Main islands The four
main islands of
Japan are: •
Hokkaido – the northernmost and second-largest main island, third most populous. •
Honshu – the largest island, with the capital
Tokyo and over 80% of the population. Honshu is connected to the other three main islands by bridges and tunnels. •
Kyushu – the third-largest main island, second most populous and the nearest to the Asian mainland. •
Shikoku – the smallest and least populous main island, located between Honshu and Kyushu.
Islands around Hokkaido •
Ōshima •
Okushiri Island •
Teuri Island •
Rebun Island •
Rishiri Island •
Yagishiri Island •
Kamome island Islands of Honshu in the Sea of Japan •
Awashima Island, Niigata •
Kanmurijima •
Kutsujima, Kyoto •
Mitsukejima •
Nanatsujima archipelago •
Notojima •
Oki Islands •
Dōgo •
Nakanoshima •
Nishinoshima •
Chiburijima • •
Sado •
Takashima, Shimane •
Tobishima (Yamagata) • •
Tsunoshima •
Umashima, Shimane Islands in Tokyo Bay •
Dream Island (Yume No Shima) •
Odaiba (artificial island) •
Sarushima (natural) • • • • •
Tokyo International Airport (artificial island) • • • •
Wakasu • •
Islands in Osaka Bay •
Maishima •
Yumeshima • •
Kansai International Airport (artificial island) •
Kobe Airport (artificial island) •
Port Island •
Rokkō Island • •
Wakayama Marina City •
Islands in Ise Bay •
Chūbu Centrair International Airport (artificial island) •
Kami-shima •
Kashiko Island •
Kozukumi Island •
Mikimoto Pearl Island Islands in Mutsu Bay •
Ōshima •
Taijima Nanpō Islands (Nanpō Shotō) •
Izu Islands •
Aogashima •
Hachijō •
Izu Ōshima •
Kōzu •
Udonejima •
Hahajima •
Hirado •
Kerama Islands •
Tokashikijima •
Zamamijima •
Akajima •
Gerumajima •
Daitō Islands •
Kitadaitojima •
Minamidaitōjima •
Okidaitōjima Sakishima Islands Also known as the Further Isles: •
Miyako Islands •
Miyako-jima •
Ikema •
Ogami •
Irabu Island •
Shimoji •
Kurima-jima •
Minna •
Tarama •
Yaeyama Islands •
Iriomote •
Ishigaki •
Taketomi •
Kohama •
Kuroshima •
Aragusuku •
Hatoma •
Yubujima •
Hateruma •
Yonaguni •
Senkaku Islands - controlled by Japan,
disputed by
China and
Taiwan. •
Uotsurijima •
Kuba Jima •
Taisho Jima •
Kita Kojima •
Minami Kojima Seto Inland Sea islands •
Kasaoka Islands •
Takashima Island (Okayama) 高島 (岡山県笠岡市) •
Shiraishi Island •
Kitagi Island, 北木島 •
Obishi Island, 大飛島 •
Kobi Island, 小飛島 •
Manabeshima, 真鍋島 •
Mushima Island (Okayama), 六島 (岡山県) •
Shiwaku Islands •
Awaji •
Iturup - •
Kunashir - •
Shikotan - •
Habomai Islands -
Others •
Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo/Takeshima) - controlled by
South Korea,
disputed by Japan.
North Korea also claims the island, and has criticized Japan over its claim.
Former •
South Seas Mandate (1919–1947) - administered by the Empire of Japan as a
League of Nations mandate until its defeat in 1945. In 1947, the region was placed under the
United Nations trusteeship system as the
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, administered by the U.S.. The Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands later became a
U.S. territory, while
Palau, the
Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia became sovereign independent nations. •
Taiwan and
Penghu (1895–1952) - part of the Empire of Japan until its defeat in 1945. Taken over by the
Republic of China in 1945 but no treaty of sovereignty transfer has been signed. All claims relinquished by Japan in the
Treaty of San Francisco signed in 1951. •
Karafuto (1905–1949) - the southern half of the island of
Sakhalin, controlled by Japan after the
Russo-Japanese War. Japan lost control of Karafuto after its
invasion by the Soviet Union during World War II. Formally abolished as a legal entity by Japan in 1949. Japan in addition controlled the northern half of Sakhalin between 1920 and 1925, during and after the
Russian Civil War. •
Jeju Island (1910–1945) - part of
Korea, annexed by
Japanese colonial empire until its defeat in 1945. == Largest islands of Japan ==