Desert islands are the focus of intense geopolitical tensions in East Asia today, but they are also sites of nature conservation. In this global environmental history, Paul Kreitman shows how the politics of conservation have entangled with the politics of sovereignty since the emergence of the modern Japanese state in the mid-nineteenth century. Using case studies ranging from Hawai'i to the Bonin Islands to the Senkaku (Ch: Diaoyu) Isles to the South China Sea, he explores how bird islands on the distant margins of the Japanese archipelago and beyond transformed from sites of resource extraction to outposts of empire and from wartime battlegrounds to nature reserves. This study examines how interactions between birds, bird products, bureaucrats, speculators, sailors, soldiers, scientists and conservationists shaped ongoing claims to sovereignty over oceanic spaces. It considers what the history of desert islands shows us about imperial and post-imperial power, the web of political, economic and ecological connections between islands and oceans, and about the relationship between sovereignty, territory and environment in the modern world.

‘Working in the eye-opening field of ‘political ecology,’ Kreitman shows how exploiting nature and conserving it both serve to ‘perform’ sovereignty.’

Andrew J. Nathan Source: Foreign Affairs

‘An entertaining and enlightening book.’

Bill Hayton Source: Asian Affairs

‘After reading this book, the reader can grasp the fluidity that surrounds these territories, invisible at a bird’s-eye view. Their sovereignty, resources, and even geography and natural features have changed over time, influenced by both the oceanic environment and human activity.’

Beatriz Martinez-Rius Source: H-Net

‘The book’s overall significance lies in its exploration of the role of the environment in geopolitical and imperial history, particularly in the context of Japan’s oceanic territories. It provides a unique perspective on how ecological considerations can influence territorial claims, and the interplay between environmental conservation and national sovereignty.’

Niki J. P. Alsford Source: International Journal of Maritime History