June 21, 2007
Iwo Jima Becomes Iwo To
Before the historic World War II battle, the tiny Pacific Island south of the Japanese mainland was known as Iwo To. On nautical maps, however, it was listed as Iwo Jima -- "jima" and "to" both mean "sulfur" and are represented by the same character, but they sound different.
The name became recognizable to Americans because of an Associated Press photographer's work in capturing soldiers raising a flag on the island's mountaintop. The emblematic photo cemented "Iwo Jima" in the minds of English speakers.
But the tiny population of the island (only about a thousand people lived there before the war) never accepted the name change. They recently requested that the Japanese government change it back, and the government agreed. A new map with "Iwo To" -- pronounced "ee-woh-toh" -- will be published this fall.
AP has reaction from U.S. and Japanese soldiers, many of whom aren't pleased with the change.
