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Izu Islands

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The Izu Islands (伊豆諸島, Izu-shotō^?) are a group of volcanic islands stretching south and east from the Izu Peninsula of Honshū, Japan. Administratively, they form two towns and six villages, all part of Tokyo. The largest is Izu Ōshima, usually called simply Ō-shima. Although traditionally referred to as the "Izu Seven," there are in fact more than a dozen islands and islets. Tokyo Metropolitan Government officially lists them as nine (North to South):

All nine lie within the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Fishing by professionals and sportsmen is year-round, with the majority of boats docked on the Izu Peninsula. Tori Shima is now uninhabited but is an important bird refuge. Izu Ōshima and Hachijojima each form towns. The remaining seven islands form six villages, with Niijima and Shikinejima forming one village. Volcanic activity is frequent in the area. For photos and descriptions of the volcanoes, see Volcanoes of the Izu, Volcano and Mariana Islands. The Eruption of Myojin-sho in 1953 killed 31 people when the research vessel Kaiyo Maru no 5 was destroyed. Volcanic activity, including the release of harmful gases, forced the evacuation of Miyake-jima in 2000. In February 2005, residents were allowed to return permanently to the island but were required to carry gas masks in case of future volcanic emissions. During the Edo period, Nii-jima, Miyake-jima, and Hachijō-jima served as places of exile for criminals. The subtropical Ogasawara Islands, which are also administratively part of Tokyo, lie further to the south. They form a far-flung archipelago of over thirty (30) islands some 1,000 km due south of Tokyo. Geologically, the Izu Peninsula and Mount Fuji on the Honshū mainland are northern extensions of the Izu volcanic arc. The Izu arc ends there because of the tectonic triple junction.