Uninhabited Japanese Island Offers Survival Adventures

Diaoyu Islands. Photo: AFP
Diaoyu Islands. Photo: AFP
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Uninhabited Japanese Island Offers Survival Adventures

Diaoyu Islands. Photo: AFP
Diaoyu Islands. Photo: AFP

Feeling ground down by the pressures of everyday life? Wish you could get away from it all? The island city of Iki in Nagasaki prefecture has an unusual and appropriate holiday destination, and its name is Tsumagashima Island.

There are many uninhabited islands that dot the coasts of Japan, and Tsumagashima, in particular, lies off the coast of Nagasaki. While humans did live on the island at one point, it was declared uninhabited in 2002, and since then has lain in relative obscurity—although people who fish treat the island as a especially lucky spot, according to the Japan Today website.

You can access the island with relative ease from Nagasaki's Indoji seaport, but it's far removed from civilization and the chance of bumping into strangers is practically zero, reported the German News Agency (dpa).

You can take also a 30-minute airplane ride from Nagasaki Airport. Prospective campers need not worry about the safety of the island—the campsite areas are being tended to and monitored by capable staff, which is currently undergoing a survival adventure of their own.

Camping on the island allows guests to try out a unique camping experience where they stake out their own lodgings, forage for food, fish, and cook their own meals using bamboo and camping tools.

And speaking of camping tools, only the barest minimum is included in the camping plan. Vacationers can also expect a beach reserved for their own use, a jungle expanse to venture through, and a stimulating environment without electricity or running water.

A two-day, one-night stay will cost 19,800 yen, while a three-day, two-night stay will cost 29,800 yen per adult. Elementary school students are expected to pay half of that price, while children younger than that can attend for free. Your party must consist of four people or more.

Don't worry if you aren't a serious camper because the island will also offer camping experiences for beginners where a qualified instructor will assist you on your survival experience.



Three Migrants Die Trying to Cross Channel in Boat from France to UK

Tunisian coast guards try to stop migrants at sea during their attempt to cross to Italy, off the coast off Sfax, Tunisia April 27, 2023. REUTERS/Jihed Abidellaoui /File Photo
Tunisian coast guards try to stop migrants at sea during their attempt to cross to Italy, off the coast off Sfax, Tunisia April 27, 2023. REUTERS/Jihed Abidellaoui /File Photo
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Three Migrants Die Trying to Cross Channel in Boat from France to UK

Tunisian coast guards try to stop migrants at sea during their attempt to cross to Italy, off the coast off Sfax, Tunisia April 27, 2023. REUTERS/Jihed Abidellaoui /File Photo
Tunisian coast guards try to stop migrants at sea during their attempt to cross to Italy, off the coast off Sfax, Tunisia April 27, 2023. REUTERS/Jihed Abidellaoui /File Photo

At least three migrants died in the Channel off northern France on Sunday as a group of around 50 people tried to set off in a small boat heading for Britain, authorities said.

The incident occurred at Sangatte at around 6 a.m. (0500 GMT) during a series of attempted crossings by migrants aiming for the southern coast of England, the French maritime prefecture for the Channel said in a statement.

Three migrants were confirmed dead after being found unconscious, while another 45 people were rescued and treated mostly for hypothermia, the authority said.

A search operation continued for other possible victims, it added, Reuters reported.

Several dozen migrants have died this year attempting to cross the Channel, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, in crowded makeshift vessels to reach Britain.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose Labour Party swept to office after an election in July, has prioritised cracking down on illegal migration by tackling the gangs who smuggle people across the Channel.

"This morning, lives have been lost at sea because ruthless criminals running the small boat trade are overloading people into unseaworthy vessels," Angela Eagle, British minister for border security and asylum, said in a statement on Sunday.

The British government is supporting the French authorities who are leading on the response to the incident, which took place in French waters, she added.

Nearly 30,000 people arrived in Britain by small boats in the year ending September, 2024, government data showed in November. Close to 1,500 people have arrived in the four days since Christmas.