When it comes to counting, it’s easy to imagine we have it all figured out, but Japan found 7000 new islands recently.
In 1987, a Japan Coast Guard report noted the archipelago had 6,852 islands. But the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) has recently identified a staggering 7,273 additional islands!
Japan Found 7000 New Islands with Geospatial Technology
How did this happen? One could easily jump to the conclusion of tectonic activities or rising sea levels. But the primary reason behind the updated count can be attributed to technological advancements.
Since the 1987 report, geospatial technology has undergone significant evolution. Now mappers can distinguish between small clusters of islands that were earlier misidentified as single landmasses.
Nature, too, has played a significant role in reshaping Japan’s topography. The nation’s landscape is in perpetual flux, molded by natural disasters and extreme weather conditions. For instance, Esanbe Hanakita Kojima, an islet that was approximately four-and-a-half feet above sea level, vanished, succumbing to wind and ice erosion.
But nature isn’t just taking away; it’s also giving. In 2015, a massive landslide caused a 984-foot strip of land to annex itself to Hokkaido, Japan’s second-largest island. In 2021, an underwater volcanic eruption 750 miles south of Tokyo birthed a crescent-shaped island.
It’s worth noting, though, that such volcanic-born islands tend to be ephemeral, often disintegrating due to erosion, as history indicates with similar formations in 1904, 1914, and 1986.
The Changing Definition of an Island
Interestingly, the way we define an “island” has also evolved over the years. Back in 1987, sandbanks and islands nestled in lakes and rivers weren’t recognized as islands, primarily due to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea’s criteria.
Today, the narrative is different. The convention now acknowledges any “naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is above water at high tide” as an island.
While the numbers are captivating, the real charm lies in the individual identity and character of these islands. Japan’s four primary islands are Honshu, home to iconic cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka; Hokkaido, renowned for its national parks; Shikoku; and Kyushu. Interspersed among these are gems like Naoshima, celebrated as the “art island” for its modern and contemporary art museums, and Ōkunoshima, lovingly referred to as Usagi Jima or “rabbit island” due to the hundreds of wild rabbits that freely wander its landscapes.
Source: “Japan Just Discovered More Than 7,000 Islands It Didn’t Know Existed” — Travel & Leisure