New Study Shows Japan Nearly Doubles Its Island Territory

Published 7 March 2023

Opinion

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The last count in 1987 indicated the existence of 6 852 islands, of which 260 were inhabited.

According to a recent study, Japan may soon add more than 7 000 islands to its official list of land holdings, totaling 14 125 islands.

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Scientists in Japan marked only islands with a circumference of 100 meters or more and that are natural formations.

The Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) used aerial photographs and checked the results against previous maps to ensure that they did not include land artificially reclaimed from the sea.

The results of the new survey "will not affect Japan's territory or territorial waters," the GSI said in a statement.

��1/2 Digital mapping by the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) recently found there to be 14,125 islands in Japanese territory, more than double the figure of 6,852 that has been in official use since a 1987 report by Japans Coast Guard.However, the GSI this week
— Argo Times (@argo_times) March 5, 2023

In 1987, technology could not distinguish small island groups from large individual islands, so many of these islands were considered as a whole. Volcanic eruptions have also contributed to the formation of new islands.

The country has decided to make use of modern digital mapping technology to get a more accurate picture of the land masses scattered throughout the country.