Japan's Aoshima Island has 22 human residents and more than 120 cats

Aoshima Island is one of Japan&#039;s &quot;cat islands&quot;

(Image credit: Reuters/YouTube)

published 3 March 2015

The Japanese originally brought cats to remote Aoshima Island to deal with rodent infestations on their fishing boats. Now, the human population has dwindled to 22 and the cat population has ballooned to somewhere above 120. There is little else on the island, but the feline hordes bring up to 34 tourists a day on the twice-a-day ferry from the mainland. This isn't Japan's only "cat island," The Atlantic notes in a new photo blog of the island's cats. Watch Reuters' video tour of Aoshima below. —Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.