Iwo Jima, Volcanic island in Tokyo Prefecture, Japan
Ioto is a small volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean that belongs to Tokyo Prefecture and lies about 1200 kilometers south of the Japanese capital. The island rises up to 161 meters above sea level and extends roughly 8 kilometers in length by 4 kilometers in width.
The first Japanese village appeared in the late 19th century when fishermen and sulfur collectors settled here. During the Second World War, the island became the site of one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific, after which it remained under American military control until 1968.
The island belongs to Ogasawara Village, though it sits about 280 kilometers south of the nearest inhabited island. Because of its military role, the area is closed to civilians and can only be entered with special permission.
The entire island is a military restricted area and cannot be visited. Scientists monitor volcanic activity remotely using instruments that operate from a safe distance.
The ground rises between 15 and 20 centimeters each year, caused by magma pushing upward into deep chambers. This ongoing movement reshapes the coastline and creates new landforms that did not exist in older photographs.
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