Recount with digital map leads to doubling of listed Japanese islands

The number of listed Japanese islands is expected to more than double from 6,852 to 14,125 after the government recounted them for the first time in 35 years, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Japan has so many island, so no need to worry when someone just bought one island .

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/02/11/national/chinese-woman-okinawa-island/

The recount came after a ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker told a parliamentary session in December 2021 that "an accurate understanding of the number of islands is an important administrative matter that is related to the national interest."

Really? The timing with the story widely publicized of a Chinese woman purchasing an Okinawan island must be coincidental.

Can I buy an island in the middle of a lake ?

Or are they all owned by the government ?

Well done.

Musk got ten of thousands of satellite polluting the skies, affecting astronomy viewing

didou

Can I buy an island in the middle of a lake ?

Probably, depending on the island.

Or are they all owned by the government ?

Regardless of who owns the land, it would still fall under the legal jurisdiction of Japan and whatever Prefecture it resided in, as does that island purchased by a Chinese national, recently.

Surely there must be some more UNESCO cultural heritage sites amongst them...

Great news for Japan! The Pacific is Japan's, end of story. Lol.

an island is a "naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is above water at high tide

I doubt that this is the complete definition. Usually some more criteria have to be fulfilled for not being counted only as a simple stone or rock in the sea. For example, uninterrupted signs of life like vegetation, small plants, nesting birds, sea animals etc Also those big new areas created due to volcano eruption are in fact still no islands. If they have cooled down and the first signs of life appear on them, then they are islands.

Usually some more criteria have to be fulfilled for not being counted only as a simple stone or rock in the sea.

I don't think additional criteria are needed for the definition of an island. However, further criteria have to be met to be considered part of a country's economic zone.