Japan annexes the Ryukyu Kingdom

Background. The Ryukyu Kingdom had maintained a dual-loyalty system, serving as a tributary state to the Qing Empire while under the influence of the Satsuma Domain. Following the Meiji Restoration, the status of the kingdom was unclear. In 1872, Japan reclassified the kingdom as the Ryukyu Domain, a feudal division, to avoid immediate backlash from the Qing dynasty, though this designation was already abolished in mainland Japan.

Administrative Changes. Home Minister Itō Hirobumi drew up plans in 1878 to end the domain's autonomous status due to concerns over continued direct foreign relations with China. The Japanese government officially abolished the Ryukyu Domain in March 1879, establishing Okinawa Prefecture. This transition eliminated the dual nature of the kingdom and its rulers, replacing the feudal domain structure with direct administration from Tokyo.

Royal Deposition. King Shō Tai, who had been appointed Domain King in 1872, was forced to abdicate upon the orders of Tokyo. He was relocated to Tokyo, where he was later incorporated into the kazoku peerage. The abolition of the domain and the creation of the prefecture marked the end of the Ryukyu Kingdom's distinct statehood and its tributary relations with the Qing Empire.