Aoshima island is a dwindling fishing community of elderly people who live mainly off retirement benefits. The official population is 22 but there are more than 120 cats living and running wild over the tiny island, giving it the nickname "Cat Island".

Tourists from around the country have been flocking to the island even though there are no shops or hotels.

There are only ferries twice a day which link Aoshima to the rest of Japan. But that hasn't deterred cat lovers.

The cats were originally brought over to the island to deal with mice plaguing fishing boats. But they've since multiplied as there are no natural predators.

In its heyday, nearly 900 people lived on the island but over the last 70 years, the population has declined as young people moved away. But with the influx of day-trippers, residents worry that their quiet lives could be disrupted.

The cats are fed occasionally by tourists and some people who live on the island. But a lot of them forage for food on their own, eating crops that residents plant or anything edible left lying around.

In a bid to control the cat population, 10 have been neutered so far. But humans are still a minority on the island, even with the tourists.

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