日本作為一個四面環海的島國，自然在海洋事務上的國際規範與國內規範都有一定程度的發展。排他性經濟水域制度產生之前海洋法持續著長久地領海與公海的二元性質，但由於排他性經濟水域制度的出現，傳統海洋法的二元區分就正式瓦解，亦給予海洋法基本構造很大的改變與影響。比起領海制度、大陸棚制度、公海制度等海洋制度而言，是屬於一個全新導入的水域範圍。 島嶼則是在水域制度上面作為劃分界線基準的一項重要標的。島嶼雖然面積小，在聯合國海洋法公約中的定義也僅僅只有第121條，但是島嶼卻可以影響一個國家的領土以及在海洋利益上的得與失。只要是能夠成為本身的領土，那在海洋資源上就能夠再度擴張，因此聚焦日本與周邊國家的劃界紛爭，特別是日韓的竹島之爭來探討島嶼在排他性經濟水域劃界上的重要性。就算諸如竹島一般的彈丸之地，日韓兩間還是爭得互不相讓。 現今國際法上統籌規範所有海洋事務的條約就屬聯合國海洋法公約，其中對於上述排他性經濟水域、島嶼制度以及海洋劃界都有納入條約之中。本篇論文以聯合國海洋法公約對於排他性經濟水域的相關規範為出發點，以日本排他性經濟水域制度為主，日韓兩國及國際法中劃界爭端與島嶼重要性的論述為輔來進行論文討論。期以藉由研究日本相關的議題，提供同樣處在四面環海地區的台灣在相關制度發展上的幫助。 Japan is an island surrounded by the sea. Japan’s international norms and domestic norms have a certain degree of development. Until the system of exclusive economic zone has formulated, the territorial sea and the high sea continued for a long time. But the emergence of exclusive economic zone changed delimitation of the maritime boundary. Compete with the territorial sea , continental shelf , the high seas , exclusive economic zone is a completely new system in law of the sea. Islands is an important subject in the delimitation of the maritime boundary. Although the size of islands is small, and provided just in one article by United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Islands can affect a country''s territorial and maritime interests. That is why Japan and South Korea are still dispute over Takeshima even it is such a small place . All of the norm about exclusive economic zone、delimitation of the maritime boundary and the regime of islands are provided in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This thes started on the relevant norms of exclusive economic zone , and based on Japan’s the system of exclusive economic zone. Through this research to assist Taiwan also an island surrounded by the sea in establishing the system of exclusive economic zone.
