Japan has carried out a new mapping of its territory that has resulted in a significant increase in the number of islands counted. In 1987, the last recorded mapping to date, 6,852 islands were counted, but the new count has raised this figure to 14,125. The result has surprised the Japanese government, which has discovered that its territory is actually much larger than previously thought.
This new mapping has been made possible by the evolution of mapping technologies over the past 36 years. The Geospatial Authority of Japan has used a minimum criterion of 100 meters in circumference to determine which portions of land in the ocean can be counted as islands.
It is important to note that this increase in the number of islands counted does not represent any change in the total land area of the country. Furthermore, it does not include the territories that Japan holds in dispute with Russia and China, such as the Kuril Islands and the Senkaku Islands.
In short, the new mapping of Japan has revealed that the country has many more islands than previously thought. However, this does not affect the total area of the country and does not include territories in dispute with other countries.