日本於1895年因甲午戰爭勝利而取得臺灣，根據《馬關條約》之規定，自此以後臺灣百姓成為日本統治下之臣民。臺灣在日本統治的50年當中，因能免於如中國大陸地區頻仍戰爭、歐美列強東進、軍閥割據以及日本勢力入侵等因素；加上日本在臺政府有計畫地施行殖民方式的統治，促使臺灣教育能夠普及、基礎工業進步、商業發展迅速，也因此帶動臺灣人向海外移民之動力。有關臺灣向海外移民之研究，多以移民至中國大陸為中心，並有相當豐碩的研究成果。但對於移民至日本，特別是以沖繩的八重山為案例，卻極少研究者注意此區域的移民問題。本論文是以沖繩的八重山中心，探討日本據臺時期，臺灣人航渡至該島移民的動機、在八重山經營的產業項目、臺灣人在地化後的生活狀況、臺灣人在八重山有何種組織與團體，與當地住民的互動情況等做一分析與探討，期望能透過此議題，呈現出日治時期臺灣人向海外移民的完整樣貌。本論文所指八重山的空間是石垣島與西表島，以下同。

Emigration describes the movement of humans who leave their original place of habitation to live or work in other distant lands due to various motives and purposes. Taiwan has been under several regimes, so several ethnic groups from different eras have traveled to Taiwan for business. Among the historical periods that characterize Taiwan, the Japanese period has had the greatest impact as a result of their method of modernizing and ruling the island.Although Japan gained many resources from Taiwan during its colonial tenure, it also implemented many important policies in order to expand land use and strengthen its sovereignty. With the Japanese colonization of Formosa, Taiwan became not only a supply depot of goods and labor, but also a new frontier for settlement to siphon off soaring population pressures in Japan.During Taiwan's colonial period, the administration in Taiwan started to implement an immigration policy to accept Japanese settlers in order to resolve the problems of overpopulation which soared after the Meiji Restoration.In reviewing the history of exchange between Taiwan and Japan we find in this period very dynamic levels of interaction covering intellectual and scholastic exchanges and commercial and business activities.Yet, studies in this period are limited on the emigration of Taiwanese to Yaeyama -an island located between Taiwan and Okinawa just 240 kilometers off the Taiwan coast. Conservative estimates have it that about 400 Taiwanese, covering 86 families, immigrated to the isle of Yaeyama. Many Taiwanese settlers left the island due to extremely hot weather, typhoons, vipers, malaria, futile agricultural plans, and other factors. However, most Taiwanese immigrants clung on to the end and eventually the intrepid spirit of these settlers triumphed over all difficulties.This study probes this endeavor, the special laws issued by the administration in Taiwan, the immigration process to Yaeyama, the development of Yaeyama, the lifestyles and interaction of Taiwanese with local habitants, and the manner in which Taiwanese immigration influenced and promoted the industrial progress of Yaeyama.