Japan’s Newest Island Triples in Size
Japan’s newest island now has a name, Niijima, and it continues to grow.
The small volcanic island sits about 600 miles (970 kilometers) south of Tokyo, offshore of a small, uninhabited island called Nishino Shima. Located in Japanese waters, the newborn island is now one of about 30 known as the Bonin Islands, or the Ogasawara chain.
Niijima was first noticed on November 20. On the next day, the Japanese coast guard released video of the island forming, showing billowing smoke, steam, ash, and rocks exploding from a crater that had erupted from the sea.
At the time, Japanese scientists were unsure how long the island would last, as the ocean often reclaims such volcanic islets within a short time.