The Japanese island of Oshima has become a haunting symbol of demographic decline affecting rural communities and islands in Japan. Once bustling with life, it is now home to only three elderly residents while dozens of cats roam freely, highlighting a stark abandonment of traditional society. This situation has been documented by Belgian photographer Catherine Longley, who aptly titled her coverage 'The Gloomy Cat Island'.

According to Longley, Oshima currently lacks basic modern amenities; there are no shops, running water, or even vending machines available. Residents are required to take their waste back with them as there is no garbage collection service, which paints a dire picture of the living conditions on the island. Despite its rich history and past vitality, the island seems to be on an irreversible path towards depopulation and desolation.

Longley's observations reveal that the feline population now vastly outnumbers that of the human residents, with the three remaining individuals consisting of Naoko Kamimoto, her husband Hidenori, and their neighbor Mr. Matsushita. Oshima was once vibrant, being home to 889 inhabitants in the 1940s, but over the decades, it has succumbed to severe demographic shifts leading to its current state, raising concerns about the future of similar rural areas in Japan.