Eastwood's Iwo Jima films inspire island's name change

Clint Eastwood's 2006 war films 'Flags of our fathers' and 'Letters from Iwo Jima' have already become dated after Japanese officials agreed to change the name of the island where the country's soldiers battle Americans during World War II.

The Pacific island of Iwo Jima will now be known by its original name, Iwo To.

The namechange comes into effect immediately but the volcanic island will officially become Iwo To on new maps, which will be released in September.

Iwo Jima was Iwo To to those who lived there before the island was evacuated in 1944. It was mistakenly renamed by Japanese navy officers, who fought the Americans there.

Inspired by Eastwood's war films, former locals raised opposition to the island's name in March, insisting Iwo To should not be lost to history because of a mispronunciation.