"The Genetics History of the Ryukyuans" by Professor Johannes Krause

Ancient and modern population genetic studies have recently shown that present-day Japanese populations originated by a mixture of two distinct gene pools, one related to the rice-farming Yayoi culture and the other related to the pre-Yayoi Jomon culture.

Present-day Ryukyuans, including those from southern-most Miyako and Ishigaki islands, share this genetic composition with mainland Japanese, with higher contribution from the Jomon-related gene pool, but this composition is clearly distinct from that of indigenous populations from Taiwan.

Prof. Krause explains how investigations into ancient genomes from Miyako-jima have shed light on when this this sharp genetic boundary developed.