Changes

While the variety of the disease known as "tropical malaria" was likely introduced into the [[Miyako Islands|Miyako]] and [[Yaeyama Islands]] from the south, a variety known as "indigenous" malaria is believed to have been introduced to [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]] in the 12th-14th century by immigrants from Korea and Japan.

While the variety of the disease known as "tropical malaria" was likely introduced into the [[Miyako Islands|Miyako]] and [[Yaeyama Islands]] from the south, a variety known as "indigenous" malaria is believed to have been introduced to [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]] in the 12th-14th century by immigrants from Korea and Japan.

Malaria was a significant problem for the Japanese in the [[Ryukyu Islands]] and farther south in the [[Meiji period]] and into the 20th century. More than five hundred members of the [[1874]] [[Taiwan Expedition]] are believed to have died of malaria.<ref>Andrew Gordon, ''A Modern History of Japan'', Oxford University Press (2013), 74.</ref> It was, of course, a problem for the locals as well, and many on Okinawa suffered from malaria alongside starvation and other problems as a significant number of people fled central and southern Okinawa to the densely forested [[Yanbaru]] region in the north of the island during the 1945 Battle of Okinawa.<ref>''Okinawa ken heiwa kinen shiryôkan sôgô annai'' 沖縄県平和祈念資料館総合案内 ("General Catalog of Okinawa Peace Memorial Museum"), Nanjô, Okinawa: Okinawa Peace Memorial Museum (2004), 52-53.</ref>

Malaria was a significant problem for the Japanese in the [[Ryukyu Islands]] and farther south in the [[Meiji period]] and into the 20th century. More than five hundred members of the [[Taiwan Expedition of 1874]] are believed to have died of malaria.<ref>Andrew Gordon, ''A Modern History of Japan'', Oxford University Press (2013), 74.</ref> It was, of course, a problem for the locals as well, and many on Okinawa suffered from malaria alongside starvation and other problems as a significant number of people fled central and southern Okinawa to the densely forested [[Yanbaru]] region in the north of the island during the 1945 Battle of Okinawa.<ref>''Okinawa ken heiwa kinen shiryôkan sôgô annai'' 沖縄県平和祈念資料館総合案内 ("General Catalog of Okinawa Peace Memorial Museum"), Nanjô, Okinawa: Okinawa Peace Memorial Museum (2004), 52-53.</ref>

Deforestation in Japan and the Ryukyu Islands in concert with urbanization and other aspects of modernity has brought a directly proportional drop in cases of malaria.

Deforestation in Japan and the Ryukyu Islands in concert with urbanization and other aspects of modernity has brought a directly proportional drop in cases of malaria.