There are canonically 6,852 island that make up Japan , which is probably more than you would have expect . But as of this calendar week that figure has increase by one – at least for now – thanks to the bam of the submarine volcano Fukutoku - Okanoba .
The Modern landmass is settle about 1,200 km ( 745 miles ) in the south of Tokyo , near to the island of Iwo Jima . It made its debut on August 13 , but it was n’t until two days later that its entrance into the domain was picked up by the Nipponese coast guard . They reported plumes of steam and natural gas heighten over 15 kilometer ( 9.3 miles ) into the sky – for reference , that ’s just aboutthe upper limiton how high aeroplane can fly before they embark on getting damaged – as well as while of pumice create by the eructation floating across a 60 - kilometers ( 37 Roman mile ) wide area of sea . Eventually , the coast guard were capable to make out the pattern of the young island : a crescent .
At the moment , the new island is just a baby – only about 1 km in diameter . But Japan ’s Meteorological Agency believes that the eruption is still ongoing , and has issued pot and ash word of advice for the area while they supervise the volcanic activeness . PerForbes , the anticipation is that the integral caldera of Fukutoku - Okanoba – the declamatory caldron - alike depression that result when a volcano ’s magma bedroom empty and collapses in on itself – might eventually heighten above the ocean airfoil .
Should the novel island prove a lasting secureness , there may be geopolitical ramifications . It ’s located near to the southernmost islet of Japan ’s Ogasawara or Bonin Island chain , so it could ensue in Japan expanding its territorial claims , albeit only by a few hundred measure – thoughlocal mediasay that this is unlikely even if the island stay above the surface .
You record that rightfield , by the fashion – the island may not stupefy around . It might voice strange , but Japan has something of a story of land mass become up only to disappear before long afterwards : new islands that were confirmed in 1904 , 1914 , and 1986 all disappeared pretty apace . The most recent of those only lastedabout two monthsthanks to erosion from wave and currents . Sometimes they go missing and it takes for a while for someone to comment .
On the other script , some islands have proved more lasting . In 2013 , a volcanic island dubbed Niijima grew so big that it merged with a neighboring landmass and gifted the Earth “ Snoopy Island ” . Although it no longer looks like a animated cartoon beagle , that island – now known as Nishino Shima – is still there , andas of last year , still raise .
The headstone to the unexampled island ’s time to come , scientists say , will bewhat it ’s made of . If the island turns out to be take form of ash and rock sherd , then it ’s improbable to fare well against the ocean . But if , as the meteoric means believes , the volcanic eruption is set to continue , then it may produce enough lava flow to create a more permanent landmass – one which we can only go for will eventually resembleWoodstock .
