Analysis of International Law on the Legal Status of the Ryukyu Islands——New Methods for the Settlement of the Disputes on the East China Sea

The Ryukyu Islands are a chain of islands between Eurasia and the Pacific Ocean.Because of the importance of their geographic situation, the Ryukyu Islands have become a focus where many countries compete.Until today, many regards on the legal status of the Ryukyu Islands are uncertain.Moreover, the Ryukyu Islands issue is also directly related to the settlement of Sino-Japanese dispute on the Diaoyu Islands and the East China Sea, and the security of Northeast Asia.Therefore, the Ryukyu Islands issue is an important topic in international relations.This paper intended to study the legal status of the Ryukyu Islands and the development of the northeast Asian situation from the viewpoints of international law.