Taiwanese trash washes up on Iriomote Island beaches 200 km away — Japanese locals: We’re used to it

Reported by You Ru / Taipei

Trash from Taiwan drifts across the sea to become a bizarre sight on Japanese beaches? Recently, a Taiwanese tourist visiting Iriomote Island — known as Japan’s last unspoiled paradise — was shocked to find discarded items such as handwritten-label bubble tea cups and insecticide bottles scattered along the beach, all bearing Chinese characters. The sight left the Taiwanese visitor feeling quite embarrassed. However, local accommodation providers in Japan took the situation in stride, stating calmly: “We’re already used to seeing this.”


▲%Just what is going on? Trash from Taiwan found on the beaches of a remote island in southern Japan (Photo provided by Taiwan)

Iriomote Island, located in Japan’s Ryukyu archipelago and dubbed “Japan’s last unspoiled paradise,” is over 90% covered by pristine subtropical jungle. The island’s diverse ecosystems and stunning landscapes attract many visitors. Among its highlights is the beach at Ida no Hama, an unmanned island just a 20-minute boat ride from Iriomote — one of the most beloved secret spots for travelers. Surprisingly, however, this supposedly uninhabited island has been found littered with trash originating from Taiwan. Well-known branded bubble tea cups, plastic bottles, and even insecticide containers were spotted scattered across the beach.

“The first time I saw it, I really felt embarrassed.”A Taiwanese tourist surnamed Lin, who visited Iriomote Island, said that seeing garbage from Taiwan on the shores of an uninhabited island was both surprising and embarrassing.“The local hotel staff told us they’re used to it.”Aside from trash from Taiwan, there was also garbage from China, Malaysia, and other countries.


▲The secluded Ida no Hama beach on Iriomote Island. (Photo / Reporter You Ru)

“The Japanese tour guide on the boat would explain during the tour that trash from China and Taiwan occasionally washes ashore here,and they can’t really tell whether it’s from Taiwan or China because it’s all in Chinese characters.”Described by Lin, a Taiwanese tour guide working at a resort on Iriomote Island, the guides often jokingly mention this to Japanese tourists, usually getting a chuckle in response. While it’s unclear how this affects Taiwan’s image, the trash that drifts across the ocean and ends up around Iriomote forces hotel staff to spend time every day not only taking tourists on tours but also cleaning the beaches to preserve the beautiful environment.

Iriomote Island, located just 200 kilometers from Taiwan, is prone to having discarded waste from Taiwan’s shores washed over by ocean currents — including many plastic and glass items. Lin Yi, leader of the Taiwan-based environmental group Baodao Jingxiang Tuan (Taiwan Clean Homeland Group), which has organized numerous beach clean-ups, explained that glass and plastic debris drifting in the sea can sometimes mimic the reflective qualities of mating signals for marine life or may break apart and become lodged in coral reefs during the drift, causing ecological harm.

“In addition to not littering, reducing overall waste is also key,” Lin said. Apart from encouraging people to avoid leaving trash while traveling, simply reducing the consumption of disposable resources can go a long way in protecting nature and preventing Taiwanese trash from drifting overseas and becoming an international embarrassment.