List of extreme points of Japan

The extreme points of Japan include the coordinates that are the farthest north, south, east and west in Japan, and the ones that are at the highest and the lowest elevations in the country. Japan's northernmost point is disputed, because Japan considers it to be on Iturup, an island de facto governed by Russia. The southernmost point is Okinotorishima; the westernmost is Cape Irizaki on Yonaguni Island in Okinawa Prefecture, and the easternmost is Minami Torishima. The highest point in Japan is the summit of Mount Fuji at 3,776.24 m (12,389 ft). At 150 m (492 ft) below sea level, the bottom of Hachinohe mine is the country's lowest point. The surface of Hachirōgata is Japan's lowest natural point at 4 m (13 ft) below sea level. With the exception of Cape Irizaki, the westernmost location of Japan, all other extreme locations are uninhabited.

Japan extends from 20° to 45° north latitude (Okinotorishima to Benten-jima) and from 122° to 153° east longitude (Yonaguni to Minami Torishima). The coordinates used in this article are sourced from Google Earth, which makes use of the World Geodetic System (WGS) 84.

Extreme points

The northernmost point that Japan claims lies on the disputed island of Iturup. Japan's claim to the three southernmost islands of the Kuril Islands is disputed by Russia, which de facto controls the islands. This list provides the northernmost point as claimed by Japan as well as the northernmost undisputed point in Japan.

Overall

Five main islands

The five main islands of Japan are Honshū, Hokkaidō, Shikoku, Kyūshū and Okinawa. All of these points are accessible to the public.

Hokkaidō

Honshū

Northernmost point

• Cape Ōma (大間崎, Ōmazaki), Ōma, Aomori Prefecture

Southernmost point

• Cape Shionomisaki (潮岬, Shiono-misaki), Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture

Westernmost point

• Cape Bishanohana (毘沙ノ鼻), Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture

Easternmost point

• Cape Todo (魹ヶ崎, Todogasaki), Miyako, Iwate Prefecture

Shikoku

Kyūshū

Northernmost point

• Tanoura reclaimed area (田野浦埋立地, Tanorua umetatechi), Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Prefecture

Southernmost point

• Cape Sata (佐多岬, Sata-misaki), Minamiōsumi, Kagoshima Prefecture 30°59′10″N 130°39′42″E

Westernmost point

• Kōzakihana (神崎鼻), Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture 33°12′51″N 129°33′18″E

Easternmost point

• Cape Tsurumi (鶴御崎, Tsurumisaki), Saiki, Ōita Prefecture

Okinawa

Northernmost

• Cape Hedo (Kunigami District, Okinawa)

Southernmost

• Cape Arasaki (Itoman, Okinawa)

Easternmost

• Setasaki (Kunigami District, Okinawa)

Westernmost

• Oosaki (Naha, Okinawa Prefecture)

Extreme altitudes

See also

• Geography of Japan
• Japanese archipelago
• List of Japanese islands
• Extreme points of Asia
• Kuril Islands dispute

Notes

^† Coordinates obtained from Google Earth. Google Earth makes use of the WGS84 geodetic reference system.

^‡ Although Japan claims this island as part of Hokkaido, this territory is disputed and Iturup is currently under Russian administration.

References

1. Extreme points of Asia
2. List of extreme points of Vietnam
3. Lists of extreme points
4. Extremes on Earth
5. Extreme points of the Philippines
6. List of elevation extremes by country
7. Japanese archipelago
8. List of countries by southernmost point
9. Afro-Eurasia
10. Minamitorishima
11. List of emperors of Japan
12. Okinotorishima
13. List of weather records
14. List of prime ministers of Japan
15. List of Solar System extremes
16. List of regions of Japan
17. List of islands of Japan
18. Prefectures of Japan
19. List of elevation extremes by region
20. Hateruma