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Japan, a country of islands, extends along
the eastern or Pacific coast of Asia. The main islands, running from north
to south, are Hokkaido,
Honshu (or the mainland), Shikoku, Kyushu, and
Okinawa, which is about 380 miles southwest of Kyushu. About 3,000 smaller
islands are included in the archipelago. In total land area, Japan is
slightly smaller than California.
About 73% of the country is mountainous,
with a mountain chain running through each of the main islands. Japan's
highest mountain is world-famous Mt. Fuji (12,385 ft.). Since so little flat
area exists, many hills and mountainsides are cultivated all the way to the
top. As Japan is situated in a volcanic zone along the Pacific deeps,
frequent low-intensity earth tremors and occasional volcanic activity are
felt throughout the islands. Destructive earthquakes occur several times a
century. Hot springs are numerous and have been developed as resorts.
 Japanese Archipelago extends from north
to south along the eastern coast of Eurasia Continent or the farthermost
west of Pacific Ocean. Japan belongs to the temperate zone with distinct
four seasons, but varies from cool temperate in north to subtropical in
south. The climate is also affected by the seasonal winds blown from the
continent to the ocean in winters and vise versa in summers. Late June and
early July are a rainy season except Hokkaido as a seasonal rain front or baiu zensen (梅雨前線) stays above Japan. In summers and early autumns typhoons,
grown from tropical depressions generated near the equator, attack Japan
with a furious rainstorm. Its varied geographical features divide Japan into
six principal climatic zones. · Hokkaido (北海道): Belonging to the cool
temperate zone, Hokkaido has long, cold winters and cool summers.
Precipitation is not large.
Climate Regions:
-
 Nihonkai (日本海)or Sea of Japan: The
northwest seasonal wind in winters give heavy snowfalls. In summers it is
less hot than in the Pacific area but sometimes experiences extreme hot
temperature due to the Foehn phenomenon.
- Chuo-kochi (中央高地) or Central highland:
A typical inland climate gives large temperature differences between summers
and winters and between days and nights. Precipitation is not large
throughout a year.
- Setonaikai (瀬戸内海) or Inland Sea: The
mountains in Chugoku and Shikoku regions block the seasonal winds and bring
mild climate and many fine days throughout a year.
- Taiheiyo (太平洋) or Pacific Ocean: It
experiences cold winters with little snowfall and hot, humid summers due to
the southeast seasonal wind.
- Nansei-shoto (南西諸島) or Southwest
Islands: It has a subtropical climate with warm winters and hot summers.
Precipitation is very large especially affected by the rainy season and
typhoons
Location: Eastern Asia, island chain between
the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula.
 Area:
total: 377,835 sq km
land: 374,744 sq km
water: 3,091 sq km
note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima,
Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)
Area - Slightly smaller than
California
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 29,751 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the international straits
- La Perouse or Soya Strait, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western
Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait
Climate: varies from tropical in south to
cool temperate in north.
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m
highest point: Fujiyama 3,776 m
Land use:
arable land: 11%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 2%
forests and woodland: 67%
other: 19% (1993 est.)
Natural resources: negligible mineral
resources, fish
Natural hazards: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500
seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis.
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