Iwo Jima, one of the three islands that make up the Volcano Islands, is located southeast of Japan. One of the deadliest battles of World War II was fought on Iwo Jima, with approximately 20,000 Japanese and 6,000 American soldiers killed. The Japanese air base on Iwo Jima was captured by the United States on February 23, 1945. The island was returned to Japan in 1968.