The Okinawa Trough is a typical back-arc basin in the western Pacific Trench Arc Back-Arc system. Its unique tectonic location, magmatism, hydrothermal activities and sedimentary records have been a focus of academic research. Based on previous research, we review the controls of magmatic, hydrothermal and sedimentary activities by tectonic evolution of the Okinawa Trough. The subduction of the Philippine Sea plate led to the formation of the Okinawa Trough and the occurrence of arc volcanism, back-arc volcanism and cross-back arc volcanism. These three types of volcanism resulted in three different zones of hydrothermal activity. The magmatism and fault system caused by subduction of Philippine Sea plate provide heat sources and channels for the development of hydrothermal fluid in the Okinawa Trough. The subsidence of Zhe -Min Uplift at ~416 ka brought about the sediments in the northern Okinawa Trough to change from coarse-to fine-grained. Finally, we also provide the outlook of further research based on the current research status of the Okinawa Trough.