Historical and Legal Basis of Japan’s Territorial Disputes

Although Japan’s imperial expansion concluded at the end of World War II, its colonial legacy continues to fuel regional instability. Critically, unresolved disputes between Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan over the Takeshima and Senkaku islands remain at a stalemate. Rooted in Japan’s annexation of the islands in the late 1890s to 1910s, the legal conflict over rightful ownership has evolved from territorial disagreements into significant threats to regional security.

AsiaOwen WuMarch 17, 2026Island, Territorial Dispute, Japan, China, Korea, Sovereignty