Timeline
| 1593 | Said to have been found by Ogasawara Sadayori, Junior Assistant Minister of Popular Affairs, the great-grandchild of Ogasawara Nagatoki, castellan of Fukashi, Shinshu (Matsumoto castle). |
|---|---|
| 1830 | 5 Westerners and 20 Hawaiian immigrants arrives on Chichijima to become the first settlers. |
| 1853 | Commodore Perry, commander of the East India Squadron arrives in Chichijima before heading to Uraga. |
| 1876 | Becomes internationally recognized as Japanese territory. |
| 1880 | Placed under the jurisdiction of Tokyo prefecture and the Tokyo prefecture Ogasawara branch office is established. |
| 1882 | A place of assembly possessing the right to consult regarding the administrations carried out by the Tokyo prefecture Ogasawara branch office was established, and 15 members of the assembly were publically elected. All foreigners were naturalized. |
| 1886 | The Ogasawara branch office was abolished, and the Ogasawara island government office was established. |
| 1926 | The Ogasawara island government office was changed to the Ogasawara branch office. |
| 1927 | The imperial visit of Emperor Showa from July 30 to August 1. |
| 1940 | A municipal system is put into effect in the 5 villages of Omura, Ogi mura Fukurozawa mura, Oki mura, Kita mura, and Iwo-to mura. |
| 1944 | 6,886 inhabitants of the islands are forced to evacuate to the mainland. |
| 1946 |
The islands are put under direct rule of the U.S. Forces.
129 inhabitants of the island of European and American origin return to the island. |
| 1951 | The Peace Treaty with Japan is signed. |
| 1952 | The Ogasawara Branch Office and each village office are closed down as a result of the effectuation of the Peace Treaty with Japan. |
| 1965 | The first group of people to visit the graves takes passage to the islands in May. |
| 1967 | An agreement is reached regarding the reversion of Ogasawara at the conference between Prime Minister Sato and President Johnson in November. |
| 1968 |
The Ogasawara Reversion Agreement is signed on April 5.
Reversion on June 26, Ogasawara Village is established. Administrative bodies such as the Ogasawara General Office and the Ogasawara Branch Office are established. |
| 1969 | The Act on Special Measures for the Reconstruction of the Ogasawara Islands is enacted on December 8. |
| 1970 | The cabinet approves the Ogasawara Islands Reconstruction Plan on July 31. |
| 1972 | The Ogasawara Islands is designated as a national park on October 16. |
| 1974 |
All areas of Chichijima and Hahajima are designated as town planning areas on April 1.
The cabinet approves the Ogasawara Islands Reconstruction Plan (revised as a 10 year plan) on June 18. |
| 1979 |
The Act on Special Measures for the Reconstruction of the Ogasawara Islands is revised as The Act on Special Measures for the Promotion of the Ogasawara Islands on March 31.
The first village mayor and local government assembly election is held on April 22. The prime minister sets the Ogasawara Islands Promotion Plan on June 13. |
| 1981 | The Basic Plan for the Ogasawara village is passed on December 24. |
| 1984 | The prime minister sets the Ogasawara Islands Promotion Plan (revised as a 10 year plan) on June 13. |
| 1985 | The extermination of the Mikankomibae (oriental fruit fly or bactrocera dorsalis) is confirmed and partial revision of the Plant Protection Law Enforcement Regulation is carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries on February 15. |
| 1989 |
The Act on Special Measures for the Promotion of the Ogasawara Islands is revised as the Act on Special Measures for the Promotion and Development of the Ogasawara Islands on March 31.
The prime minister sets the Ogasawara Islands Promotion and Development Plan on June 28. |
| 1990 | Supervised areas are designated according to the National Land Utilization Law on January 5. |
| 1991 | The Ogasawara airport is adopted as a prospective project in the sixth 5-Year Airport Development Plan of the Ministry of Transport on November 29. |
| 1993 |
The second Basic Plan for the Ogasawara village is passed on March 20.
A memorial event for 400 years since the discovery of the Ogasawara Islands and the 25th anniversary of the reversion of the Ogasawara Islands were held from November 21 to 23. |
| 1994 |
The Imperial visit of the Emperor and Empress from February 12 to 14.
The Act on Special Measures for the Promotion and Development of the Ogasawara Islands is extended for 5 years until the end of the term for 1998 on March 31. The prime minister sets the Ogasawara Islands Promotion and Development Plan (revised as a 10 year plan) on June 24. |
| 1995 | Re-designation as a supervised area according to the National Land Utilization Law on January 5. |
| 1996 |
Terrestrial television broadcasting starts on April 1.
The Ogasawara airport is adopted as a project in the seventh 5-Year Airport Development Plan of the Ministry of Transport on December 13. |
| 1998 | A memorial event for the 30th anniversary since the reversion of the Ogasawara Islands is held on June 27. |
| 1999 |
The Act on Special Measures for the Promotion and Development of the Ogasawara Islands is extended until the end of the term for 2003 on March 31.
The prime minister sets the New Ogasawara Islands Promotion and Development Plan on June 15. A memorial event for the 20th anniversary since the establishment of the village administration is held on June 18. |
| 2000 |
Re-designation of supervised areas according to the National Land Utilization Law on January 5.
The service of the village-operated bus starts on December 27. |
| 2002 |
A temporary accommodation facility is constructed on Iwo-to on June 1.
Conclusion of the treaty regarding the appropriate use of areas where protection of the natural environment is promoted in the Ogasawara Islands on July 9. |
| 2004 |
A memorial event for the 35th anniversary since the reversion of the Ogasawara Islands is held on February 7.
The third Ogasawara Village Basic Plan is passed on March 22. The Act on Special Measures for the Promotion and Development of the Ogasawara Islands is revised and extended until the end of the term for 2008 on March 31. The country announces the Basic Policy for the Promotion and Development of the Ogasawara Islands on May 28. The city of Tokyo publically announces the Basic Policy for the Promotion and Development of the Ogasawara Islands on November 25. |
| 2005 | Re-designation of supervised areas according to the National Land Utilization Law on January 5. |
| 2006 |
The country announces change in the Basic Policy for the Promotion and Development of the Ogasawara Islands on May 23.
The city of Tokyo publically announces change in the Basic Policy for the Promotion and Development of the Ogasawara Islands on November 28. |
| 2007 | The country submits a tentative list to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on January 30. |
| 2008 |
The council for the Ogasawara air route is established on February 6.
A memorial event for the 40th anniversary after the reversion of the Ogasawara Islands is held on July 4. A PI evaluation committee for the Ogasawara air route is established on October 21. |
| 2009 |
The Act on Special Measures for the Promotion and Development of the Ogasawara Islands is revised and extended until the end of the term for 2013.
A memorial event for the 30th anniversary after the establishment of the village administration is held on April 23. The country announces the Basic Policy for the Promotion and Development of the Ogasawara Islands on June 16. The country submits a recommendation (provisional version) to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on September 29. The city of Tokyo publically announces the Basic Policy for the Promotion and Development of the Ogasawara Islands on December 22. |
| 2010 |
Re-designation of supervised areas according to the National Land Utilization Law on January 5.
The country submits a recommendation to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on January 26. Field survey by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for registration as a world heritage from July 4 to 13. |
| 2011 |
The underwater optical cable that connects Ogasawara with the mainland is completed.
Recommendation regarding registration as a natural world heritage by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on May 7. “The Ogasawara Islands” is selected to be registered as a natural world heritage at the 35th World Heritage Committee (Paris, France) on June 24 (the official registration date is June 29). Terrestrial digital broadcast using the underwater optical cable begins on July 1. A memorial event for the registration of the Ogasawara Islands as a natural world heritage is held on October 14. |