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The Ryukyu Islands dispute, concerns a territorial dispute over a group of Ryukyu Islands.

Aside from a 1945 to 1972 period of administration by the United States, the archipelago has been controlled by Japan since 1879.

Beginnings
Following the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese government formally annexed what was known as the Ryukyu Kingdom as Okinawa Prefecture in 1879.

Qing empire never recognized Japanese annexion of Ryukyu Kingdom.

During the negotiation of US ex-President Ulysses S. Grant, two partition plans were suggested. Qing demanded Japan should return control of the Miyako Islands and Yaeyama Islands to Qing empire and control of the main Okinawa Islands to independent Ryukyu., Japan demanded Japan will retrun Miyako Islands and Yaeyama Islands to Qing empire, but Japan should annex the rest of Ryukyu Islands. Ulysses S. Grant supported Qing's Three-state solution, but Japan didn't accept Qing's partiotion plan.

After China lost the First Sino-Japanese War, both countries signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki in April 1895 that stipulated, among other things, that China would cede to Japan "the island of Formosa together with all islands appertaining or belonging to said island of Formosa (Taiwan)",

Because Miyako Islands and Yaeyama Islands are between Formosa and Okinawa Islands, Ryukyu Islands dispute was submerged. After the World War II, the islands were occupied by the United States. The treaty was superseded in 1945 by the Treaty of San Francisco, which was signed between Japan and part of the Allied Powers in 1951 after Japan lost the Second World War. In the treaty of San Francisco, Japan explicitly relinquished the control of Taiwan/Formosa and Ryukyu Islands. Ryukyu Islands became United Nations Trust Territory.

In 1972, United States returned Ryukyu Islands to Japan.

2010s
In 2010s, China questions Japan's sovereignty of Ryukyu Islands.