Minamitorishima

Minamitorishima, also known as Marcus Island, is a small coral atoll in the Pacific Ocean. It belongs to Japan and is the easternmost piece of land that Japan controls. Though it is only about 151 hectares or 370 acres in size, this quiet place is very important for Japan because it helps the country claim a large area of ocean water around it.

The island is part of Tokyo and is managed by the Ogasawara Subprefecture. Because it is far away and very small, no regular people live there. Only workers from the Japan Meteorological Agency, Japan Self-Defense Forces, and Japan Coast Guard stay on the island for short periods to help with weather watching and safety.

Access

The island is closed to most people. Only workers from the Japan Meteorological Agency are allowed to live there. Sometimes, reporters, filmmakers, and scientists may get special permission to visit. There are no regular boats or planes that take tourists to the island. This is because the island is used by the Japanese Self-Defense Forces as a place to watch the ocean.

Geography and geology

Minamitorishima is a very remote island with no other land nearby for over 1,000 km in any direction. It is located about 1,848 km southeast of Tokyo and 1,267 km east of South Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands. The island is triangular and has a flat, saucer-like shape. It is surrounded by reefs that form a shallow lagoon.

The island is small, covering only 1.51 km² (1 mi²), and it takes about 45 minutes to walk around it. Because there is no light pollution, the night sky shows many stars. The island cannot grow much food, so most food is brought by ships and planes. Only a few plants like papaya, mustard greens, and coconuts can be grown, and saltwater fish are caught nearby.

Minamitorishima area rare-earth deposits

After a country limited exports of important materials called rare-earth oxides in 2009, Japan began searching the ocean for these materials. In 2013, scientists found very concentrated layers of these materials in deep ocean mud near the island. In 2018, they estimated there were about 16 million tons of these materials in the area. In February 2026, Japan announced finding more of these materials deep in the ocean close to the island.

Natural resources

In January 2026, a special ship called Chikyū, run by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, did an important test. It tried to get special mud from deep in the ocean near Minamitorishima. This mud has rare earth elements, which are important for making many things.

The test lasted until February 2026. They got about 35 tonnes of mud, and each tonne has about two kilograms of these special elements. A leader in Japan said this was a big success for keeping Japan's resources safe and for exploring the ocean. Some groups worried about the ocean animals, but the government promised to watch and learn more during the test.

Wildlife

The island is home to a special kind of gecko called Perochirus ateles, which lives only on Minamitorishima and South Iwo Jima in Japan. Scientists believe these geckos arrived from Micronesia on pieces of driftwood.

The island also has many land snails called Achatina fulica that carry parasites that can make humans sick. The waters around the island are full of marine life, including sea snakes, tuna, sharks, and some rare fish. Smaller fish can be found in the shallow areas near the shore.

Population

No people live on Minamitorishima. Only workers from the Japan Meteorological Agency, the JSDF, and the Japan Coast Guard stay there for short periods of time, and only in small groups. Civilians are not allowed to live on the island.

History

The first sighting of an island in this area was made by a Spanish captain in 1694. Later, other captains saw the island and gave it different names.

In 1886, Japanese explorers settled on the island, and Japan officially claimed it in 1898. During World War II, the island was used by Japan and was bombed by the United States but never captured.

After the war, the island was under American control until it was returned to Japan in 1968. Today, the island is used for weather observation and has a small radio station.

Climate

Minamitorishima has a tropical savanna climate, which means the temperatures stay warm to hot all year. The rainiest months are July and August, while February and March are the driest. It is the warmest place in Japan, with an average temperature of 25 °C (77 °F). The temperature can go as low as 13.8 °C (56.8 °F) in February and as high as 35.6 °C (96.1 °F) in July.