Extreme points of Japan marked on the map

The extreme points of Japan include the coordinates that are 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 also claimed by Russia, and which Russia actually controls. The southernmost point is Okinotorishima; the westernmost is Cape Irizaki 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 western-most location of Japan, all other extreme locations are uninhabited.

Japan extends from 20° to 45° north longitude (Okinotorishima to Benten-jima) and from 122° to 153° east latitude (Yonaguni to Minami Torishima).^[1] The coordinates used in this article are sourced from Google Earth, which makes use of the World Geodetic System (WGS) 84.

Extreme points[edit]

A monument indicates the northernmost point of Japan at Cape Sōya on Hokkaido.

Cape Irizaki, Japan's westernmost point on Yonaguni Island

Japan's easternmost point lies on Minami Torishima in the Pacific Ocean.

Japan's southernmost point on Hateruma island.

The northernmost point that Japan claims lies on the disputed island of Iturup. Japan's claim to the three southern-most islands of the Kuril Islands is disputed by Russia, who currently controls the islands. This list provides the northernmost point as claimed by Japan as well as the northern-most undisputed point in Japan.

Overall[edit]

Five main islands[edit]

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

Hokkaidō[edit]

Honshū[edit]

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 Todogasaki (魹ヶ崎, Todogasaki), Miyako, Iwate Prefecture
  

Shikoku[edit]

Kyūshū[edit]

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 / 30.98611°N 130.66167°E / 30.98611; 130.66167 (Cape Sata (South))
  

Westernmost point

• 
  Kōzakihana (神崎鼻), Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture 33°12′51″N 129°33′18″E / 33.21417°N 129.55500°E / 33.21417; 129.55500 (Cape Kosakibana (West))
  

Easternmost point

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

Extreme altitudes[edit]

The summit of Mount Fuji is the highest point in Japan.

Hachirogata is the lowest natural point in Japan

Notes[edit]

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

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

References[edit]

See also[edit]

• Geography of Japan


• Extreme points of Asia


• Kuril Islands dispute