TSUSHIMA, Nagasaki Pref. — Located 50 km off the Korean Peninsula, the island of Tsushima has recently seen an influx of South Korean tourists. But far from celebrating, some islanders and conservative Japanese politicians see a looming national security threat in foreign property acquisitions in the wake of the boom.
Long touted as a "natural fortress," the 700-sq.-km island is home to about 36,000 people. About 90 percent of the island is covered by mountains and forests. It is also considered strategically important; some 700 Self-Defense Forces members are stationed in Tsushima to keep watch over coastal areas.
The number of South Korean tourists visiting the island, located about 130 km northwest of Fukuoka, has been on the rise since the launch in 1999 of a high-speed ferry service linking it to the South Korean port of Busan in as little as 90 minutes, Tsushima city officials said.