Japanese Advance into the Pacific Ocean

Akitoshi Hiraoka is professor emeritus of Shimonoseki City University, Japan. He has been interested in the people and life on Japanese islands and those once controlled by Japan for many years. He has conducted research on these subjects that is presented in the many books he has published. In 2004, he established a study group engaged in research of “remote island regions”. As the organizer of the group, he has carried out extensive research into human geography. Professor Hiraoka has been a member of the Association of Japanese Geographers, the Human Geographical Society of Japan, the Association of Historical Geographers in Japan, and the Japan Association on Geographical Space for many years.

• The Albatross and the Territorial Expansion of the Japanese Empire.- From the Decrease of Bird Resources to the Advance into Uninhabited Islands.- The "Bird Rush" and Japanese Advance into the Pacific Ocean.- From Advance into Islands in the South Sea to Invasion: From the Albatross to Guano/Phosphate Ore Mining.- Conclusions.