Amamians in Taiwan under Japanese rule

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00923
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 03020:Japanese history-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Takashima Tomoko 東京大学, 大学院情報学環・学際情報学府, 特任助教 (60600442)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 外地 / 地方史 / 近代史

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Taiwan, under Japanese rule in the modern era, was one of the destinations where the people of the Amami Islands went in search of work. According to the magazine “Amami Oshima”, there were more than 5,200 Amamians in Taiwan in the mid-1930s. They formed several hometown associations while living there as settlers. Some hometown associations organized by the elite Amamians group held regular meetings mainly for the purpose of friendship. On the other hand, Amami workers placed importance not only on fellowship but also on mutual aid activities. This was most likely done in small associations of people from the same village community or with the same occupation, and an example can be found in the Taiwan Niketsu Amami Association.

Free Research Field

日本近代史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本テーマは、近代において外地に居住した日本人の生活史研究の充実に寄与するものである。特に、これまであまり注目されてこなかった日本統治期台湾で生活経験のある奄美諸島出身者を対象としていることから、地政学上の狭間に置かれ続ける奄美諸島が突きつけられてきた自己認識の揺らぎや変容を考える手がかりとして、奄美諸島の近代史にも資する研究として位置付けることができる。なお、本研究で分析した雑誌記事はとりまとめてデータベース化している。