Mageshima

Mageshima
Native name: Japanese: 馬毛島
	Mageshima
	Location of Mageshima in the Ōsumi Islands
Geography
Location	East China Sea
Coordinates	30°44′29.9″N 130°51′16.9″E / 30.741639°N 130.854694°E
Archipelago	Ōsumi Islands
Area	8.2 km2 (3.2 sq mi)
Coastline	16.5 km (10.25 mi)
Highest elevation	71.7 m (235.2 ft)
Highest point	Takenokoshi
Administration
	Japan
	Kagoshima Prefecture
Demographics
Population	15 (2005 census)
Pop. density	1.82/km2 (4.71/sq mi)
Ethnic groups	Japanese

Mageshima (馬毛島), is an eight square kilometre Japanese island forming part of the Satsunan Islands, which are usually classed with the Ōsumi Islands. It belongs to Kagoshima Prefecture and it is administered by the city of Nishinoomote on Tanegashima.

Geography

Mageshima is located 12 kilometres (6.5 nmi) west of Tanegashima. The island is of volcanic origin, and has an area of approximately 8.2 square kilometres (3.2 sq mi) with a circumference of 16.5 kilometres (10.3 mi). The highest elevations on the island is Takenokoshi (岳之越), with a height of 71.7 metres (235 ft) above sea level in the center of the island. The terrain is mostly low and flat. The island does not have rivers and its geology is not suitable for agriculture.

Main place names

Hayama (葉山), Ou Komori (王籠), Takabo (高坊), Kakise (垣瀬), Shiinoki (椎ノ木).

Rocks and reef

Geographical Survey Institute map (extract). Excludes land-connected beaches, small rocks on the reef, and unnamed rocks.

Bose (房瀬) - Cape Ueno.
Kose (小瀬), Katahirase (片平瀬), Ohirase (大平瀬), Kakise (垣瀬) - West side.
Kitakojima (北小島), Onase (女瀬) - Cape Shimono.
Takase (高瀬), Tsumasaki (ツマ崎) - Southeast side.
Yokose (横瀬) - East side.

Wildlife

There are Sika deer on the island. The surrounding area has good fishing grounds.

Climate

The island’s climate is classified as

subtropical

, with a rainy season from May through September.

History

Kamakura period to postwar

Mageshima has been occupied, at least seasonally, since the

sugar cane and vinegar, as well as commercial fishing

. However, difficulties with agriculture due to pests, and due to foreign competition caused many islanders to abandon the island from the late 1960s.

Uninhabited

In 1974, the Heiwa Sogo Bank started a resort venture and floated plans for construction of the national oil reserve on the island, but neither plan came to fruition. In March 1980, the last resident left the island.

In 1995, a subsidiary of Tateishi Construction acquired the island, and announced plans to construct a landing field for the Japanese spaceplane, HOPE-X, on the island. Other plans to establish a spent nuclear fuel storage facility were also announced. However, subsequently no construction has been taken and the HOPE-X project itself was cancelled in 2003.

Land acquisition & military base

In 2009, Mageshima came under consideration as a possible relocation site for the

tax fraud and for collusion with politicians over the project. Initial logging to clear an area for the proposed runways was performed without proper permission, and in September 2011 local fishermen filed lawsuits alleging damage to fishing grounds due to increased runoff created by the illegal logging

.

In 2011, Japan agreed to provide the

Iwo To

(formerly called Iwo Jima) which is much further south 1,360 km (850 mi) of Japan's main islands.

In November 2019, the

Nansei Islands.^[4]

On November 29, 2022, Kagoshima's governor Koichi Shiota agreed to the construction of the base citing the "increasingly severe security environment" surrounding Japan.[5] Construction started on January 12, 2023 and is expected to take 4 years.^[6]^[4]