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Geography: Geography of Japan Geology of Japan

Japan comprises over 6,800 islands along the Pacific coast of Asia, stretching over 3,000 km from north to south. The main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and Okinawa. Japan has a varied climate from subtropical in the south to humid continental in the north and heavy snowfall in some areas. The country is prone to natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanoes due to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire. Japan has over 90,000 species of wildlife and a large network of protected areas.

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52 views

Geography: Geography of Japan Geology of Japan

Japan comprises over 6,800 islands along the Pacific coast of Asia, stretching over 3,000 km from north to south. The main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and Okinawa. Japan has a varied climate from subtropical in the south to humid continental in the north and heavy snowfall in some areas. The country is prone to natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanoes due to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire. Japan has over 90,000 species of wildlife and a large network of protected areas.

Uploaded by

Kathleen Joy Abare
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Geography

Main articles: Geography of Japan and Geology of Japan

The Japanese archipelago

Japan comprises 6,852 islands extending along the Pacific coast of Asia. It stretches over 3,000 km
(1,900 mi) northeast–southwest from the Sea of Okhotsk to the East China Sea.[72][73] The county's
five main islands, from north to south, are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and Okinawa.
[74]
 The Ryukyu Islands, which include Okinawa, are a chain to the south of Kyushu. The Nanpō
Islands are south and east of the main islands of Japan. Together they are often known as
the Japanese archipelago.[75] As of 2019, Japan's territory is 377,975.24 km2 (145,937.06 sq mi).
[2]
 Japan has the sixth longest coastline in the world (29,751 km (18,486 mi)). Because of its many
far-flung outlying islands, Japan has the eighth largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world
covering 4,470,000 km2 (1,730,000 sq mi).[76]
About 73 percent of Japan is forested, mountainous and unsuitable
for agricultural, industrial or residential use.[77][78] As a result, the habitable zones, mainly in coastal
areas, have extremely high population densities: Japan is one of the most densely populated
countries.[79][80] Approximately 0.5% of Japan's total area is reclaimed land (umetatechi). Late 20th
and early 21st century projects include artificial islands such as Chubu Centrair International
Airport in Ise Bay, Kansai International Airport in the middle of Osaka Bay, Yokohama Hakkeijima
Sea Paradise and Wakayama Marina City.[81]

Sakurajima
Japan is substantially prone to earthquakes, tsunami and volcanoes because of its location along
the Pacific Ring of Fire.[82] It has the 17th highest natural disaster risk as measured in the 2016 World
Risk Index.[83] Japan has 111 active volcanoes.[84] Destructive earthquakes, often resulting in tsunami,
occur several times each century;[85] the 1923 Tokyo earthquake killed over 140,000 people.[86] More
recent major quakes are the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake,
which triggered a large tsunami.[70]

Climate
Main article: Geography of Japan §  Climate
The climate of Japan is predominantly temperate but varies greatly from north to south. The
northernmost region, Hokkaido, has a humid continental climate with long, cold winters and very
warm to cool summers. Precipitation is not heavy, but the islands usually develop deep snowbanks
in the winter.[87] In the Sea of Japan region on Honshu's west coast, northwest winter winds bring
heavy snowfall during winter. In the summer, the region sometimes experiences extremely hot
temperatures because of the foehn.[88] The Central Highland has a typical inland humid continental
climate, with large temperature differences between summer and winter. The mountains of
the Chūgoku and Shikoku regions shelter the Seto Inland Sea from seasonal winds, bringing mild
weather year-round.[87] The Pacific coast features a humid subtropical climate that experiences milder
winters with occasional snowfall and hot, humid summers because of the southeast seasonal wind.
The Ryukyu and Nanpō Islands have a subtropical climate, with warm winters and hot summers.
Precipitation is very heavy, especially during the rainy season.[87]
The average winter temperature in Japan is 5.1 °C (41.2 °F) and the average summer temperature
is 25.2 °C (77.4 °F).[89] The highest temperature ever measured in Japan, 41.1 °C (106.0 °F), was
recorded on July 23, 2018,[90] and repeated on August 17, 2020.[91] The main rainy season begins in
early May in Okinawa, and the rain front gradually moves north until reaching Hokkaido in late July.
In late summer and early autumn, typhoons often bring heavy rain.[89] According to the Environment
Ministry heavy rainfall and increasing temperatures have caused several problems in the agricultural
industry and elsewhere.[92]

Biodiversity
Main article: Wildlife of Japan

The Japanese macaques at Jigokudani hot spring

Japan has nine forest ecoregions which reflect the climate and geography of the islands. They range
from subtropical moist broadleaf forests in the Ryūkyū and Bonin Islands, to temperate broadleaf
and mixed forests in the mild climate regions of the main islands, to temperate coniferous forests in
the cold, winter portions of the northern islands.[93] Japan has over 90,000 species of wildlife,
[94]
 including the brown bear, the Japanese macaque, the Japanese raccoon dog, the small Japanese
field mouse, and the Japanese giant salamander.[95] A large network of national parks has been
established to protect important areas of flora and fauna as well as 37 Ramsar wetland sites.[96]
[97]
 Four sites have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for their outstanding natural
value.[98]
Environment

Autumn maple leaves (momiji) at Kongōbu-ji on Mount Kōya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Main articles: Environmental issues in Japan and Climate change in Japan


In the period of rapid economic growth after World War II, environmental policies were downplayed
by the government and industrial corporations; as a result, environmental pollution was widespread
in the 1950s and 1960s. Responding to rising concern, the government introduced several
environmental protection laws in 1970.[99] The oil crisis in 1973 also encouraged the efficient use of
energy because of Japan's lack of natural resources.[100]
As of 2020, more than 22 coal-fired power plants are planned for construction in Japan, following the
switching-off of Japan's nuclear fleet after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.[101] Japan ranks 20th
in the 2018 Environmental Performance Index, which measures a nation's commitment to
environmental sustainability.[102] Japan is the world's fifth largest emitter of carbon dioxide.[92] As the
host and signatory of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, Japan is under treaty obligation to reduce its carbon
dioxide emissions and to take other steps to curb climate change.[103] In 2020 the government of
Japan announced a target of carbon-neutrality by 2050.[104] Current environmental issues include
urban air pollution (NOx, suspended particulate matter, and toxics), waste management,
water eutrophication, nature conservation, climate change, chemical management and international
co-operation for conservation.[105]

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