This is the third and final installment in a series.
In January 2005, Shigeo Ichiki, now a member of the Ogasawara village assembly under Tokyo's jurisdiction, was holding his wife around the shoulders aboard the regular ferry that connects Chichijima island with the mainland. "Hang on, we'll arrive at the hospital soon," he told her.
Ichiki's wife was pregnant and heading for the mainland to receive medical care after her condition worsened. Aboard the Ogasawara Maru, however, bleeding began and did not stop. Ichiki, now 47, kept encouraging his wife over the subsequent four hours as she grew paler and paler.
The wife was rushed to the hospital as soon as the ferry arrived in Tokyo. Ichiki's blood froze when the doctor told him, "If you'd gotten here two hours later, she would have been in critical condition."
Many young people move to the Ogasawara Islands because they're fascinated by the beautiful sea and other elements. The village's population stood at 2,610 as of April 1, up about 10 percent from 2008.
According to the Ogasawara municipal government, residents aged 65 and older accounted for 15.1 percent, significantly lower than the national average at 27.8 percent. However, Ichiki pointed out the harsh reality facing the village, saying, "Our village has such a low proportion because elderly residents can't stay here if they have an illness."
The Ogasawara Islands have no airport for private use, and the ferry is the only way to travel to central Tokyo, which is about 1,000 kilometers away. The ferry leaves for Tokyo or Ogasawara once every six days, and it takes 24 hours each way.
Chichijima and Hahajima islands each have a clinic, with a total of four doctors stationed there. However, they cannot deliver children or perform surgeries. In the case of an emergency, residents have no other option but to be transported by Self-Defense Forces aircraft. Some people are calling for an airport to be built on Chichijima, but a plan has not taken shape yet.
There is also a serious housing shortage. About 80 percent of the two islands are designated as natural reserves, which means development is restricted there and there is only limited land available for buildings. Construction costs are also high because building materials must be transported by ship.
According to a survey conducted by the village, the average rent for a one-room apartment ranges from 60,000 yen to 80,000 yen.
There are only a few new apartments. By the time rumors about the construction of a new apartment building spread, all the rooms have often been booked already.
Ludovico Sforza, 36, moved to Chichijima from central Tokyo six years ago. He has had trouble finding a home, and has moved twice on the island.
Even so, Sforza hopes to live there permanently.
Sforza has an Italian father, and has studied in Switzerland. He makes a living on the island by offering English lessons and doing translations. Even for someone like Sforza, who has been exposed to various cultures, the Ogasawara Islands are attractive for their maritime location far away from Japan's mainland and their abundant nature, while also having a mixture of Western and Japanese cultures.
He married Yoshino, 33, who moved to the island with him. Last year, the couple welcomed a baby girl.
Sforza also publishes a free paper that introduces the history and nature of the island both in Japanese and English. "I hope we can vitalize our island by having young people with various skills," he said.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
