Native name: 南鳥島 | |
|---|---|
 Aerial photo of Minamitorishima from 1987 | |
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| Geography | |
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 24°17′12″N 153°58′50″E / 24.28667°N 153.98056°E |
| Total islands | 1 |
| Area | 1.51[1] km2 (0.58 sq mi) |
| Coastline | 6,000 m (20000 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 9 m (30 ft) |
| Administration | |
 Japan | |
| Prefecture | Tokyo |
| Subprefecture | Ogasawara |
| Village | Ogasawara |
| Demographics | |
| Population | no permanent residents |
| Additional information | |
| Time zone | |
Minamitorishima (南鳥島, lit. "Southern Bird Island") sometimes Minami-Tori-shima or Minami-Torishima, also known as Marcus Island, is an isolated Japanese coral atoll in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, located some 1,848 km (998 nmi; 1,148 mi) southeast of Tokyo and 1,267 km (684 nmi; 787 mi) east of the closest Japanese island, South Iwo Jima of the Volcano Islands, and nearly on a straight line between mainland Tokyo and Wake Island, 1,415 km (764 nmi; 879 mi) further to the east-southeast. The closest island to Minamitorishima is East Island in the Mariana Islands, which is 1,015 km (548 nmi; 631 mi) to the west-southwest.
It is the easternmost territory belonging to Japan, and the only Japanese territory on the Pacific Plate, past the Japan Trench. Although small (151 ha or 370 acres),[1] it is of strategic importance, as it enables Japan to claim a 428,875-square-kilometre (165,589.6 sq mi) exclusive economic zone in the surrounding waters. It is also the easternmost territory of Tokyo, being administratively part of Ogasawara Subprefecture. No civilians live there, except personnel of the Japan Meteorological Agency, Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF), and Japan Coast Guard serving temporary tours of duty on the island.[2]