West Ryukyu

Is it possible that a later explorer other then Columbus could land in OTL Lesser Antilles, and believe that he had landed in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan? I assume that he would be Portuguese, as Portugal had traveled around Japan more than any other Europeans at the time. The explorer himself would probably not have been to Ryukyu himself, so he would not wonder why the people have darker skin, and the cities that should be there, aren't.

This is for my TL in the works, with the POD being in 1440s, so Portugal would have traveled around differently and at different times. Let's try and focus on would it have been named that, rather than the reason they are exploring later and why they are Portuguese. You know, spoilers and all.
 
Is it possible that a later explorer other then Columbus could land in OTL Lesser Antilles, and believe that he had landed in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan? I assume that he would be Portuguese, as Portugal had traveled around Japan more than any other Europeans at the time. The explorer himself would probably not have been to Ryukyu himself, so he would not wonder why the people have darker skin, and the cities that should be there, aren't.

This is for my TL in the works, with the POD being in 1440s, so Portugal would have traveled around differently and at different times. Let's try and focus on would it have been named that, rather than the reason they are exploring later and why they are Portuguese. You know, spoilers and all.
I think a country with only second-handed information would be more likely to make that mistake TBH.
Ummm...mods.....
Was that thing some account hack or plain troll?
 
I think a country with only second-handed information would be more likely to make that mistake TBH.

What kind of country would that be? Like France or England, or someone still a bit more exploratory (is that a word?), say Spain?
 
The Ryukyus are pretty obscure. Leaving aside the massive longitude differential, it's hard to imagine European sailors exploring the Old World thoroughly enough to keep track of them before encountering the Caribbean.
 
The Ryukyus are pretty obscure. Leaving aside the massive longitude differential, it's hard to imagine European sailors exploring the Old World thoroughly enough to keep track of them before encountering the Caribbean.

Okay thanks. I'll try and come up with another name for it. I am against using the Antilles of West Indies.

Any suggestions will be welcome. I have a while once I start the TL to come up with it, so I'm in no hurry.
 
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