Japan's easternmost island, Minamitori Island, is drawing attention as the site of test mining for rare earth elements from the surrounding seabed and as a potential final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste from nuclear power plants.The tiny atoll, part of Tokyo's Ogasawara village, lies isolated in the Pacific Ocean with no civilian residents and few villagers ever having visited.Experts say the island is also an important breeding ground for seabirds, raising concerns that construction and increased human activity could damage its fragile ecosystem by introducing invasive spec…READ FULL ARTICLE
