It is one of Asia's earliest and oddest ethnic melting pots, with citizens boasting names like Savory, Webb, Gonzales and Chaplin. The first piece of Far East territory to fall under U.S. control, local landmarks include the Yankeetown, the Charlie Brown and the Church of St. George, and old-timers speak English but the cars carry Shinagawa license plates.
Chichijima in the Ogasawara Islands would make a fine history exam question and a fascinating case study in the Sturm and Drang of colonial power politics. This week it commemorates the 40th anniversary of its reversion to Japanese rule, but islander John Frank Washington won't be celebrating.
"To be honest with you, there is nothing that I can celebrate. We got the short stick on this whole deal."