Minna Island, or , ( Miyako: ''Minna'') is an island in the

Miyako Islands The (also Miyako Jima group) are a group of islands in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, belonging to the Ryukyu Islands. They are situated between the Okinawa Island and Yaeyama Islands. In the early 1870s, the population of the islands was estim ...

in the jurisdiction of Tarama, Miyako District,

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 ...

Geography

Minnajima is part of the

and is 8 km north of Tarama Island. The island is surrounded by an

atoll An atoll () is a ring-shaped island, including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon partially or completely. There may be coral islands or cays on the rim. Atolls are located in warm tropical or subtropical oceans and seas where corals can gr ...

, primarily spreading to the west, with the

East China Sea The East China Sea is an arm of the Western Pacific Ocean, located directly offshore from East China. It covers an area of roughly . The sea’s northern extension between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula is the Yellow Sea, separated b ...

to the north and 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 ...

to the south.

History

Minnajima was historically host to a fishing village, with the local population reaching more than 200 adults. Due to regular typhoon damage and water shortages, The majority of the residents of Minnajima were relocated to the Takano district of

Hirara , ( Miyako: ''Pїsara'') was a city located in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan on the island of Miyako. As of 2003, the city had an estimated population of 33,861 and a density of 521.58 persons per km². The total area was 64.92 km². History Hirara ...

in 1961. A lighthouse was built on the southeastern portion of the island, first lit in 1972. The light is 21m above sea level and is visible up to a distance of 12.0 nautical miles. As of 2016, there are 5 residents who raise over 100 cattle on the island. * 1734 - Hisashiya Asatoshi was executed, and his eldest son was exiled to Minna Island. * 1771 - The Great Yaeyama Tsunami devastated the island. * 1900 - A branch school was set up on the island. * 1961 - A majority of the residents were relocated. * 1978 - The branch school closed. * 1983 - A fresh water supply facility was completed. * 1989 - Submarine power transmission from Tarama to the island. * 2011 - Tarama Prefectural Natural park is established around Tarama and Minna Island.

Historic Sites

* Sakishima Beacons National Historic Site. Minna Island Tarama ISS045

Infrastructure

* Electricity is transmitted through submarine cables from a power station on Tarama Island. * A combination of groundwater purification and rainwater collection is used to provide fresh water to the island. * Telephone cables have been run to the island, and cellphone service through NTT Docomo is available over the entire island. * Two cottages and multiple campsites are available for visitors, but food will have to be prepared in advance, as there are no shops on the island. * A heliport was built next to the lighthouse, but is only used by the Japan Coast Guard in an emergency. * Access to the island is provided by ship from Tarama Island.

References

Miyako Islands Islands of Okinawa Prefecture Tarama, Okinawa {{Okinawa-geo-stub

Geography

History

Historic Sites

Infrastructure

See also

References