Origin and Migration of East Asian People, Crops, and Domesticated Animals

Based on the findings accumulated to date, major developments—such as the adoption of agriculture, the spread of Bronze Age culture, and the formation of early states—can be understood within a broader framework involving population movements and the transmission of domestic animals across East Asia. Archaeological evidence clearly indicates that populations, livestock, and elements of ancient culture originating from major centers of civilization in Asia moved through the Korean Peninsula and eventually reached the Japanese archipelago. Despite this growing body of evidence, however, many aspects of these processes remain insufficiently understood.

● This project examines interregional population movements, the spread of animal husbandry, the transmission of ancient cultures, and the formation of early states across regions extending from the Liao and Yellow River basins of the Chinese mainland through the Korean Peninsula to the Japanese archipelago. Drawing on evidence from history, archaeology, and anthropology, the study focuses on migration and diffusion processes from prehistoric times through the early historic period. Although population movement, animal dispersal, and cultural transmission in East Asia are highly complex phenomena, the primary emphasis of this project is on the trajectories connecting the Chinese mainland, the Korean Peninsula, and the Japanese archipelago during these formative periods. ● To achieve this goal, relevant historical sources from each country will be systematically collected and analyzed, while archaeological and anthropological data—generated through a wide range of recent methodological approaches—will be continuously incorporated and updated throughout the course of the project. ● During the analytical process, the project will also draw upon comparative research from outside East Asia, including studies of population movements across the Pacific Islands, the migration of early agriculturalists in Europe, and the dispersal of populations and cultures in the New World. Such comparative perspectives are essential to ensure that interpretations of population, animal, and cultural movements in East Asia are not constrained by nationalist frameworks but are instead grounded in objective and scientifically robust evidence informed by global parallels.