Ex-Iwojima Residents Requests Return to Island

Tokyo, Feb. 19 (Jiji Press)--Former residents of Japan's Iwojima, a major World War II battlefield, on Wednesday submitted to the land ministry a request to return to the Pacific island in stages. 
 

"It's unusual that we can't go back to our home for more than 80 years," a former residents' group to realize returns to the island said after submitting the request.
 

During the war, some 1,200 residents of Iwojima and Kita-Iwojima were forced to evacuate to mainland Japan in 1944 before Iwojima became the site of the savage battle between Japanese and U.S. forces the next year.
 

After the end of the war in 1945, the island was occupied by the U.S. military and eventually returned to Japan in 1968.
 

In 1984, however, the government said that it would be difficult to live permanently on Iwojima because of volcanic activities and other reasons. Currently, a Self-Defense Forces base sits on the island.
 

The request said that the forced evacuation has not been terminated for more than 80 years. As SDF members and civilians working on base maintenance live there, the former residents' group sought measures toward the realization of their returns and resettlement, such as building accommodations for former residents.
 

"We want the government to take action to enable former residents to live on the island again, starting with even five or 10 households," said Tokiko Tsuchiya, a group executive and former resident.
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