Shikotan Island

An island located in eastern Hokkaido, about 73 km northeast of Cape Nosappu of the Nemuro Peninsula. It is about 24 km long from northeast to southwest, 10 to 12 km wide, and has an area of ​​250.16 square kilometers. Administratively, it was Shikotan Village, Shikotan District, under the jurisdiction of the Nemuro Subprefecture (now the Nemuro Subprefecture) before World War II, and has remained so to this day. However, after the war, it came under the administration of the Soviet Union, and after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it came under the administration of the Russian Federation. The center of Shikotan (also called Shakotan) is located at the northeastern end, and before the war it was connected to Nemuro by regular ships. At the southwestern end is the anchorage Notoro, and on the northwestern coast is the anchorage Anama. The population before the war was 861 (1942). There were five elementary schools, two post offices, one post office, and one radio station on the island. Most of the inhabitants were engaged in fishing, catching kelp, shellfish, salmon, cod, etc.

[Kazuo Watanabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

北海道東部、根室(ねむろ)半島納沙布(のさっぷ)岬北東約73キロメートルの沖合いにある島。北東―南西方向に長く約24キロメートルあり、幅は10～12キロメートル、面積250.16平方キロメートル。行政区画としては第二次世界大戦前から根室支庁（現、根室振興局）管内の色丹郡色丹村とされ、形式上はそのまま現在に至っているが、戦後はソ連、ソ連解体後はロシア連邦の施政下にある。北東端に中心地色丹（斜古丹(しゃこたん)ともいう）があり、戦前は根室と定期船で結ばれていた。南西端には錨地(びょうち)ノトロ、北西岸には錨地穴澗(あなま)がある。戦前の人口は861（1942）。全島で小学校5、郵便局2、駅逓(えきてい)1、無電局1が置かれていた。住民の大半は漁業に従事し、コンブ、貝類、サケ・マス、タラなどの漁業に従事した。

［渡辺一夫］

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