Japan is an archipelago of 14,125 islands, of which approximately 260 are inhabited.[1][2] Japan is the largest island country in East Asia and the fourth largest in the island nations of the world.[3]
According to a survey conducted by the Japan Coast Guard in 1987, the number of islands in Japan was 6,852. At that time, the survey only counted islands with coastlines of 100 meters or more that were shown on paper maps.
On February 28, 2023, the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan announced that the number of islands had been updated to 14,125 through a recount using digital maps. Since there is no international standard for counting islands, only islands with a coastline of 100 meters or more were counted, as in the past. According to the GSI, advances in surveying technology and the detailed representation of topographic features through digital mapping contributed to this announcement.[4][1]
Taiwan and Penghu (1895–1952) - part of the Japanese colonial empire until its defeat in 1945. Returned to the Republic of China in 1945 but unrecognized by the Allies. All claims reliqunished by 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.
