Japan's Minami-Torishima Island is located at latitude 24'18" North and longitude 153'58" East, and is approximately 1,900 Km from Tokyo. The administrative district of Minami Torishima is Ogasawara Village, Tokyo Prefecture, its area is about 1 square km and circumference is about 6 km, and is the Japan's easternmost island. The first record of Minami-Torishima is in 1864 by Hawaiian mission ship, stating the island indistinctly. The first scientific record was reported by the U.S. surveyor ship in 1874, stating 154 E.Long and 24'14" N.Lat. In 1879 Mr. Kiozaemon Saito landed on Minami-torishima as the first Japanese. In 1880 a French warship, Eclai-Ieu, reported Minami-Torishima's location, stating 24'14" N. Lat, and 154 E.Long. It is uncertain who named this island Marcus.

During the World War Two, there were about 4,500 soldiers in Minami-Torishima, and they suffered from U.S. air raid and battery fires. However, U.S. navy did not land on the island, so most of the Japanese soldiers returned to their home town after the war.

ash of the past	a rusty cannon

monument states, "Japan"

History of Minami-torishima 1864 Discovery by a Hawaiian ship 1874 Discovery by a U.S. surveyorship "Tuscarora" 1879 first Japanese record of Minami-torishima 1880 Discovery by a French surveyorship "Eclai-Ieu" 1896 first actual occupation by Japanese July 19, 1898 Becomes Japan's territory by incorporation of Ogasawara Islands 1941 Japanese navy constructs airport and deploy troop Sep 1, 1943 U.S. bombs Minami-Torishima 1945 U.S. occupation starts June 26, 1968 Due to return of Ogasawara Islands, Minami-Torishima and its territorial waters become Japanese July 1989 first VLBI (very long baseline interfermoterty) experiment