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List of islands of Japan

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List of islands of Japan
Summary

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Japanese islands outlined

Japan is an island country of 14,125 islands, of which approximately 260 are inhabited. Japan is the third-largest island country in the world, behind Indonesia and Madagascar. Japan is also the second-most-populous island country in the world, only behind Indonesia.

According to a survey conducted by the Japan Coast Guard in 1987, the number of islands in Japan was 6,852. At that time, the survey only counted islands with coastlines of 100 meters or more that were shown on paper maps. On February 28, 2023, the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan announced that the number of islands had been updated to 14,125 through a recount using digital maps. Since there is no international standard for counting islands, only islands with a coastline of 100 meters or more were counted, as in the past. According to the GSI, advances in surveying technology and the detailed representation of topographic features through digital mapping contributed to this announcement.{{cite news |url=https://www.gsi.go.jp/kihonjohochousa/pressrelease20230228.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302180055/https://www.gsi.go.jp/kihonjohochousa/pressrelease20230228.html |title=我が国の島を一定の条件のもと数えました。その結果、14,125島となりましたので、お知らせいたします。|date=February 28, 2023 |archive-date=March 2, 2023|work=Geospatial Information Authority of Japan}}

Japanese archipelago

Main article: Japanese archipelago

Main islands

The four main islands of Japan are:

  • Hokkaido – the northernmost and second-largest main island, third most populous.
  • Honshu – the largest island, with the capital Tokyo and over 80% of the population. Honshu is connected to the other three main islands by bridges and tunnels.
  • Kyushu – the third-largest main island, second most populous and the nearest to the Asian mainland.
  • Shikoku – the smallest and least populous main island, located between Honshu and Kyushu.

Islands around Hokkaido

  • Ōshima
  • Okushiri Island
  • Teuri Island
  • Rebun Island
  • Rishiri Island
  • Yagishiri Island
  • Kamome island

Islands of Honshu in the Sea of Japan

  • Awashima Island, Niigata
  • Kanmurijima
  • Kutsujima, Kyoto
  • Mitsukejima
  • Nanatsujima archipelago
  • Notojima
  • Oki Islands
    • Dōgo
    • Nakanoshima
    • Nishinoshima
    • Chiburijima
  • Sado
  • Takashima, Shimane

Tobishima (Yamagata)

  • Tsunoshima
  • Umashima, Shimane

    • Islands in Tokyo Bay

    Main article: Tokyo Bay

    • Dream Island (Yume No Shima)
    • Odaiba (artificial island)
    • Sarushima (natural)
    • Tokyo International Airport (artificial island)
    • Wakasu

    Islands in Osaka Bay

    Main article: Osaka Bay

    • Maishima
    • Yumeshima
    • Kansai International Airport (artificial island)
    • Kobe Airport (artificial island)
    • Port Island
    • Rokkō Island
    • Wakayama Marina City

    Islands in Ise Bay

    Main article: Ise Bay

    • Chūbu Centrair International Airport (artificial island)
    • Kami-shima
    • Kashiko Island
    • Kozukumi Island
    • Mikimoto Pearl Island

    Islands in Mutsu Bay

    Main article: Mutsu Bay

    • Ōshima
    • Taijima

    Nanpō Islands (''Nanpō Shotō'')

    Main article: Nanpō Islands

    Izu Islands
    • Izu Islands
      • Aogashima
      • Hachijō
      • Izu Ōshima
      • Kōzu
      • Miyake-jima
      • Mikura-jima
      • Nii-jima
      • Shikine
      • Toshima
      • Tori-shima
      • Udonejima
    • Ogasawara Islands (Bonin Islands)
    Ogasawara Islands
    • Mukojima Rettō
    • Chichijima
    • Hahajima
    • Mukojima
    • Kazan Rettō (Volcano Islands)
      • Nishinoshima
      • Kita Iwo Jima (North Iwo Jima)
      • Iwo Jima
      • Minami Iwo Jima (South Iwo Jima)

    Other Japanese islands

    • Minami Torishima (Marcus Island)
    • Enoshima
    • Okino Torishima (Parece Vela)

    Islands around Kyushu

    Most of these are located in the East China Sea.

    • Amakusa
      • Shimoshima Island, Amakusa
      • Kamishima Island, Amakusa
    • Nagashima Island, Kagoshima
    • Aoshima
    • Gotō Islands
    • Danjo Islands
    • Hashima
    • Hirado
    • Iki
    • Koshikijima Islands
      • Shimokoshiki-jima
      • Kamikoshiki-jima
    • Tsushima
    • Ukushima

    Islands around Shikoku

    • Kuro-shima (Ehime)
    • Nii Ōshima

    Ryukyu Islands (''Nansei-shotō'')

    Main article: Ryukyu Islands

    Ryukyu Islands

    Satsunan Islands

    Main article: Satsunan Islands

    The northern half is administratively part of Kagoshima Prefecture and Kyushu.

    Ōsumi Islands

    Main article: Ōsumi Islands

    The North-Eastern Group:

    • Tanegashima
    • Yakushima
    • Kuchinoerabujima
    • Mageshima The North-Western Group:
    • Iōjima
    • Shōwa Iōjima
    • Kuroshima
    • Takeshima
    Tokara Islands

    Main article: Tokara Islands

    The Shichi-tō:

    • Kuchinoshima
    • Nakanoshima (Kagoshima)
    • Gajajima
    • Suwanosejima
    • Akusekijima
    • Tairajima
    • Kodakarajima
    • Takarajima
    Amami Islands

    Main article: Amami Islands

    • Amami Ōshima
    • Kikaijima
    • Kakeromajima
    • Yoroshima
    • Ukeshima
    • Tokunoshima
    • Okinoerabujima
    • Yoronjima

    Ryukyu Islands (''Ryūkyū-shotō'')

    The Southern Half, Okinawa Prefecture

    Okinawa Islands

    Main article: Okinawa Islands

    The Central Group or Ryukyu proper:

    • Okinawa Island
    • Kumejima
    • Iheyajima
    • Izenajima
    • Agunijima
    • Iejima
    • Iōtorishima
    • Kerama Islands
      • Tokashikijima
      • Zamamijima
      • Akajima
      • Gerumajima
    • Daitō Islands
      • Kitadaitojima
      • Minamidaitōjima
      • Okidaitōjima
    Sakishima Islands

    Main article: Sakishima Islands

    Also known as the Further Isles:

    • Miyako Islands
      • Miyako-jima
      • Ikema
      • Ogami
      • Irabu Island
      • Shimoji
      • Kurima-jima
      • Minna
      • Tarama
    • Yaeyama Islands
      • Iriomote
      • Ishigaki
      • Taketomi
      • Kohama
      • Kuroshima
      • Aragusuku
      • Hatoma
      • Yubujima
      • Hateruma
      • Yonaguni
    • Senkaku Islands - controlled by Japan, disputed by China and Taiwan.
      • Uotsurijima
      • Kuba Jima
      • Taisho Jima
      • Kita Kojima
      • Minami Kojima

    Seto Inland Sea islands

    Seto Inland Sea

    Main article: Seto Inland Sea

    • Kasaoka Islands
      • Takashima Island (Okayama) 高島 (岡山県笠岡市)
      • Shiraishi Island
      • Kitagi Island, 北木島
      • Obishi Island, 大飛島
      • Kobi Island, 小飛島
      • Manabeshima, 真鍋島
      • Mushima Island (Okayama), 六島 (岡山県)
    • Shiwaku Islands
    • Awaji
    • Etajima
    • Kurahashi-jima
    • Inujima
    • Itsukushima (popularly known as "Miyajima")
    • Shōdoshima
    • Naoshima Islands
    • Suō-Ōshima, Yamaguchi
    • Himeshima, Ōita
    • Aoshima, Ehime
    • Hashira Island
    • Okamura Island
    • Ōshima (Ehime)
    • Mukaishima Island, Hiroshima
    • Ōmishima Island, Ehime
    • Ōkunoshima (often called "Rabbit Island")

    Islands in lakes

    • Daikon-island
    • Bentenjima in Lake Tōya
    • Bentenjima in Lake Hamana

    Other artificial islands

    • Chūbu Centrair International Airport
    • Dejima
    • New Kitakyushu Airport
    • , off Hakodate (artificial)
    • (artificial)
    • Wakaejima (artificial)
    • Island City, Fukuoka (artificial)

    Claims but does not control

    Kuril islands and the Northern Territories

    The Northern Territories

    There are four disputed Kuril Islands that are controlled by Russia and claimed by Japan. These islands are called the Chishima Islands.

    • Iturup -
    • Kunashir -
    • Shikotan -
    • Habomai Islands -
    Liancourt rocks between Japan and Korea

    Others

    • Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo/Takeshima) - controlled by South Korea, disputed by Japan. North Korea also claims the island, and has criticized Japan over its claim.

    Former

    • South Seas Mandate (1919–1947) - administered by the Empire of Japan as a League of Nations mandate until its defeat in 1945. In 1947, the region was placed under the United Nations trusteeship system as the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, administered by the U.S.. The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands later became a U.S. territory, while Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia became sovereign independent nations.
    • Taiwan and Penghu (1895–1952) - part of the Empire of Japan until its defeat in 1945. Taken over by the Republic of China in 1945 but no treaty of sovereignty transfer has been signed. All claims relinquished by Japan in the Treaty of San Francisco signed in 1951.
    • Karafuto (1905–1949) - the southern half of the island of Sakhalin, controlled by Japan after the Russo-Japanese War. Japan lost control of Karafuto after its invasion by the Soviet Union during World War II. Formally abolished as a legal entity by Japan in 1949. Japan in addition controlled the northern half of Sakhalin between 1920 and 1925, during and after the Russian Civil War.
    • Jeju Island (1910–1945) - part of Korea, annexed by Japanese colonial empire until its defeat in 1945.

    Largest islands of Japan

    Main article: List of islands of Japan by area

    These are the 50 largest islands of Japan. It excludes the disputed Kuril islands known as the northern territories.

    RankIsland nameArea
    (km2)Area
    (sq mi)Island group
    1Honshu227,960 km2
    2Hokkaido83,424.31 km2
    3Kyushu36,782 km2
    4Shikoku18,800 km2
    5Okinawa Island1,207 km2Ryukyu Islands
    6Sado Island855.26 km2
    7Amami Ōshima712.35 km2Amami Islands
    8Tsushima Island708.7 km2
    9Awaji Island592.17 km2Seto Inland Sea islands
    10Shimoshima Island, Amakusa574.01 km2
    11Yakushima504.88 km2Ōsumi Islands
    12Tanegashima444.99 km2Ōsumi Islands
    13Fukue Island326.43 km2Gotō Islands
    14Iriomote Island289.27 km2
    15Tokunoshima247.8 km2Amami Islands
    16Dōgojima241.58 km2Oki Islands
    17Kamishima Island, Amakusa225.32 km2Amakusa islands
    18Ishigaki Island222.5 km2
    19Rishiri Island183 km2
    20Nakadōri Island168.34 km2Gotō Islands
    21Hirado Island163.42 km2
    22Miyako-jima158.87 km2
    23Shōdoshima153.30 km2
    24Okushiri Island142.97 km2
    25Iki Island138.46 km2
    26Suō-Ōshima128.31 km2
    27Okinoerabujima93.63 km2Amami Islands
    28Etajima91.32 km2
    29Izu Ōshima91.06 km2Izu Islands
    30Nagashima Island, Kagoshima90.62 km2
    31Rebun Island80 km2
    32Kakeromajima77.39 km2Amami Islands
    33Kurahashi-jima69.46 km2
    34Shimokoshiki-jima66.12 km2
    35Ōmishima Island, Ehime66.12 km2
    36Hachijō-jima62.52 km2
    37Kume Island59.11 km2Okinawa Islands
    38Kikaijima56.93 km2Amami Islands
    39Nishinoshima55.98 km2
    40Miyake-jima55.44 km2
    41Notojima46.78 km2
    42Kamikoshiki-jima45.08 km2
    43Ōshima (Ehime)41.87 km2
    44Ōsakikamijima38.27 km2
    45Kuchinoerabu-jima38.04 km2
    46Hisaka37.23 km2
    47Innoshima35.03 km2
    48Nakanoshima (in Kagoshima)34.47 km2Tokara Islands
    49Hario Island33.16 km2
    50Nakanoshima (in Shimane)32.21 km2Oki Islands

    References

    References

    1. Kojo, Hirotaka. (February 15, 2023). "Japan has more than 14,000 islands, digital mapping reveals". [[The Asahi Shimbun]].
    2. McCurry, Justin. (February 16, 2023). "Japan sees its number of islands double after recount". The Guardian.
    3. "Island Countries Of The World". WorldAtlas.com.
    4. (22 August 2015). "離島とは(島の基礎知識) (what is a remote island?)". [[Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism]].
    5. Imperial Japanese Commission to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. (1903). [https://books.google.com/books?id=tYguAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA2 ''Japan in the Beginning of the 20th century'' (Haruki Yamawaki, editor), p. 2].
    6. [[Louis-Frédéric
    7. [[Richard Ponsonby-Fane. Ponsonby-Fane, Richard]]. (1962). ''Sovereign and Subject,'' p. 332.
    8. Ponsonby-Fane, p. 331.
    9. Nussbaum, [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC&pg=PA412 "''Izu Shotō''"] at p. 412.
    10. Gotoh, H. ''et al.'' (2010). [https://books.google.com/books?id=Kc5xrqAD9fYC&pg=PA187 "Infrastructure Maintenance and Disaster Prevention Measures on Isolated Islands: the Case of the Izu Islands near Tokyo"] in ''Island Sustainability'' (Favro, S., editor), p. 187.
    11. Nussbaum, [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC&pg=PA412 p. 412]; Ponsonby-Fane, p. 332.
    12. Nussbaum, [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC&pg=PA761 "Ōshima"] at p. 761.
    13. Nussbaum, [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC&pg=PA987 "Torishima"] at p. 987.
    14. Nussbaum, [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC&pg=PA737 "Ogasawara Guntō"] at p. 737.
    15. Nussbaum, [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC&pg=PA294 "Hashima" at p. 294].
    16. "Io-Torishima".
    17. Imperial Japanese Commission, [https://books.google.com/books?id=tYguAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA3 p. 3].
    18. (2021-07-17). "North Korea blasts Japan over claim to Dokdo".
    Wikipedia Source

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