Жапонияның Идзу аралдары

Island group in southeastern Japan

The Izu Islands (伊豆諸島) are a group of volcanic islands stretching south and east from the Izu Peninsula of Honshū, Japan. Administratively, they form two towns and six villages; all part of Tokyo Prefecture. The largest is Izu Ōshima, usually called simply Ōshima. Although usually called the "Seven Islands of Izu" (伊豆七島 in Japanese), there are in fact more than a dozen islands and islets. Nine among them are currently inhabited.

The Izu islands stretch south east from the Izu Peninsula on Honshu and cover an area of approximately There are nine populated islands with a total population of 24,645 people (as of 2009) spread over The largest of them is Izu Oshima (8,346 inhabitants, ), the smallest Toshima (292 inhabitants, .) Of the inhabited islands, seven are traditionally referred to as the "Izu Seven": Oshima, Toshima, Niijima, Kozujima, Miyakejima, Hachijojima, and Mikurajima, though Shikinejima and Aogashima are sometimes included as well. Each of the islands has its unique character: Oshima is noted for its active volcano Mt Mihara and camellias, Hachijo kojima for its former penal colony, Mikurajima for dolphin watching, Niijima for its numerous beaches, Kozujima for its white sandy shores, Hachijojima for its well preserved unique culture, and Miyakejima for the 2001 volcanic eruption. During the Edo period, Nii jima, Miyake jima, and Hachijō jima served as places of exile for criminals. The subtropical Ogasawara Islands, which are also administratively part of Tokyo, lie further to the south. They form a far flung archipelago of over thirty (30) islands some due south of Tokyo.

Image NameKanji Areakm2 Pop.2007 Peakm Peak Name Coordinates Izu Ōshima伊豆大島 91.06 8472 764 Mihara To shima利島 4.12 304 508 Miyatsuka Udone shima鵜渡根島 0.4 210   Nii jima(with Hanshimaand Jinai tō)新島 23.87 2420 432 Miyatsuka Shikine jima式根島 3.9 600 109 Kambiki 神津島 18.48 1914 574 Tenjō zan Miyake jima三宅島 55.44 2382 815 Oyama Ōnohara jima大野原島 0.2 114 Koyasu Mikura jima御蔵島 20.58 313 851 Oyama Inamba jima藺灘波島 0.005 74   Hachijo Subprefecture Hachijō jima八丈島 62.52 8363 854 Nishiyama(Hachijō Fuji) Hachijō kojima八丈小島 3.08 616.8 Taihei zan Aogashima青ヶ島 8.75 192 423 Maruyama(Ō Toppu) Bayonnaise Rocks Myōjin shōベヨネース列岩 0.01 9.9   Sumisu tō須美寿島 0.03 136   Tori shima鳥島 4.79 394 Iō zan Sōfu iwa孀婦岩 0.0037 99

The primary industries are fisheries, agriculture, and tourism. The most scenic spots on the islands are crowded with tourists during summers. Popular tourist activities include swimming, scuba diving, surfing, fishing, bird watching and trekking. Transportation between the islands, by cargo passengers boats, jetfoils, and aircraft, is supported by harbours on all inhabited islands and five airports (small islands can be reached by helicopter). There are 5 airports, 15 harbors, and 19 fishing ports. Flights from Tokyo take 30 minutes, while boats take 7–10 hours and jetfoils make the route in about two hours. Transportation on the islands is considered important to the quality of life, which is why about of paved main roads have been constructed to serve various kinds of vehicles. There was no electricity on the islands before 1953, but by 1962 98% of the area was receiving electricity.

The islands occupy the northern portion of the Izu–Bonin–Mariana Arc which extends to the Izu Peninsula and Mount Fuji on the Honshū mainland which are northern extensions of the Izu volcanic arc. The Izu arc ends there at a tectonic triple junction. Volcanic activity is frequent in the area. 31 people were killed when the research vessel Kaiyō Maru no 5 was destroyed during the 1953 eruption of Myōjin shō. Volcanic activity, including the release of harmful gases, forced the evacuation of Miyake jima in 2000. Residents were allowed to return permanently to the island in February 2005 but were required to carry gas masks in case of future volcanic emissions. To handle the various types of natural disasters threatening the region, including tsunamis, storm, floods, and volcanism, Tokyo metropolitan government has developed prevention and safety measures, including hazard maps and evacuation guidance, radios, signs, and a transport system for emergency supplies.