Isahaya Bay

Isahaya Bay
諫早湾 (Japanese)
Satellite image of Isahaya Bay in 2001
Isahaya Bay is located in Japan
Isahaya Bay
Isahaya Bay
Location within Japan
LocationNagasaki Prefecture, Japan
Coordinates32°54′11.5″N 130°12′51.72″E / 32.903194°N 130.2143667°E / 32.903194; 130.2143667
TypeBay
Part of
Basin countriesJapan
Surface area
65 km2 (25 mi2)
Average depth
10 m (33 ft)
Max. depth10 m (33 ft)
Settlements
Location map (Highlighted in blue)
Isahaya Bay in 2012 with the section of the bay closed off.

Isahaya Bay (諫早湾, Isahaya-wan) is a bay within the Ariake Sea, located northwest of the Shimabara Peninsula in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. Its surface area is about 65 square kilometres (25 mi2), with a maximum depth of 10 metres (33 ft).

In 1986, the governor of Isahaya began an 235 billion-yen reclamation project of a tidal flat by closing off part of the bay for agricultural purposes with it being completed in 2008. However, the reclamation project was met with a series of protests from local fishermen, who said that the closing of the bay had caused changes in currents along with mass pollution within the bay, which had affected their catches.

Geography

Isahaya Bay is located within the Ariake Sea on the island of Kyushu, Japan. It covers an area of 65 square kilometres (25 mi2) and has a mean depth of 10 metres (33 ft).

Legacy

Reportedly, the reclamation project and the conflict with local citizens was the inspiration behind the antagonists Team Magma and Team Aqua in the Pokémon franchise.

References

  1. ↑ "Isahaya Bay reclamation dispute continues". The Japan Times. 2019-09-18. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
  2. ↑ Jia, Rui; Lei, Huayang; Hino, Takenori; Arulrajah, Arul (October 2018). "Environmental changes in Ariake Sea of Japan and their relationships with Isahaya Bay reclamation". Marine Pollution Bulletin. 135. Elsevier: 832–844. Bibcode:2018MarPB.135..832J. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.08.008.
  3. 1 2 Takahashi, Tohru; Umehara, Akira; Tsutsumi, Hiroaki (December 2014). "Diffusion of microcystins (cyanobacteria hepatotoxins) from the reservoir of Isahaya Bay, Japan, into the marine and surrounding ecosystems as a result of large-scale drainage". Marine Pollution Bulletin. 89. Elsevier: 250–258. Bibcode:2014MarPB..89..250T. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.09.052.
  4. ↑ "20 Years Later, Pokémon's Most Ambitious Sequel Still Hasn't Been Topped". Inverse. Retrieved 28 December 2024.