Japan Today

1. Japan Today

3. Japan’s Island Formation • Japan is actually an archipelago. • Over 4,000 islands make up Japan. • Four main islands: • Kyushu • Shikoku • Honshu • Hokkaido

4. Japan is an archipelago An archipelago is a chain of islands, which is made up of many islands that are close together.

5. Most of Japan is covered in mountains!

6. Topography • Topography = mapping of surface features • The topography of Japan is mountainous. • Only 20% of Japan is flat. • The islands of Japan are actually the tops of undersea volcanoes and mountains.

7. How do mountains affect Japan? • Mountains are not good for farming. As a result of this there is a limit to how much available farmland there is in Japan. • Mountains make it difficult to travel throughout Japan. Different regions of Japan were isolated from each other because of the mountains. • The majority of Japan’s major cities are located near the coast.

8. Mountain Adaption • Almost 80% of Japan is covered with mountains. This leaves a small percentage of land suitable for farming. • One way Japan has adapted to the mountains is by terracing. • Terracing is the process of creating farmland in the mountains by carving terraces into the mountainside. • This technique is also used in the Andes mountains of South America.

9. Japan’s Climate • Varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north. • Climate is affected by ocean currents. • Japan’s current coming from the South brings warm water to the southern and eastern coasts of Japan, while Oyashio Current coming from the north cools the northern coast. • Japan also experiences heavy rain seasons (monsoons) and tropical hurricanes called typhoons. • The warmer parts of the country are able to have longer growing seasons for farmers, while those living in the cooler north rely on fishing.

10. Where do most people in Japan live? • Much of Japan’s population is crowded into cities. • Tokyo is the most crowded urban area in the world with a population density of 33,000 people per square mile. • Land in Tokyo is precious and very expensive.

11. What type of work do people in Japan do? • The country has a very highly developed industrial economy, but no gas or oil. They therefore depend on the world market for their petroleum (oil) products. • For this reason, Japan must depend on industry and trade to supply its population with all they need. • Because Japan has so little farmland, the Japanese depend on fishing for much of their food.

12. Japan’s Labor Sector • Agriculture: 3.9% • Industries: 26.2% • Services: 69.8% • Unemployment: 4.4%

13. Japan’s Population • Total Population: 127,253,075 (July 2013 est.) - 11th most populated in the world. • Infant Mortality Rate: 2.17 deaths/1,000 live births • Life Expectancy: 84.19 years

14. Japan’s Literacy Rates • Total population: 99% - Male: 99% - Female: 99%

15. The Ring of Fire The ring of fire is a region around the pacific ocean that has heavy volcanic activity and frequents earthquakes.

16. Environmental Issues • Japan experiences frequent earthquakes that vary from very weak to very strong • There are many volcanoes in Japan. These volcanoes are often caused by earthquakes. Japan has more earthquakes every year than any other place in the world. • In the summer Japan experiences very strong and dangerous storms called Tai Funs. These storms create massive amounts of rain and winds capable of destroying buildings • Tsunamis are massive waves that can destroy coastal areas. These waves are a frequent threat in Japan. • Japan is one of the largest consumers of fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere

17. Cultural Diffusion • Japan’s location near China and the Koreas has caused cultural diffusion to occur. • Japanese culture is a unique blend of its own original traditions and ideas borrowed from China and Korea. • Korea is often referred to as a “bridge” between China and Japan.