They poured gonguri on two reefs and claimed them as islands.

Atoll: A volcanic island that slowly sinks below sea level.

Terrain created by coral accumulation in a crater

There is an atoll area called Okinotorishima (shima means island) in the south of Japan.

The name “Northern Island” was given to the boulder.

This small, small ‘island’ is surrounded by tools and protected by wire mesh (some of it made of titanium alloy).

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The reason for doing this is because the atoll will eventually sink (+ sea level rise due to global warming).

Coral will continue to accumulate, but rocks will just become rocks below the sea level.

There were six reefs like this in the 1930s, but now only two boulders called Buksodo and Dongsodo remain.

In the 1980s, money was poured into these two places to pour concrete.

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They named it Okinotori ‘Shima’ and are holding onto the exclusive economic zone, which is 400 nautical miles in diameter.

It’s hitting a powerful lobby, but it’s not fully recognized yet.