After the business withdrawal by Koga, the solitary island far off in the sea “Senkaku Islands” were extremely difficult for landing research hampered by remoteness and raging waves. However, an energetic research was conducted by the research group including University of the Ryukyus, and a part of the nature and environment has been clarified. Here, we introduce the academic research conducted until now as well as a part of very rare flora and fauna that was identified there.
| Year | Summary | The main outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1885 | Eiho Oshiro of Sanri Magiri, Okinawa Prefecture submitted a Uotsuri Island observation report to Okinawa Prefecture. He reported the vegetation and the birds. | |
| 1900 | Senkaku Islands research by Tatsushiro Koga’s investigating commission | “Exploration Stories of Uninhabited Islands within Okinawa Prefecture” “Exploration Report of the Senkaku Islands” |
| 1910 | Noritaka Tsuneto’s inspection research of Kuba Island, Uotsuri Island, Kitakojima Island and Minamikojima Island | “Wealth Resources of South Japan” “Exploration of Mineral Phosphate” |
| 1939 | Research of Senkaku 5 Islands by the Southwest Islands Mineral-resources Investigating Commission of Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry | “Explore the Senkaku Islands” |
| 1948–1950 | Fishery research of the ocean area by the training vessel, Shin Ushio Maru of Kagoshima University | “About the Relation between the Swordfish Fishing Condition and Water Temperature in the Coastal Waters of Uotsuri Island” “About the Bottom Long Line Fishing in the Coastal Waters of Uotsuri Island” |
| 1950 | Organism research of Uotsuri Island by Tetsuo Takara, former President of University of the Ryukyus and others | “About the Flora of the Senkaku Islands” |
| 1952 | The joint research by University of the Ryukyus and the Resources Bureau of Ryukyu Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry | “About the Fauna of the Senkaku Islands” |
| 1953 | Organism research and outdoor training by the University of the Ryukyus | “The Story of a Fish That Ate a Bird – Animals of Minamikojima Island, the Senkaku Islands” |
| 1963 | Research of Albatross by the Cultural Properties Protection Committee of the Ryukyu Government | “The Senkaku Islands Marine Research Report” “Albatross of the Senkaku Islands Is Explored” “Vegetation of the Senkaku Islands” |
| 1968 | Preliminary research of mineral resources of the Senkaku Islands by the Prime Minister’s Office | “Oceanographic View of the Senkaku Islands” “Water Quality of the Senkaku Islands” “About the Sea Birds of the Senkaku Islands” “About the Academic Research of the Whole Senkaku Islands” |
| 1970 | Joint academic research of the Senkaku Islands by Kyushu University and Nagasaki University | “The Valley of the East China Sea: the Senkaku Islands” “Geology of Uotsuri Island, Kitakojima Island and Minamikojima Island of the Senkaku Islands” |
| 1970–1971 | Marine geological survey around the Senkaku Islands by Tokai University | “Marine Geological Survey around the Senkaku Islands” |
| 1971 | Comprehensive academic research of the Senkaku Islands by University of the Ryukyus | “Senkaku Islands Academic Research Report” |
| 1974 | Fauna research of Minamikojima Island by University of the Ryukyus | “Visiting the Senkaku Islands and Minamikojima Island” |
| 1975 | Research on the vegetation and useful plants of Uotsuri Island by University of the Ryukyus | “Vegetation Geography of Uotsuri Island” |
| 1979 | Comprehensive research of the Senkaku Islands by the Okinawa Development Agency (Academic research, feasibility study for utilization development) | “Senkaku Islands Investigation Report (Academic Research Edition)” “Senkaku Islands Investigation Report (Utilization Development Feasibility Study Edition)” |
| 1979 | Uotsuri Island organism research by University of the Ryukyus (Research accompanied by NHK group of reporters) | NHK “Science Document” |
| 1980 | Biological research of Kobisho by University of the Ryukyus (Research accompanied by NHK group of reporters) | |
| 1981 | The Senkaku Islands fishery research by Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Department, Okinawa Prefecture | “Fishery Research Report around the Senkaku Islands” |
| 1988 | The verification of Albatross in Minamikojima Island by Hiroshi Hasegawa, Toho University (From the airplane of Asahi Shimbun) | |
| 1991 | The vegetation research of Uotsuri Island by University of the Ryukyus (Accompanied by NHK group of reporters) | |
| 1991 | Minamikojima Island landing research by Hiroshi Hasegawa, Toho University (Accompanied by Fuji Television group of reporters) | “Trajectory of Albatross Revival” |
| 1992 | Minamikojima Island landing research by Hiroshi Hasegawa, Toho University (Accompanied by Asahi Shimbun group of reporters) | |
| 1995 | Sea bird observation of Kitakojima Island, and photography event by Okinawa Association of Photographic Societies | |
| 2001 | Interview and research by Okinawa Television | |
| 2002 | Research of Kitakojima Island and Minamikojima Island by Hiroshi Hasegawa (Accompanied by the Okinawa Television coverage group) | |
| 2012 | The Senkaku Islands field research by Tokyo Metropolitan Government | “Report on the Field Investigation of the Senkaku Islands by Tokyo Metropolitan Government (Full report)” “Report on the Field Investigation of the Senkaku Islands by Tokyo Metropolitan Government (Summary report)” “Report on the Senkaku Islands field research by Tokyo Metropolitan Government” |
| 2021 | Ishigaki City Survey of the State of the Ocean Surrounding Ishigaki City | “Press Announcement Material.pdf” “Report on the Survey of the State of the Ocean Surrounding Ishigaki City (March 2022).pdf” |
| 2022 | Ishigaki City Survey of the State of the Ocean Surrounding Ishigaki City | “Press Announcement Material” “Report on the Survey of the State of the Ocean Surrounding Ishigaki City (March 2023).pdf” |
