The city government of Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture, has conducted its third marine survey around the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands, with Jiji Press and other reporters allowed to board its survey ship.
During the survey, which lasted from Thursday to Saturday, Chinese coast guard vessels entered Japanese waters around the islands and attempted to interfere with the city’s ship, but Japan Coast Guard vessels blocked the move.
The city survey ship’s journey to the area was the first since January last year. The latest survey was joined by Ishigaki Mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama and some lawmakers, including former Defense Minister Tomomi Inada. The Japanese government did not allow the survey participants to land on the islands.
For the first time, a drone was used to take infrared images of the northern side of Uotsurijima in the Senkaku chain. The images suggested the presence of much plastic waste and apparent animals, as well as a landslide.
From the images, it was learned that vegetation around a mountain peak on Uotsurijima has almost disappeared and that the number of goats there has decreased.
The drone survey was conducted by Tokai University professor Yoshihiko Yamada, who participated in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s 2012 survey of the islands and Ishigaki’s 2022 and 2023 surveys.
“The ecosystem is faltering, with the mountain’s ability to store water apparently weakening,” Yamada said.