Japanese settlement in the Marshall Islands Japanese settlement in the Marshall Islands Japanese settlement in the Marshall Islands was spurred on by Japanese trade in the Pacific region. The first Japanese explorers arrived in the Marshall Islands in the late 19th century, although permanent settlements were not established until the 1920s. As compared to other Micronesian islands in the South Pacific Mandate, there were fewer Japanese who settled in the islands. After the Japanese surrender in 1945, the Japanese populace were repatriated to Japan, although people of mixed Japanese–Marshallese heritage remained behind. They form a sizeable minority in the Marshall Islands' populace, and are well represented
Human rights in the Marshall Islands factors. Women's rights are a significant issue in the Marshall Islands "given the absence in the over-arching freedom from discrimination clause of sex or gender as a prohibited ground of discrimination." Furthermore, while the Constitution guarantees equal protection of the law, the CEDAW Legislative Compliance Review noted the Constitution does not guarantee equal benefits or outcomes as required by [CEDAW]. Despite this, the Marshall Islands achieved its 2015 targets relating to gender equality and women's empowerment set by the Millennium Development Goals. Equal age of consent has also existed since 2005. While the Marshall Islands has ratified the Convention on