Why This Japanese Island is Abandoned

Watch my exclusive Nebula video about the Tenerife Disaster:

Hashima Island was once a busy city, but now it’s an empty ruin. Its rise and fall tell a bigger story about Japan’s past.

Credits:
Images: Getty, AP Archive, Reuters
Map Source: MapTiler / OpenStreetMap Contributors via Geolayers 3

Director and Editing: Leon Herres
Research and Writing: Erin Ganley
Illustrator: Burak Ata

[curiouscatcollector]

Imagine being one of the last people to leave this island. Must have been an eerie experience....

[FreedomDaveX]

That twist really made the video. Also, those cgi models of the island throughout its stages of development. Real cool.

[BradleyG]

There are few YouTubers whose uploads get me as excited as Neo

[AlbertCui-mo]

This kind of narrative mode is really intriguing, as a Chinese, at first, i was bit of confused about the coal mine history because it doesn’t sound like the history that i have heard before, but then the Turing point present itself in this wonderful way, it really gave me a feeling of sudden enlightenment.

[ΣτελιοςΠεππας]

As the saying goes:
Germany regrets fighting in WW2
Japan regrets losing it

[approving]

Neo fern and hoog are the few YouTubers who get me educated when they upload a video they’re truly the greatest “trio” ever.

[stopreset]

Great storytelling. Interesting first half, unexpected twist. Good job.

[nitsu]

bro you know you're cooked when South Korea, North Korea, and China teamed up against you

[andyyang]

I visited Hashima in 2015, just before it was admitted as a world heritage site. While I don't remember if the tourism pamphlets included mentioning of forced labor, our volunteer guide on the island certainly did, and I clearly remember understanding that for a part of Hashima's history, it was manned by involunatary workers in a poor condition, and I never felt that the fact was being deliberately obscured. Perhaps it was just a sliver of time in which Japan was eager for the site to get recognition, I don't know. Perhaps someone who visited more recently can say if that's changed.

FWIW, it's a great half-day trip from Nagasaki. It's a facinating place with a pretty unique history, and you get a ride through Nagasaki's long and thin harbor with some nice views if the weather is good.

[CobaltTJ]

And it was used as a filming location in 007 Skyfall, as the island Bond is taken to by Silva

[ColinOh-uu]

as a korean, really glad you made this video. the island is the literal meaning of korean opression. thank you.

[Mrsirroblox-us]

Yk it’s a wonderful day when fern AND neo upload on the same day

[TrevyarCavyar]

Isn't this Silva's island in Skyfall?

[crazylousy]

Fun fact, this is just one of Mitsubishi global untold stories

[maxliu]

"You're waiting for a train. A train that'll take you far away. You know where you hope this train will take you, but you can't know for sure."

[Lxurelxi]

Japan is one of the best countries in the world at gaslighting and gatekeeping 😭

[JusteAuHasard]

bro i literally thought i was just 3 mins watching it at the end. good storytelling. better documentary than netflix

[KimEric]

Majority of people kidnapped and put into forced labor were South Koreans. There were roughly 4600 islands in Japan, and at the time, were all owned by Mitsubishi.

In these islands, there were 3 divisions. the slaves, the workers, and the owners. No Japanese were slaves, and no Koreans were workers or higher.

The workers and owners lived up in the mid~top floors of each building. The slaves lived in lower floors, where water would often get in due to heavy waves. About 20 slaves lived in each unit composed of 10sqft x 10sqft.

The slaves’ main usage was to mine coal every day, 1.5km below surface. They had to mine for more than 15 hours a day, and were given balls made of rice and grounded & dried soy particles (food for cattle). It is said that the ball tasted as if it were made of dirt.

Losing hope for a return to their home, the slaves purposely threw their legs into the minecart tracks because the workers and owners considered them useless if they hadn’t a leg, and would be sent home. Of course, the majority died from this, and some ended their lives purposefully.

Some would try to escape to the nearest island, not knowing that they’d suffer the same fate, as the other islands were most likely riddled with Mitsubishi owners and workers. They couldn’t escape to the mainland pf Japan either, for they didn’t speak Japanese and were bound to be captured again, leading to torture and death.

The Japanese government to this day, denies that there were forced labor and slavery of South Koreans in these islands. They say that the islands’ working environment were fair and regulated, where all were treated equally. They even tried to put one of the islands up (the one shown in video) as a national artifact.

Please do not forget this ever happened. The Japanese government and military have committed atrocities similar, if not worse than this several times in the past. Another example is Unit 731. Again, do not forget. Thank you.

[tobiasursmartimuller]

This is such a high quality documentary, just great!

[maplesyrup]

i have a nebula subscription and never realized you guys were on it. So hyped to learn that!