Bonin Islands - Geography & Administration

Geography & Administration

The Bonin Islands consist of three subgroups, which are listed below, along with their main islands:

• Muko-jima Group (聟島列島 Muko-jima Rettō) - formerly Parry Group;
  • Muko-jima (聟島, literally: Bridegroom Island);
  • Yome-jima (嫁島, literally: Bride Island);
  • Nakōdo-jima or Nakadachi-jima (媒島, literally: Go-between Island);
  • Kita-no-jima (北ノ島 or 北島, literally: Northern Island);
• Chichi-jima Group (父島列島 Chichi-jima Rettō) - formerly Beechey Group;
  • Chichi-jima (父島, literally: Father Island) (Main I./Peel I.);
  • Ani-jima (兄島, literally: Elder Brother Island) (Hog I./Buckland I.);
  • Otōto-jima (弟島, literally: Younger Brother Island) (North I./Stapleton I.)
• Haha-jima Group (母島列島 Haha-jima Rettō) - formerly Baily Group;
  • Haha-jima (母島, literally: Mother Island);
  • Ane-jima (姉島, literally: Elder Sister Island) and;
  • Imōto-jima (妹島, literally: Younger Sister Island).

Administratively, the Volcano Islands, Nishinoshima (Rosario Island), Okinotorishima (Parece Vela) and Minamitorishima (Marcus Island) are today part of Ogasawara municipality. Geographically, they are not traditionally considered part of the Bonin Islands, which are the Mukojima, Chichijima, and Hahajima island clusters. In other words, the historical ambit of the Bonin Islands (Ogasawara Guntō) is not the precise equivalent of the Japanese governmental unit. The Bonin Islands is a geographical term excluding the other islands which are today associated within the boundaries of a collective term, Ogasawara Shotō.