Interactive perspectives to see the island world from the sea, and to see the ocean from the island are proposed as a new approach in the study of island history and culture. Special emphasis is paid to entry rights and territoriality in fishing. Examples are provided from the author's field research in Micronesia, Indonesia and Japan.
In modern Japan, agreements over entry rights are documented between fishermen coming from the outside and those who accept them as their counterparts. These agreements are often based on customary practices during back to feudal periods. However, territorial claims by local fishermen to exclude outsiders from claimed sea space has also been guaranteed. The existence of privileged fishermen who can use extensive sea areas for fishing among contemporary Itoman fishermen and ama-divers during historic periods (12 and 15 centuries) clearly demonstrates the top-down organization of political authority. In Japan, these formal aspects are a key to an understanding of modern Japanese fisheries. Double standards applied to incoming fishermen in the Kai Islands of eastern Indonesia suggest changing perceptions of the postwar modernization of fishing. Historical transformations in the practices of entry rights and territoriality thus reveal the dynamic aspects of the study of island-sea interactions.

View full abstract

The author classified classical mutural community support systems specific for poor islander whom are on the brink of ruin. His central concerns are on “Island of Poverty;” in Japan, which resources for restoration and redevelolpment are the opportunity to use land on the uninhabited very tiny islet, and sea surrounding. These are commons or a quasi commons of mother island's community, sometimes even which are houses they use and live in. He classified also historical and managerial differences between “Island of Poverty; Uu-jima, Oominase-jima, Ote-shima and Yuri-jima;” and similar systems in detail. These differences in detail are mainly based on the documents and new fact findings by his field-work.

View full abstract

The “region”, sub-national entity in Europe, plays some more important roles in a place of Nation-States in a context of European integration. However, “island regions” around European Continent have a risk to be more marginalised by the economic integration advanced by the central regions. The island region in Europe has a special socio-economic backwardness caused by its remoteness from the Continent and this special character is called “insularity”.
Political autonomy is, I think, one of the best choices that activate an island region without delete its insularity. Thus European insular regions have a special status that is different from the regions in the Continent, that rules their political autonomy. However, there are many cases that island regions have a heterogeneous historic-cultural fact and a strong identity that could appeal to nationalism or separatism from the mainland country. So that autonomous status of island region in Europe is not homogeneous.
Corsica, Mediterranean island region that belongs to France, has not been autonomous for a long time because of its special socio-political situations, Corsican nationalism and “clan”, one of patriarchal formations typically observed in some Mediterranean insular regions.
In 1982, by the decentralization policies of socialist President Mitterrand, France was reorganized into 22 more autonomous “regions” from the “prefecture” whose prefect has been nominated by the Ministry of Interior, French administrative. Corsica was ruled by an act as a region with a special status. The Regional Assembly of Corsica consisted of 61 representatives elected by the islanders was created in this year and could vote projects of program on mainly Corsican linguistic and cultural education of a supplemental course in a school, regional transportation and development of new energy. The regional administration of Corsica could exert these programs.
However, instability in the Regional Assembly because of lack of a strong core party and frequent elections, shortage of competence or finance of the Region of Corsica caused their dysfunction and discredit from the islanders.
And in 1991, Corsican act was revised and Corsica changed a Territorial Collectivity, original local entity, from a region, common local entity. Though this renewal act defined Corsica as a “people”, Constitutional Council judged that this definition would be against the French Constitution that rules French national unity and its equality, and deleted Article 1 that contains this definition.
However, Corsica was authorized to be more autonomous with an original competence. In addition to education and broadcasting of regional language and culture, special taxation and some economic development program are ceded to Corsica. And Corsican regional organization also was changed. Regional Assembly was divided into Corsican Territorial Assembly and Corsican Executive Council. The president and 6 members of Executive Council exert Corsican regional administrative and vote projects of budget and cultural and economic programs, and these members are elected from the representatives in the Territorial Assembly by election. Executive Councilors are obliged to make some annual reports on the executive situation and their results in the Assembly and to be credited by it. Thus after 1991, Corsica establishes its collegiality and responsibility for the smooth practice of the larger competence.
It is doubtful whether Corsica has a political autonomy by the status reform in 1991. Because there is not any articles on Corsican status in the French Constitution though those of TOMs' status, French Overseas Islands, are in it, and those of Sicilian and Sardinian status are in the Italian Constitution. And Corsican Territorial Assembly can vote only motions, some taxation and programs of local cultural and economic development, but not any

View full abstract

The gap between isolated islands and cities caused by industrialization during the period of High Economic Growth in Japan that started in the 1960's brought about an outflow of young people away from these islands. Resulting from this, the population diminished on the islands, and the number of aged inhabitants increased, leading to a decline in industries due to the shortage of successors and the increasing difficulty in maintaining the communities. Furthermore, the diminishing number of children brought about the integration and eventual closing of the schools. Because schools are the base of the succession and development of culture, this is an extremely serious problem which could jeopardize the existence of the islands.
This study examines the effects of Setouchi Seaside Study, a community-wide project that adopted a foster-parent system and was implemented by Nogutsuna Island in order to prevent the closing of the schools. Althougt there are some problems to be solved, i. e. how to secure students and the aging of foster parents, the project has had significant educational effects both on local and visiting students because of its curriculum, which emphasizes small study groups and active exchange with community people using local subject matters as study material. In addition, this project has resulted in community promotion, as observed in the revival of the children's festival due to the larger number of children.
It is necessary to discuss how to bring up people who can shoulder the responsibility for the islands's future and what guidelines the islands's education should follow.

View full abstract