‘Poison Gasoline Island’, a small island off the coast of Japan, has a chilling historical past that led to it being uninhabited by people for many years.
Okunoshima, because it’s formally recognized, was as soon as a web site of terror and was even erased from maps as a result of atrocities dedicated there.
Between 1927 and 1929, it is believed {that a} chemical weapons plant on the island produced over six kilotons of mustard and tear fuel.
These lethal gases had been used towards China till the tip of World War II, incomes the island its grim nickname – ‘Poison Gasoline Island’.
The native inhabitants suffered well being issues attributable to their proximity to the poisonous chemical substances utilized in weapon manufacturing.
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Employees on the plant additionally fell sick however had been pressured to maintain quiet in regards to the horrors they witnessed.
These days, the island’s darkish previous is laid naked for all to see on the Poison Gas Museum.
Displays embody the rubber fits, masks and boots worn by staff, lots of which weren’t hermetic, exposing them to the lethal gases.
The museum additionally shows posters and pictures depicting the horrific results of the chemical substances on the human physique.
The island is now home to thousands of rabbits, with some speculating they’re descendants of check topics from years in the past. The island has been dubbed ‘Rabbit Island’, and searching the bunnies is banned, as are cats and canines.
Photographer Paul Brown visited in 2015 and stated: “Largely unknown till a few years in the past, Rabbit Island is quick turning into a well-liked vacationer attraction.”
He added: “The second anybody reaches right into a bag, or rustles something resembling paper, they’re shortly surrounded by rabbits.
“It truly is a tremendous expertise to be surrounded by a fluffy mass of cuteness however after some time, as one will get used to the novelty, the surrealness of the state of affairs turns into obvious.
“Throughout the interval 1930-1945, the island was used as a storehouse and testing floor for poison fuel, and the stays of the services can nonetheless be discovered on a stroll across the island which is really fascinating.
“Apparently rabbits had been shipped as check topics nevertheless it appears seemingly they had been all destroyed together with the fuel in 1945.
“One other hearsay is a college trainer introduced some rabbits for college youngsters to play with and from only a few rabbits, there are actually hundreds of descendants.
“Regardless of the supply, the rabbits proceed to thrive as there aren’t any pure predators on the island and cats and canines are banned.”