is a term to distinguish the area of
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
from its outlying territories. It was an official term in the
pre-war period, distinguishing Japan and its colonies in the
Far East. After the end of
World War II, the term became uncommon, but still is used as an unofficial term to distinguish the area of Japan from the
Ryukyu Islands or
Hokkaidō
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel.
The la ...
.
The literal Japanese meaning might best be translated as inner Japan or inner lands. The term "mainland" is an inaccurate translation because
mainland is usually the continental part of a region, as opposed to the islands.
It is also somewhat confusing as Mainland Japan is defined to consist of several major islands (
Hokkaidō
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel.
The la ...
,
Honshū
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island separa ...
,
Kyūshū
is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surround ...
, and
Shikoku) and many minor ones. The term Mainland Japan is also sometimes used to translate
Honshū
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island separa ...
, the largest island.
Historical usage
In the
Japanese Empire
The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent forma ...
of the
pre-war period, ''naichi'' referred to the mainland of the empire. The other territories of the empire was called ''gaichi'' (外地, lit. "outer lands").
The
Meiji Constitution's Article 1 of the Common Law (
共通法) enumerates the territories with legal jurisdictions namely:
Naichi
''Naichi'' (内地, mainland) were the territories under direct control of the government. It consisted of the following:
*
Karafuto Prefecture (after 1943)
*
Chishima Islands
*
Hokkaidō
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel.
The la ...
*
Honshū
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island separa ...
*
Shikoku
*
Kyūshū
is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surround ...
*
Izu Islands
The are a group of volcanic islands stretching south and east from the Izu Peninsula of Honshū, Japan. Administratively, they form two towns and six villages; all part of Tokyo Prefecture. The largest is Izu Ōshima, usually called simply Ō ...
*
Ogasawara Islands
*
Okinawa
*Minor outlying islands around them
Gaichi
These territories were called ''gaichi'' (外地, lit. "outer lands"). They were part of the
Empire of Japan, but not under direct control by the central government.
*
Chōsen (Korea)
*
Taiwan
*
Kwantung Province
*
Karafuto (until 1943)
*
South Seas Mandate
The South Seas Mandate, officially the Mandate for the German Possessions in the Pacific Ocean Lying North of the Equator, was a League of Nations mandate in the "South Seas" given to the Empire of Japan by the League of Nations following Wo ...
.
Although it has never been abolished, the Common Law lost effect from enforcement after Japan lost all the former colonies, or ''gaichi'' as a result of
World War II.
Modern usage
The residents of Hokkaidō and Okinawa occasionally use ''naichi'' to refer to the "mainland", excluding these areas. The colloquial usage is officially "incorrect", as both areas are legally within ''naichi''. In Hokkaidō, the official term that refers to Japan except Hokkaidō is ''dōgai'' (lit. outside of Hokkaidō). With ''dōgai'' becoming common even in colloquial use, ''naichi'' ceases to be used.
The term "main islands" (本島 ''hontō'') is used for
Hokkaido,
Honshu,
Kyushu
is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...
,
Shikoku and
Okinawa. The other estimated 6,847 smaller islands are called 'remote islands' (離島 ''ritō'').
See also
*
Home Islands
*
Mainland China
*
China proper
References
{{coord, 36, N, 138, E, region:JP, display=title
Geography of Japan
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...