Mitsukejima Island Transforms After Noto Peninsula Earthquake as Withered Trees Replace Greenery

The Yomiuri Shimbun

6:00 JST, October 27, 2025

The scenic Mitsukejima Island in Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture — partially collapsed during the Noto Peninsula Earthquake — is undergoing visible changes as withered trees increasingly dominate its surface.

Before the quake, dense greenery covered the island’s surface, but since last summer, the number of dead trees has risen sharply. Researchers believe that the collapse of the island’s groundwater-retaining strata has deprived the vegetation of sufficient moisture.

At the same time, seeds have been observed sprouting in the collapsed areas, suggesting that new plant life is beginning to take root.

Known locally as Battleship Island for its protruding, ship-like shape, Mitsukejima lost part of its structure in the earthquake, dramatically altering its appearance. With bare rock now visible where trees once grew, many residents have expressed sadness over the island’s transformation, with one resident saying, “It’s painful to see how much it has changed.”

According to a research team that includes scientists from Ishikawa Prefectural University, roughly 14,000 cubic meters — about 20% — of the island’s total estimated 70,000 cubic meters collapsed during the quake. The fallen rock spread outward, expanding the island’s overall surface area to approximately 6,580 square meters, or about 1.8 times its original size.

Before the disaster, evergreen broad-leaved trees covered the upper part of the island, but even those that survived the initial collapse began dying rapidly around last summer.

“It no longer resembles the island that I’ve known for so long,” said Shigekatsu Tachibana, priest of Sumiyoshi Shrine, which owns the island.

Seiji Yanai, a specially appointed professor of forestry at Ishikawa Prefectural University, noted, “While many trees have withered, young ones are beginning to grow in the collapsed zones. We plan to monitor the changes over time.”