Inside the 'haunted' island of a James Bond villain left to rot for 40 years

A Japanese island that served as a filming location for Sam Mendes' Skyfall has a dark history that's a far cry from the amazing place that was as seen by James Bond Fans

Hashima Island was abandoned for 40 years (

Image: Getty Images/EyeEm)

14 kilometers off the coast of Japan, near Nagasaki, is the island of Hashima, known to be one of the most frightening places in the world.

The island's history is dark and haunting as hundreds of workers met a bitter end due to poor working conditions before Hashima was abandoned and reclaimed by Hollywood celebrities.

According to the Daily Star, the population of the island is nil but home to a number of ghosts that have been spotted over the years.

They are believed to haunt the island as over 1,000 locals were brought there in forced labor conditions during the 1930s and World War II before their untimely deaths.

Hashima Island is located near Nagasaki in Japan (

Picture:

Getty Images)

Hashima Island was originally a coal mining site in the 1800s before reserves were depleted in the 1970s.

When oil overtook coal as the most popular resource, the island's population plummeted.

Due to people fleeing the island, its concrete buildings have slowly begun to crumble as it is reclaimed by nature.

However, Hashima's story took another sinister turn during World War II.