“Protect this rock!” Why spend $75 billion to protect it?

Surrounded by the sea, Japan has a thriving fishing industry. To protect this industry, the Japanese government is doing everything it can to protect an island, or rather, a rock.

This rock is called Okinotori Island.

This island is located 1,700 km from Tokyo but has a Tokyo address. It is a newly formed island due to undersea volcanic activity, and Japan’s ownership of it has increased the size of its exclusive economic zone, which can be considered Japan’s territorial waters.

The size of Japan’s territorial waters is vast at 400,000 square kilometers. This is larger than the land area of Japan. 75 billion yen has been invested in this area for the exclusive use of Japan.

Normally, Okinotori would be considered an island, but at high tide it is only 16 centimeters wide, so barely bigger than a rock. The difference between a rock and an island is that a rock is always exposed to the sea, so submergence must be avoided at all costs.

Furthermore, by international law, the island cannot be modified to make it larger because an island is defined as “naturally formed”. Japan employed an idea whereby it remodeled the area around the island so that it wouldn’t be submerged.

Concrete has been placed around the area where it becomes 16 cm wide at high tide, and blocks have been placed to counteract the waves.

China says that it is not a populated island, and I would argue that is correct. However, thanks to the efforts Japan has made, the island has become Japan’s territory, and the nation can defend its vast territorial waters.

Why is this area needed?
One reason is the fishery resources. Tuna, in particular, is abundant. Japanese people love tuna, so it is an important food source. The other reason is that resources such as cobalt and manganese can be obtained here. It is better to be able to produce as many resources as possible for industry in one’s own nation.

In addition, the waters surrounding the island have a year-round temperature difference of 28°C between the surface and the deep sea, and it is said that this temperature difference will be utilized to generate electricity.

The sea level is currently rising due to global warming. How long can we continue to call this rock an island?

The government is trying hard to protect it because this will have a great impact on the future of Japan.

ABE KENGO

• Japan
• japo
• OKINOTORISHIMA