Invasion of the Ryukyu Kingdom by the Satsuma Domain, resulting in the former’s being reduced to a vassal state of the latter
The 1609 Satsuma invasion subjugated the Ryukyu Kingdom as a vassal state, reshaping East Asian geopolitics until Japan's formal annexation in 1879.
Key Facts
- Duration
- March to May 1609
- Aggressor
- Satsuma Domain (Japanese feudal domain)
- Outcome
- Ryukyu Kingdom reduced to vassal state of Satsuma
- Territories reintegrated
- Amami Islands returned to Satsuma control
- Vassal status ended
- 1879, formal annexation as Okinawa Prefecture
- Resistance
- Ryukyuan military resisted on all but one island
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Satsuma domain sought to reclaim former territories, including the Amami Islands, that had been seized by the Ryukyu Kingdom, and to assert feudal dominance over the prosperous kingdom. Japan's desire to extend control over Ryukyu's lucrative trade networks with China further motivated the campaign.
From March to May 1609, Satsuma forces invaded the Ryukyu Kingdom, meeting stiff Ryukyuan military resistance on nearly every island encountered. The campaign ultimately succeeded in subduing the kingdom, compelling it to accept the status of a vassal state under Satsuma while retaining its existing tributary relationship with China.
The Ryukyu Kingdom became a vassal of Satsuma, existing in a dual subordinate relationship with both Japan and China for over two and a half centuries. The Amami Islands were formally reintegrated into Satsuma. This arrangement persisted until Japan formally annexed Ryukyu as Okinawa Prefecture in 1879.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent