Description

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Context

Over the last two weeks, more than 1,000 earthquakes have shaken the Tokara Islands in southern Japan, marking an unparalleled seismic event.

About Tokara Islands

The Tokara Islands are a tiny archipelago in Japan located south of Kyushu and north of the Amami Islands.
They are also known as the Toshima Islands, and the administrative district that covers them, Toshima-mura, bears the same name.

Climate:

It is located between the subtropical and temperate zones, with an average yearly temperature of 20ºC.
The weather is mild, and practically every area is frost-free. The annual rainfall is approximately 2,700 millimeters.

Historical Significance

The Shoku Nihongi mentions an island called "Tokan" in an entry for the year 699, which is usually identified with Tokara, along with the islands of Tane, Yaku, and Amami, but Tokan is also sometimes identified with Tokunoshima, which is about 150 kilometers (93 miles) away.
Although one entry in the earlier Nihon Shoki for the year 654 mentions a "Tokara Country," Tokara no kuni, this refers to the Tokhara region of Central Asia, not the Tokara Islands.
The Shimazu clan of Satsuma Domain and the Ryukyu Kingdom ruled over the islands in the 15th and 16th centuries, respectively.
Ryukyu lost its holdings in the Tokara Islands to Satsuma in 1611, and the Tokugawa Shogunate formalized the agreement in 1624.

Source: Business Standard

Practice Question:

QThe Tokara Islands, recently in news, are:

A) A group of volcanic islands located between Kyushu and Okinawa in Japan, known for tectonic activity and strategic importance in the East China Sea

B) A disputed island chain between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea

C) A coral atoll group in the Indian Ocean administered by Australia

D) A group of Arctic islands administered by Russia, rich in oil reserves

Correct Answer:

A) A group of volcanic islands located between Kyushu and Okinawa in Japan, known for tectonic activity and strategic importance in the East China Sea

Explanation:

Location: The Tokara Islands are part of the Ryukyu archipelago, located between Kyushu and Okinawa in Japan.

Nature: Volcanic in origin and seismically active.

Strategic Importance: Lies in the East China Sea near maritime routes and close to the contested Senkaku Islands region, making them geopolitically significant.