High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Ryukyu Islands, also known as the Nansei Islands is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Ky?sh? in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin pronunciation Liuqiu. They stretch southwest from the Japanese island of Ky?sh? to within 120 kilometres (75 mi) of the island of Taiwan.