Tanegashima

Tanegashima (Japanese种子 岛, German " island of Tane " ) is an island in the south of Japan. It is part of Kagoshima Prefecture. To the southeast is a Japanese spaceport, the Tanegashima Space Center, and the Japanese Space Agency has its seat there

The island is 445.05 km ².

On the island there is an administrative district in Nishinoomote, and the municipalities Nakatane and Minamitane of the district Kumage.

Historical Significance got the island in 1543, when a Chinese ship with the Portuguese Antonio da Mota, Antônio Peixoto and Francisco Zeimoto on board at Cape Kadokura (门 仓 崎, Kadokura -saki ) ran aground in the south of the island. This was the first contact between Europeans and the Japanese and the Tanegashima rifle the first western firearm has been introduced.