After the 2000 eruption of Mt. Oyama, located 110 miles south of Tokyo, the 2800 residents of Miyake-jima Island are required to carry a gas mask with them at all times, but need not wear one constantly. Residents are alerted to an increase in noxious gas by sirens.
Mt. Oyama was an active volcano for a greater part of the 20th century. A lava flow in 1940 killed 11 people and other eruptions occurred in 1962 and 1983. The deadliest eruption, however, occurred in the summer of 2000. Mt Oyama, dormant for 17 years, spewed out 10,000 – 20,000 tons of sulfuric dioxide daily, making the island uninhabitable. By September of that year the government forced an evacuation of all residents.
Five years later, with the evacuation order relaxed, people started moving back home. Despite the re-population of the island, nearly a third of Miyake-jima remains permanently off-limits. The government conducts regular health checks on residents and enforces age restrictions in certain areas.
Because of the unusual and interesting way of life on the island, Miyake-jima has since spawned a lucrative tourist trade. Thrill seekers come to enjoy all the hiking, swimming and diving the island has to offer and there are even disposable gas masks sold at ferry stations and local stores.
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