Japanese settlement in Micronesia

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.^[1] A few Japanese also resided in Kiribati^[2] and Nauru^[3] 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.^[4] 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,^[5] and constitute a sizeable minority in the each of the territories' populace.^[6]

Main articles

• Federated States of Micronesia: Japanese settlement in the Federated States of Micronesia
• Kiribati: Japanese settlement in Kiribati
• Marshall Islands: Japanese settlement in the Marshall Islands
• Palau: Japanese settlement in Palau

See also

• Koreans in Micronesia

References

1. ^ Poyer (2001), p. 131
2. ^ McQuarrie (2000), p. 7
3. ^ Crocombe (2007), p. 46
4. ^ Crocombe (2007), p. 90
5. ^ Kiste et al. (1999), p. 206
6. ^ Foundation for Advanced Studies in International Development (Japan), Kimio Fujita, October 7, 2005

Bibliography

• Crocombe, R. G., Asia in the Pacific Islands: Replacing the West, 2007, ISBN 9820203880
• Kiste, Robert C.; Marshall, Mac, American Anthropology in Micronesia: An Assessment, University of Hawaii Press, 1999, ISBN 0824820177
• McQuarrie, Peter, Conflict in Kiribati: A History of the Second World War, Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies, University of Canterbury, 2000, ISBN 1877175218
• Poyer, Lin; Falgout, Suzanne; Carucci, Laurence Marshall, The Typhoon of War: Micronesian Experiences of the Pacific War, University of Hawaii Press, 2001, ISBN 0824821688