Okinotorishima Lighthouse, Maritime beacon in Ogasawara Village, Japan.
Okinotorishima Lighthouse is a solar-powered navigation structure built on a concrete platform in the Philippine Sea, far south of the Japanese mainland. It stands on a small coral outcrop that barely rises above the waterline, surrounded by open ocean on all sides.
The lighthouse was built in 2007, following decades of Japanese efforts to reinforce the tiny coral atoll it stands on. Before that, steel cages and concrete protective structures had been placed at the site to slow the erosion of the reef by the ocean.
The lighthouse on Okinotorishima is the only visible sign of human presence on this tiny coral atoll in the middle of the ocean. Its existence signals that Japan considers this point a landmass, which carries real weight for the surrounding maritime zones.
The site is not reachable for most travelers, as it sits on open ocean with no port or landing area. Anyone wishing to approach it needs a specialized vessel and official permission.
The coral atoll the lighthouse stands on is so small that its total exposed surface is roughly the size of a desk. Japan encased it in concrete to prevent it from being swallowed entirely by the sea.
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