is an island in the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
and is part of the
Kerama Islands
The are a subtropical island group southwest of Okinawa Island in Japan.
Geography
Four islands are inhabited: Tokashiki Island, Zamami Island, Aka Island, and Geruma Island. The islands are administered as Tokashiki Village and Zamami Villa ...
group in
Okinawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city o ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
.
The island is commonly known as Aka or Aka-shima and is located some 15 miles to the southwest of
Okinawa Island
is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands of Japan in the Kyushu region. It is the smallest and least populated of the five main islands of Japan. The island is approximately long, an average wide, and has an ...
. It has a subtropical climate and a population of approximately 330 people.
Coral reefs and wildlife
The water surrounding Aka-jima is supplied from the
Kuroshio
The , also known as the Black or or the is a north-flowing, warm ocean current on the west side of the North Pacific Ocean basin. It was named for the deep blue appearance of its waters. Similar to the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic, the Ku ...
current. Healthy coral reefs, with a rich diversity of sea life, make the area a treasure trove for marine scientists, divers and snorkelers.
![Akajima Port](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Akajima_Port.jpg)
In 1988 Akajima Marine Science Laboratory (AMSL) was established under the auspices of the Japanese Science and Technology Agency. A number of scientists visit AMSL every year to research the coral reef ecosystems.
Around 360 fish species and 1,640 invertebrate species (including hermatypic corals) and 220 seaweed species have been recorded in the Kerama Islands, but many groups of organisms have not yet been surveyed.
Green turtles
The green sea turtle (''Chelonia mydas''), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus ''Chelonia''. Its range exten ...
,
loggerheads, and
hawksbill turtle
The hawksbill sea turtle (''Eretmochelys imbricata'') is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Eretmochelys''. The species has a global distribution, that is large ...
lay eggs on the beaches in summer. Humpback whales (
Megaptera novaeangliae
The humpback whale (''Megaptera novaeangliae'') is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the only species in the genus ''Megaptera''. Adults range in length from and weigh up to . The humpb ...
) are regular visitors in January to April and use the Kerama Islands as their breeding ground.
Akajima is also noted for its terrestrial wildlife, especially its birds, butterflies and
Golden silk orb-weaver
''Nephila'' is a genus of araneomorph spiders noted for the impressive webs they weave. ''Nephila'' consists of numerous species found in warmer regions around the world. They are commonly called golden silk orb-weavers, golden orb-weavers, gian ...
spiders.
Kerama deer
The Kerama deer (also Kerama Sika) is a endangered subspecies of the Sika deer native to the Kerama Islands.
History
Kerama deer were imported from the Kagoshima Prefecture in the early 17th century. They were heavily hunted because they destroy ...
(a subspecies of the Japanese deer) are unique to the Kerama islands group and are able to swim between the islands. These deer have been designated a national protected species of Japan.
[Akajima Marine Science Laboratory Website (AMSL)](_blank)
/ref>
File:Coral reef life near Akajima 07.jpg, Coral reef near Aka island
File:Coral reef life near Akajima 16.jpg, Coral reef near Aka island
File:Coral reef life near Akajima 13.jpg, Clownfish at Aka island
Climate
Summers have extreme oceanographic conditions and about five typhoons approach Akajima every year, especially in early summer. The northern monsoon brings strong north winds and large swells from October to April.
Transport
Akajima port has a regular ferry service that links the island with neighbouring Zamami
is a village located in Shimajiri District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The village consists of more than 20 islands approximately west of the prefectural capital of Naha. As of February 2013 the village had a population of 913 and a population ...
and the capital of Okinawa (Naha
is the capital city of Okinawa Prefecture, the southernmost prefecture of Japan. As of 1 June 2019, the city has an estimated population of 317,405 and a population density of 7,939 persons per km2 (20,562 persons per sq. mi.). The total area i ...
). The Island is also served by a small airstrip on Fukajijima. Fukajijima, Gerumajima and Akajima are connected by road bridges.
History
Historically, the Kerama Island group was a part of the Ryukyu Kingdom
The Ryukyu Kingdom, Middle Chinese: , , Classical Chinese: (), Historical English names: ''Lew Chew'', ''Lewchew'', ''Luchu'', and ''Loochoo'', Historical French name: ''Liou-tchou'', Historical Dutch name: ''Lioe-kioe'' was a kingdom in the ...
. For some 600 years, the islanders were employed as navigators for the Kingdom’s trading vessels between Okinawa and China. The islands also provided good moorings on the sea route. A house of the Takara family, one of the captains of these vessels, is preserved as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
Aka was one of the first landing places for US Forces in the Battle of Okinawa
The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army (USA) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The initial invasion of ...
. US Forces landed on March 26, 1945, and went on to take islands of Zamami
is a village located in Shimajiri District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The village consists of more than 20 islands approximately west of the prefectural capital of Naha. As of February 2013 the village had a population of 913 and a population ...
, Geruma and Tokashiki. Over 500 residents committed suicide by order of the Japanese troops in order to avoid capture.
Aka-jima is also famous for the story of two dogs: Shiro on Aka-jima and Marilyn on Zamami-jima. They met when Shiro travelled on his owners boat to Zamami but the passion was such that he started swimming over every day to rendezvous with Marilyn on Zamami's Ama beach.
The locals frequently sighted Shiro paddling across the (3 km) strait. His feat was so amazing that it gained national recognition and inspired the film: Marilyn ni Aitai (I want to see Marilyn). Marilyn died in 1987, bringing an end to Shiro's seafaring days, and he himself died at the advanced age of 17. There is a statue of Shiro on Nishihama beach (his point of departure) and a similar monument to Marilyn also exists on Zamamijima.
References
Further reference
* Hayashibara T (1995) Ecological studies on reef-building corals and their sexual reproduction around Akajima Island, Kerama Islands group. PhD thesis, Tokyo University Fisheries, 123 pp. (in Japanese)
* Iwao K (2000) Study on the effect of geographical features on the cause of coral bleaching
Coral bleaching is the process when corals become white due to various stressors, such as changes in temperature, light, or nutrients. Bleaching occurs when coral polyps expel the zooxanthellae (dinoflagellates that are commonly referred to as alg ...
. In: Research and Development Bureau, Science and Technology Agency (ed.): Report on the Urgent Research on the Mechanism Elucidation of Coral Bleaching, pp. 15–39 (in Japanese)
* Iwao K (2003) Surveys of marine fauna around Kerama Islands by visiting scientists and staff members of AMSL. Midoriishi, 14: 38-41 (in Japanese)
* Iwao K (2004) Kerama Islands. In: Tsuchiya M et al. (eds.): Coral Reefs of Japan. Ministry of the Environment and Japanese Coral Reef Society, Tokyo, pp. 185–189
* Kizaki K (1992) Geological history of the Kerama Islands. Midoriishi, 3: 1-2 (in Japanese) Nadaoka K, Nihei Y, Wakaki K, Kumano R, Kakuma S, Moromizato S, Omija T, Iwao K, Shimoike K, Taniguchi H, Nakano Y, Ikema T (2001) Regional variations of water temperature around Okinawan coasts and its relationship to offshore thermal environments and coral bleaching. Coral Reefs, 20: 373-384
* Ohba H (1995) A list of seaweeds of Akajima Island and its vicinity in Kerama Islands, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Midoriishi, 6: 23-28 (in Japanese)
* Omori M and Fujiwara S (eds.) (2003) Manual for the Restoration and Remediation of Coral Reefs. Bureau of Natural Environment, Ministry of the Environment, Tokyo, 84pp.
* Veron JEN (1992) Conservation of biodiversity: a critical time for the hermatypic corals of Japan, Coral Reefs, 11: 13-21
* Zamami Village History Compilation Committee (1989) History of Zamami Village. Vol. 1, Zamami Village Office, Okinawa, 710pp. (in Japanese)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aka Island
Islands of Okinawa Prefecture
Kerama Islands