About Ogasawara Islands

Ogasawara islands consist of more than 30 islands, Chichijima and Hahajima islands are in the center and located 1000km south of Tokyo. One of its islands, Okino-torishima Island is located in the southernmost tip of our country, and Minami-torishima Island is located in the easternmost tip of our country.

Therefore, the base of the old Japan army was installed on these 2 islands at the time of World War II, and they still now play an important role for our Self-Defense Forces and Maritime Safety Agency.

Moreover, since circumference of Ogasawara islands have been a habitat of whales for a long time, many western whalers visited this place in the 19th century. Also they were also important areas as a hub of ocean traffic in the Pacific Ocean.

Now, as an area which has secured about 1/3 of the exclusive economic zone of our country, it can be called the economical important place in the Pacific Ocean which hides the possibility of development of the whole marine resources such as marine products and mineral resources.

However, there is still no air transportation from Japan main island which is considered very rare case in the worldwide for the detached islands, access to these islands are limited only by ferry which operates once a week and takes 26 hours from Japan main island. This is the only transportation for both tourists and residents, which allows them to transfer and supply necessaries.

Since Ogasawara islands belong to the subtropical areas, climate is warm all through the year. However, typhoon also occurs frequently. And due to habitat of vermin which is only found in this area, their agricultural products are prohibited to bring into Japan Main Island from plant quarantine side.

Since Ogasawara islands have been isolated islands geographically in their whole history, their wild animals and plants inhabit have been developed independently and are thought to have unique ecosystem. So this place is appointed as national park to save threatened species.

In their history, about 7700 people including the immigrants from Hawaii lived here before World War II, 1944. However, about 7000 of them were forced to move to Japan Main Island during war and only allowed to go back their home after war, 1968. There are many historic traces on these islands. And culture mixing of Pacific islands and Japan make these islands culture quite unique such as Nanyo-Odori (South Pacific Dancing) and Ogasawara-Minyo (Folk song). Ogasawara Links