A Study of Okinawa-Taiwan Relations in the 1980s and 1990s

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K20109
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0106:Political science and related fields
• Research Institution: Seikei University
• Principal Investigator: Komatsu Hiroshi 成蹊大学, アジア太平洋研究センター, 研究員 (50546314)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 自治体外交 / 地域外交 / パラディプロマシー / サブナショナル・ディプロマシー / 冷戦 / 基地問題 / 台湾有事 / 中台問題

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Despite the fact that the U.S. military bases in Okinawa are deeply involved in East Asian security, historical empirical research on the interaction between Okinawa and its neighbors is still insufficient. Therefore, this study has analyzed the actual state of relations between Okinawa and Taiwan in the 1980s and 1990s using primary historical documents.
The results are as follows. Until the 1990s, when the influence of the Cold War was strong, the left-wing progressive prefectural administration in Okinawa focused on China, while the right-wing conservative prefectural administration focused on Taiwan. On the Taiwanese side, it was essential to continue the informal but real relationship with Okinawa that had existed since the U.S. military occupation. On the Chinese side, the issue of Taiwan was of primary importance, and even in interactions between local governments, the principle that "Taiwan is part of China" was held to be true.

Free Research Field

国際関係論

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

学術的意義としては、国際政治学における非国家アクターとしての地方自治体（地方政府）の国際活動について、外交史的手法により、沖縄を事例する研究を提供できた。
社会的意義としては、いわゆる「台湾有事」への懸念が高まりつつあるとされる中で、沖縄と中台問題をめぐる今日の情勢へのインプリケーションを提示できた。すなわち、沖縄返還後の沖縄・台湾関係の歴史的経緯に関する実証研究の充実を図ることは、現実的かつ地に足の着いた議論に貢献できる。さらに台湾有事の際には実際の戦場となりうる沖縄から東アジアの平和と安全の可能性について議論する重要性を指摘した。