The Kerama Islands (慶良間諸島 Kerama-shotō, Okinawan: キラマ Kirama) are a group of 22 islands located 32 kilometres (20 mi) southwest of Okinawa Island in Japan. Historically, the Kerama Island group was a part of the Ryukyu Kingdom. For some 600 years, the islanders were employed as skillful navigators for the Kingdom’s trading vessels between Okinawa and China.
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