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A volcanic island off Japan's southern coast continues to smolder with lava flowing from its craters into the sea one year after its "birth," the Japanese coast guard said Thursday.
Nishinoshima, some 1,000 kilometers south of Tokyo, joined up with a small volcanic islet formed last November 20. The island is now eight times larger in area than it was a year ago, the coast guard said.
The coast guard said a few craters on Nishinoshima were still spewing columns of smoke 1,500-2,000 meters high.
Nishinoshima is estimated to be 10 million years old.
© Japan Today
9 Comments
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nandakandamanda
Still too hot to build a house on it, then?
Fox Sora Winters
I really hope this island will still be around when I move out to Japan. I'd like to be able to sail out and see it for myself. Maybe even set foot on it if possible. I don't think China would be too happy about that. They're probably going to start sending ships out there to "protect a Chinese island from Imperialist Japan" or some BS like that.
SumoBob
Countdown to China claiming this smouldering lump of rock as its own in 3-2-1...
gokai_wo_maneku
Yes, get a Japanese flag on that island, or China will declare it part of the inherent territory of China for historical reasons.
Mocheake
Nishinoshima joined up with the small volcanic islet... This makes it easier to understand what is what
Disillusioned
Woo hoo! I'll bet they are already drawing up plans to put a nuclear power plant on it.
Fadamor
As Nishinoshima is almost halfway to Guam from Japan's main island, China would be hard-pressed to justify any claims.
Fox Sora Winters
@Mocheake: Except that it's the volcanic islet that did the joining. Nishinoshima did nothing, while the islet merged with it via the lava flows. You can't walk up to someone and shake hands without the walking up to them part.
WilliB
fadamor:
Oh, they will manage. They have concocted wilder stories before.