The “mysterious objects” are turning the sea into a dull gray, significantly impacting the daily lives of local residents.
Recently, Japanese media reported that a large number of “mysterious objects” have appeared along the coast of Okinawa, causing considerable disruption to the lives of the people. A similar unusual situation has occurred near Kikai Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, turning the entire sea in this area into a dull gray.
According to Masato Koyama, a volcanologist at Shizuoka University, these “mysterious objects” are actually pumice stones. This is a result of an underwater volcanic eruption in the Ogasawara Islands, which released hundreds of millions of tons of magma. Once solidified, this magma forms pumice stones that drift towards the southwestern islands of Japan, located up to 1,000 kilometers away.
The coastline turns gray due to a large amount of trapped pumice. (Photo: Fuji TV)
The accumulation of pumice on the beaches has severely impacted the fishing and tourism industries in Okinawa. The Japan Coast Guard has also been forced to halt patrols due to the pumice obstructing the sea. Public opinion in Japan is concerned that the pumice could affect nuclear power plants.
Akira Ishiwatari, a member of the Nuclear Regulation Authority of Japan, pointed out that if the pumice drifts near a nuclear power plant, it could get stuck in machinery, affecting daily operations, particularly at the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant and the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant.
According to data from research agencies, these pumice stones are expected to wash up on the Kanto coastline of Japan by the end of November. Masato Koyama mentioned that the pumice floating today will eventually sink to the ocean floor, but due to the large quantity, the exact timing remains uncertain.
