Japanese give abandoned island a new lease on life

A high sea wall runs around Hashima's 1.2km perimeter.

Sun, 02 Feb 2025

By Kohei Choji, Koichi Nagano and Tetsu JokoOn an island off the coast of Nagasaki, ruins that seem on the verge of collapse stand clustered behind a high seawall. Though officially known as Hashima, the island is sometimes called Gunkanjima, or Battleship Island, because of its resemblance to the warship Tosa. Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the closing of the island's coal mine, which once made the spot prosperous.High-quality coal was discovered on Hashima around 1810. In the island's heyday, about 5,300 people liv...

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