without having to depend heavily on South Korean tourists. Koreans own about 0.007 percent of the land on Tsushima.
On several occasions in 2009, right-wing Japanese nationalists (calling themselves 在特會新風) verbally attacked Korean visitors to Tsushima Island. Upon arrival at the port and on the streets of the island, the Koreans were greeted by the nationalists with chants of "go home" and "kimchi
Kimchi
Kimchi , also spelled gimchi, kimchee, or kim chee, is a traditional fermented Korean dish made of vegetables with varied seasonings. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made with a main vegetable ingredient such as napa cabbage, radish, green onions or cucumber. It is the most common...
s" or "Chosen-jin" ("Chosen" is the Japanese word for Korean peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
, and due to its frequent and often derogatory use during Japanese occupation of Korea, the phrase "Chosen-jin" has negative connotations in Korea and is often used by Japanese right-wing nationalists for that purpose.) The protests were extensively reported in the Korean media and videos of the incidents were posted on the internet.
Notable people from Tsushima
- Tsuyoshi ShinjoTsuyoshi Shinjois a former Japanese professional baseball outfielder.-Career:Born in Tsushima, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan and raised in Minami-ku, Fukuoka, he played for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan from until , then for Major League Baseball's New York Mets and San Francisco Giants...
- Baseball player - Misia - Japanese singer
Further reading
- Ian Nish, A Short History of JAPAN, 1968, LoCCC# 68-16796, Fredrick A. Praeger, Inc., New York, 238 pp.
-
- British Title and Publisher: The Story of Japan, 1968, Farber and Farber, Ltd.
- Edwin O Reischauer, Japan - The Story of a Nation, 1970, LoCCC# 77-10895 Afred A. Knopf, Inc., New York. 345 pp. plus index.
- Previously published as Japan Past and Present, 4 Editions, 1946–1964.
- British Title and Publisher: The Story of Japan, 1968, Farber and Farber, Ltd.
See also
- History of JapanHistory of JapanThe history of Japan encompasses the history of the islands of Japan and the Japanese people, spanning the ancient history of the region to the modern history of Japan as a nation state. Following the last ice age, around 12,000 BC, the rich ecosystem of the Japanese Archipelago fostered human...
- Oei InvasionOei InvasionThe , known as the Gihae Eastern Expedition in Korea, was the 1419 military expedition from Joseon against pirate bases on Tsushima Island, which is located in the middle of the Korea Strait between the Korean Peninsula and Kyushu....
- Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598)
- Battle of TsushimaBattle of TsushimaThe Battle of Tsushima , commonly known as the “Sea of Japan Naval Battle” in Japan and the “Battle of Tsushima Strait”, was the major naval battle fought between Russia and Japan during the Russo-Japanese War...
- Russo-Japanese WarRusso-Japanese WarThe Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
- Oei Invasion
- Japanese-Korean disputes
- Sō clanSo clanThe Sō were a Japanese clan claiming descent from Taira Tomomori. The clan governed and held Tsushima Island from the 13th-century through the late 19th-century, from the Kamakura period until the end of the Edo period and the Meiji restoration....
- Tsushima Fuchū DomainTsushima Fuchu domainThe Tsushima Fuchū domain , also called the Tsushima domain, was a domain of Japan during the Edo period that controlled Tsushima Province and a small portion of Hizen Province. It was ruled by the Sō clan...
- Tsushima ProvinceTsushima Provincewas an old province of Japan on Tsushima Island which occupied the area corresponding to modern-day Tsushima, Nagasaki. It was sometimes called .-Political History:...
- Tsushima SubprefectureTsushima SubprefectureTsushima Subprefecture is an administrative subdivision of Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. This subprefecture is the administrative body for the Tsushima Island which lie between Kyūshū and the Korean Peninsula...
- OMEGA Navigation SystemOMEGA Navigation SystemOMEGA was the first truly global radio navigation system for aircraft, operated by the United States in cooperation with six partner nations.-History:OMEGA was originally developed by the United States Navy for military aviation users...
Shushi-Wan Transmitter