Japanese Jōmon 縄文 influences are dominant in the Okinawa Islands, although clay vessels in the Sakishima Islands 先島諸島 have a commonality with those in Taiwan. The first mention of the word Ryukyu 琉球 was written in the Book of Sui 隋書. This Ryukyu might refer to Taiwan, not the Ryukyu islands. Okinawa was the Japanese word depicting the islands, first seen in the biography of Jianzhen (a Chinese monk) 鑒真 (Japenese: Ganjin), written in 779.

The Ryūkyū Kingdom had a tributary relationship with the Chinese Empire beginning in the 15th century. In 1609 the Satsuma 薩摩 clan, which controlled the region that is now Kagoshima 鹿児島 Prefecture invaded the Ryūkyū Kingdom. Following the invasion the Ryūkyū Kingdom surrendered to the Satsuma and was forced to form a tributary relationship with Satsuma and the Tokugawa 徳川 shogunate, in addition to its previous relationship with China.

Four years after the 1868 Meiji Restoration 明治維新, the Japanese government, through military incursions, officially annexed the kingdom and renamed it Ryukyu han 藩 (fiefs of feudal lords of Japan). At the time, the Qing Dynasty 大清國 of China asserted sovereignty over the islands of the Ryūkyū Kingdom, since the Ryūkyū Kingdom was a tributary nation of China. The Okinawa han became a prefecture 県 of Japan in 1879, while all other hans had became prefectures of Japan in 1872.

Following the Battle of Okinawa and the end of World War II in 1945, Okinawa was under the United States administration for 27 years. During the trusteeship rule the USAF established numerous military bases on the Ryukyu islands.

In 1972, the U.S. government returned the islands to Japanese administration. Under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, the United States Forces Japan (USFJ) have maintained a large military presence. 27000 personnel, including 15000 Marines, contingents from the Navy, Army and Air Force, and their 22,000 family members are stationed in Okinawa. 18% of the main island was occupied by US military bases and 75% of all USFJ bases are located in Okinawa prefecture.

Jadi sebelum 1972 bagi orang Amerika, Okinawa atau Ryukyu bukanlah bagian Jepang.

Walaupun PR China dan RO China (Taiwan) tidak lagi memusingkan soal Ryukyu Kingdom menjadi bagian Jepang (Qing dinasti protes tindakan Jepang ini - tapi apa daya tak punya tenaga), bersamaan dengan AS memberikan atau mengembalikan Ryukyu/Okinawa ke Jepang, AS sekalian memeberikan kepada Jepang kepulauan Senkaku Islands 尖閣諸島 yang masih dalam sengketa dengan PR China dan juga RO China (Taiwan), dalam bahasa Tionghoa di sebut Diaoyutai Islands 釣魚台群島. Pulau utama dari kepulauan ini dalam bahasa Tionghoa pulau Diaoyutai 釣魚台島 (tempat memancing ikan) dalam bahasa Jepang pulau Uotsuri 魚釣島 yang punya arti yang sama.

The islands sit on the edge of the continental shelf of mainland Asia, and are separated from the Ryukyu Islands by a sea trench. Japan argues that these islets are part of the Ryukyu Islands. They are 170 kilometers (106 mi) north of Ishigaki Island, Japan; 186 km (116 mi) northeast of Keelung, Taiwan; and 410 km (255 mi) west of Okinawa Island. The group is made up of five small non-volcanic islands.

When the US was to hand over the disputed islands to Japan, the PRC and ROC governments protested and reiterated their sovereignty over the islands. The ROC made the official announcement on June 11, 1971, followed by the PRC on December 30. Despite the Chinese protest, the United States handed over the disputed islands to Japan in 1972.

Ada lagi pulau sengketa (tidak ada hubungan dengan Ryukyu) antara Korea Selatan dan Jepang, pulau ini sejak selesainya PD II diduduki oleh Korea Selatan. Dalam bahasa Korea disebut Dokdo (독도/獨島, literally solitary island), dalam bahasa Jepang disebut Takeshima, cara baca lain Jikuto (竹島, literally bamboo island). Walaupun pulau ini idak di-claim oleh PRC atau ROC, asal nama pulau ini seharusnya dari bahasa Tionghoa yang kira2 bunyinya seperti 獨島 Tu’-Tao dan 竹島 Cu’-Tao (ejaaan bhs Indonesia).