Tsugaru Strait: Difference between revisions
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Japan's territorial waters extend to three nautical miles (5.6 km) into the strait instead of the usual twelve, reportedly to allow [[Nuclear weapon|nuclear]]-armed [[United States Navy]] warships and submarines to transit the strait without violating Japan's prohibition against nuclear weapons in its territory.<ref>[[Kyodo News]], "[http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090622a1.html Japan left key straits open for U.S. nukes]", ''[[Japan Times]]'', June 22, 2009.</ref> |
Japan's territorial waters extend to three nautical miles (5.6 km) into the strait instead of the usual twelve, reportedly to allow [[Nuclear weapon|nuclear]]-armed [[United States Navy]] warships and submarines to transit the strait without violating Japan's prohibition against nuclear weapons in its territory.<ref>[[Kyodo News]], "[http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090622a1.html Japan left key straits open for U.S. nukes]", ''[[Japan Times]]'', June 22, 2009.</ref> |
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The Tsugaru Strait has eastern and western necks, both approximately 20 km across with maximum depths of 200 and 140 m respectively.<ref>{{cite journal| author=Tsuji, H., Sawada, T. and Takizawa, M. | title=Extraordinary inundation accidents in the Seikan undersea tunnel | journal=Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Geotechnical Engineering | year=1996 | volume=119 | issue= 1 | pages=1–14}}</ref> |
The Tsugaru Strait has eastern and western necks, both approximately 20 km across with maximum depths of 200 and 140 m respectively.<ref>{{cite journal| author=Tsuji, H., Sawada, T. and Takizawa, M. | title=Extraordinary inundation accidents in the Seikan undersea tunnel | journal=Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Geotechnical Engineering | year=1996 | volume=119 | issue= 1 | pages=1–14 | doi=10.1680/igeng.1996.28131}}</ref> |
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In the past, the most common way for passengers and [[freight]] to cross the strait was on [[ferries]], approximately a four-hour journey. Since 1988 the [[Seikan Tunnel]] provides a convenient but more expensive alternative and approximately halves the travel time in comparison to ferrying. When [[Hokkaidō Shinkansen|Shinkansen trains]] can traverse the tunnel to [[Hakodate]] (scheduled for 2015), the journey time will be cut to 50 minutes.<ref>{{cite journal| author=Morse, D. | title=Japan Tunnels Under the Ocean | journal=Civil Engineering | year=May 1988 | volume=58 | issue = 5 | pages=50–53}}</ref> |
In the past, the most common way for passengers and [[freight]] to cross the strait was on [[ferries]], approximately a four-hour journey. Since 1988 the [[Seikan Tunnel]] provides a convenient but more expensive alternative and approximately halves the travel time in comparison to ferrying. When [[Hokkaidō Shinkansen|Shinkansen trains]] can traverse the tunnel to [[Hakodate]] (scheduled for 2015), the journey time will be cut to 50 minutes.<ref>{{cite journal| author=Morse, D. | title=Japan Tunnels Under the Ocean | journal=Civil Engineering | year=May 1988 | volume=58 | issue = 5 | pages=50–53}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 08:08, 29 April 2014
Tsugaru Strait (津軽海峡, Tsugaru Kaikyō) is a channel between Honshu and Hokkaido in northern Japan connecting the Sea of Japan with the Pacific Ocean. It was named after the western part of Aomori Prefecture. The Seikan Tunnel passes under it at its narrowest point (19.5 km) between Tappi Misaki on the Tsugaru Peninsula in Aomori, Honshū and Shirakami Misaki on the Matsumae Peninsula in Hokkaidō.
Japan's territorial waters extend to three nautical miles (5.6 km) into the strait instead of the usual twelve, reportedly to allow nuclear-armed United States Navy warships and submarines to transit the strait without violating Japan's prohibition against nuclear weapons in its territory.[1]
The Tsugaru Strait has eastern and western necks, both approximately 20 km across with maximum depths of 200 and 140 m respectively.[2]
In the past, the most common way for passengers and freight to cross the strait was on ferries, approximately a four-hour journey. Since 1988 the Seikan Tunnel provides a convenient but more expensive alternative and approximately halves the travel time in comparison to ferrying. When Shinkansen trains can traverse the tunnel to Hakodate (scheduled for 2015), the journey time will be cut to 50 minutes.[3]
On September 26, 1954 1,172 lives were lost when the ferry Tōya Maru sank in the strait.[4]
Thomas Blakiston, an English explorer and naturalist, noticed that animals in Hokkaido were related to northern Asian species, whereas those on Honshu to the south were related to those from southern Asia. The Tsugaru Strait was therefore established as a major zoogeographical boundary, and became known as the "Blakiston Line".[5]
References
- ^ Kyodo News, "Japan left key straits open for U.S. nukes", Japan Times, June 22, 2009.
- ^ Tsuji, H., Sawada, T. and Takizawa, M. (1996). "Extraordinary inundation accidents in the Seikan undersea tunnel". Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Geotechnical Engineering. 119 (1): 1–14. doi:10.1680/igeng.1996.28131.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Morse, D. (May 1988). "Japan Tunnels Under the Ocean". Civil Engineering. 58 (5): 50–53.
- ^ "Seikan Railroad Ferryboat Accident, Failure Knowledge Database". Japan Science and Technology Agency.
- ^ "Nature in Japan" (PDF). Ministry of the Environment Government of Japan.
External links
Media related to Tsugaru Strait at Wikimedia Commons
41°29′57″N 140°36′57″E / 41.49917°N 140.61583°E
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