Bonin Islands

The Bonin Islands, also called the Ogasawara Islands (Japanese: 小笠原諸島), are a group of over 30 small islands in the ocean. They lie about 1,000 kilometers south-southeast of Tokyo and 1,600 kilometers northwest of Guam. Only two islands, Chichijima and Hahajima, have people living on them permanently. In 2021, around 2,560 people called these islands home.

Because the Bonin Islands are far from other lands, many of their plants and animals evolved in special ways, making them unique. They are sometimes called the "Galápagos of the Orient" and became a Natural World Heritage Site in 2011.

The islands were not always lived on. When people first found them during the early modern time, no one was there, though older clues show some people from Micronesia may have visited long ago. Different sailors and settlers from many places, including Britain, America, Europe, and Hawaii, came to the Bonins in the 1800s. Later, Japan made the islands part of the country. During World War II, most of the island’s people had to leave. After the war, the islands were under control of the United States before returning to Japan in 1968. Today, most people on the Bonin Islands are of Japanese background, but the island still keeps a mix of different cultures, shown in a special local way of speaking called Bonin English.

Names

The name Bonin comes from a French article in 1817. The writer misunderstood the true name of the islands and wrote it as "Bo-nin Sima" instead.

The name Ogasawara means "little hat-shaped field(s)" in Japanese. It honors Ogasawara Sadayori, an ancestor of someone said to have discovered the islands. In Japanese, the Bonin Islands are called the "Ogasawara Islands" or "Group." The wider term "Ogasawara Islands" also includes nearby islands such as the Volcano Islands and three faraway islands: Nishinoshima, Minamitorishima, and Okinotorishima. All these islands are part of Japan's Nanpō Islands.

The islands were once called the Archbishop Islands by Europeans, likely in honor of Pedro Moya de Contreras, an archbishop from Mexico who sent an expedition to the area.

History

Prehistory

At the end of the 20th century, old tools and carved stones were found on North Iwo Jima and Chichijima. These discoveries showed that the islands were once home to some members of an unknown Micronesian people.

Early modern period

The first Europeans to visit the islands were Spanish explorers in 1543. The islands were empty at that time. Japan later found the islands in 1670. They were called "Buninjima," meaning "the uninhabited islands." Explorers recorded many types of trees and birds, but Japan did not plan to develop them.

19th century

In 1824, an American captain visited the islands. British ships also stopped there for water and turtles. In 1827, a British captain claimed the islands for Britain and left a marker on the beach. The first permanent settlers arrived in 1830 from many places, including America, England, and Hawaii. They found the islands good for farming and raising animals. Some visitors came for friendly ports and supplies.

20th century

In 1862, Japan claimed the islands but left them a year later. Japan took control again in 1875 and sent more settlers. Forests were cut to make room for farming sugar cane. People lived in two separate villages.

21st century

The Bonins became a natural World Heritage Site on June 24, 2011.

Economy

The Bonin Islands used to rely on simple farming and selling timber and grass from the land. Now, with better travel, the islands have become a popular place for tourists, especially people from Japan who enjoy scuba diving and ecotourism. The islands' distant location and unique culture also attract some visitors from other countries. Modern cooling technology has made it easier to send fruits and vegetables to other places. Recently, coffee plants have also been added successfully.

Some government groups help with the islands. There is a large radio telescope on Chichijima, which is part of an important science project called the very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) Exploration of Radio Astrometry (VERA). This telescope is run by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.

Geography and administration

Main article: Geography of the Bonin Islands

The Bonin Islands are made up of three groups of islands. Each group has islands with names that tell a family story. The groups are:

• The Muko-jima Group, which includes islands like Muko-jima and Yome-jima.
• The Chichi-jima Group, which includes islands like Chichi-jima and Ani-jima.
• The Haha-jima Group, which includes islands like Haha-jima and Mukō-jima.

Although they are not part of the Bonin Islands, nearby islands such as the Volcano Islands, Nishinoshima, Okinotorishima, and Minamitorishima are managed together with the Bonin Islands as part of Ogasawara municipality. This area is a subprefecture of Tokyo.

Geology

The Bonin Islands are part of a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean called the Izu–Bonin–Mariana arc. They sit above an area where one piece of Earth's crust moves under another. This process started millions of years ago and created deep ocean trenches and volcanic islands.

Most of the Bonin Islands are made from a special kind of volcanic rock. Even though they are not very active now, many islands still have tall cliffs along the shore. Nearby, the Volcano Islands are still changing, with hot springs and active volcanoes. One of these islands even grew new land in 2013 before joining back with an existing island.

The Bonin Islands also have colorful coral reefs and many small beaches.

Climate

The Bonin Islands have a mix of warm climates. Some areas have a humid subtropical climate, while others are more like a tropical monsoon climate. Temperatures stay warm all year because of the ocean currents around the islands.

On Chichijima, one of the main islands, it is warmest in May and September and driest in January and February. The easternmost island, Minamitorishima, has a tropical savanna climate with the rainiest months in July and August and the driest in February and March.

Ecology

Main article: Ogasawara subtropical moist forests

The Bonin Islands have special plants and animals that have grown in unique ways because of their isolation. These islands are sometimes called the Galápagos of the Orient. They have many different kinds of plants, with about 500 species, and nearly half of them are found only here. The forests on these islands can be grouped into three main types, each growing in different conditions.

The islands also have unique animals. Some birds, like the Bonin petrel, live here and on other islands in the North Pacific. Sadly, some bird species that once lived here are no longer around. There are also special snails found here, though many are now in danger because of new species and loss of homes. In 2004, a very large squid was seen and photographed near the islands for the first time.

Transportation

Water transport

The main port is Futami on Chichijima. Since 2016, the main way to connect the islands to the mainland is through the Ogasawara Shipping Company. It runs the Ogasawara Maru, a big ship that can carry up to 894 people. It takes about 24 hours to travel from Takeshiba Pier in Tokyo to the islands, depending on the weather. The number of trips each month has changed, especially during the coronavirus pandemic.

There were once plans for a much bigger, faster ship, but those plans were stopped in 2005 because they became too expensive.

You can reach Hahajima by ferry from Chichijima.

Road transport

Ogasawara Village runs a bus service on Chichijima, and older passengers can use a special pass. There are also taxis for sightseeing, rental cars, motor scooters, and bikes available. It is very hard and costly to bring your own car to the island.

Air transport

The Bonin Islands do not have an airport. In emergencies, a helicopter from the Self-Defense Force on Iwo Jima can come. Sometimes a special seaplane from Iwakuni is used for important visits or urgent situations.

For many years, people have talked about building an airport. Both Chichijima and Anijima were considered, but each place has plants that are rare and need protection. Some people really want an airport, while others want to keep the islands beautiful and natural. This makes it a big debate.

In 2016, a meeting in Tokyo talked about building an airport. In 2017, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government thought about starting flights using a small runway on Chichijima. They said they would only build it after studying how it would affect nature and the economy. In 2019, money was set aside for these studies. In 2020, they said an airport might not happen until at least 2030. They suggested a shorter runway and special airplanes to help protect the environment. Ogasawara Village prefers this runway idea over using more helicopters or seaplanes.

Demography, language, and education

In 2021, the Bonin Islands had a population of 2,560 people living on two main islands, Chichijima and Hahajima. Almost everyone living there is a Japanese citizen. Some people have family from the United States, Europe, or other Pacific islands, which can be seen in their looks or family names.

Japanese is the main language spoken there. However, because people from different places settled there long ago, a special mix of Japanese and English developed. This mix, called Bonin English or Ogasawara Creole, is still heard by some today.

The local government runs elementary and junior high schools. A high school, Ogasawara High School, is operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education. After World War II, students attended Admiral Arthur Radford Elementary School, and high school students went to Guam for school until Ogasawara High School opened in 1964.

Fictional references

The Bonin Islands have appeared in many books, TV shows, and movies. The book Bonin by Robert Standish tells a story about the islands and describes how some people were treated unfairly.

In Jack London's book John Barleycorn, a chapter talks about sailors visiting the islands.

In the TV show The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, a pretend island in the Bonin chain is where a spaceship lands.

The 1963 movie Matango shows a yacht reaching an island, and one person wonders if it might be the Bonin Islands.

In the 2003 movie Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S., two baby Mothra creatures come from an island to help their mother.

The 2017 anime movie The Irregular at Magic High School: The Movie – The Girl Who Summons the Stars is set on pretend islands in the Bonin area.

In the 2023 movie Godzilla Minus One, a group of sailors goes to the islands to try to slow down a dangerous monster.