Multimedia Mania/abacus-multimedia-mania.iso/dp/0032/00326.txt

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$Unique_ID{bob00326}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Japan
Chapter 2A.   Society and Its Environment}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Emma Louise Young}
$Affiliation{HQ, Department of the Army}
$Subject{japan
region
islands
area
areas
honshu
industrial
part
sea
kilometers
see
pictures
see
figures
}
$Date{1981}
$Log{See Snowfall*0032601.scf
}
Title:       Japan
Book:        Japan, A Country Study
Author:      Emma Louise Young
Affiliation: HQ, Department of the Army
Date:        1981

Chapter 2A.   Society and Its Environment

     Notwithstanding the Importance of Chinese and Korean influences, Japan
has developed a unique culture and way of life that is strikingly different
from that of its Asian neighbors. These have been blended with the development
and modernization of the past century to create an urban, industrial, and
democratic society that was influenced by West European and American models
yet was quite unlike them.

     Although the total area of the islands that comprise Japan is relatively
small, it reveals a rich variety of habitats, ranging from subarctic in the
northernmost areas of Hokkaido to subtropical in Kyushu and the southern
island chains. This climatic diversity results in a variety of regions and
areas having differing histories of development and degrees of urbanization.
The national population, a large and stable one with a low growth rate, tends
to be concentrated in the urban areas.

     The country has experienced great social changes since 1945. Families
have become smaller, individual opportunities have increased, and urban life
has replaced rural life as the common environment in which children are raised
and human interaction is conducted. The changes have brought new problems and
challenges to which Japan has responded for the most part with great
effectiveness. To many observers Japanese society seems to be free of the
confusion and disintegration that characterize other industrial societies.
Cities, though crowded, are convenient and safe. In many locations in the
countryside traditional rituals and festivals continue to be enjoyed.
Traditional values of hierarchy and paternalism also remain. The large
corporation-the epitome of the rationality and efficiency of industrialized
society-is identified as the primary locale where these values flourish. Not
only do they flourish, but in 1981 they were being researched as a model for
Western industrial enterprises.

     The Japanese continue to prefer the satisfactions of working in groups to
working alone. They deliberately seek ways of minimizing conflict and ensuring
harmony. While sharing in group interests and goals, each individual feels
responsible for developing his or her talents to the fullest extent and
striving hard, even when engaged in leisure activities.

     Having the seventh largest population in the world, Japan in the early
1980s was an economic giant whose success had brought new prominence in world
affairs. This new prominence caused many Japanese to engage in considerable
soul-searching about what might be unique in their heritage and about the
country's future world role.

Physical Setting

     The mountainous islands of the Japanese archipelago form a convex
crescent off the eastern coast of Asia. They are separated from the Asian
mainland by the Sea of Japan, which historically served the country as a
protective barrier. Japan's insular nature, together with the compactness of
its main territory and the cultural homogeneity of its people, enabled the
nation to remain free of outside domination until its defeat in World War II.

     The country consists of four principal islands-Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku,
and Kyushu; over 3,000 small adjacent islands and islets including Oshima in
the Nanpo chain; and more than 200 other smaller islands including those of
the Amami, Okinawa, and Sakishima chains of the Ryukyu island archipelago.
(The Ryukyus reverted to Japan in 1972-see Relations with the United States,
ch. 7). The national territory also includes the small Bonin (Ogasawara)
Islands, Iwo Jima, and the Volcano Islands, located in the Pacific Ocean some
1,100 kilometers south of central Honshu. A territorial dispute with the
Soviet Union, dating from the end of World War II, continued in 1981 over the
two southernmost of the Kuril Islands, Etorofu and Kunashiri, and the smaller
Shikotan and Habomai island group, northeast of Hokkaido (see Relations with
the Soviet Union, ch. 7). One of the latter is just off the coast, easily
visible from Hokkaido. Excluding the claimed islands, the archipelago covers
approximately 377,000 square kilometers and measures nearly 3,800 kilometers
from north to south. No point in Japan is more than 150 kilometers from the
sea.

     The four major islands are separated only by narrow straits and form a
natural entity. They extend along a northeast-southwest axis. The Ryukyu
Islands stretch 970 kilometers in a generally southwesterly direction from
Kyushu.

     The distance between Japan and the Asian continent, of which the nearest
point is the Korean peninsula, is about 200 kilometers. Japan has always been
linked with the Asian continent through trade routes, stretching in the north
toward Siberia, in the west through the Tsushima Islands to the Korean
peninsula, and in the south to the ports on the South China coast.

     The Japanese islands are essentially the summits of mountain ridges that
have been uplifted near the outer edge of the Asian continental shelf.
Consequently the country is extremely mountainous, and the plains and
intermontane basins scattered throughout the country make up only about 25
percent of the national land area. A long chain of mountains runs down the
middle of the archipelago, dividing it into two halves-the "face," fronting on
the Pacific Ocean and the "back" facing the Sea of Japan. Although the
mountains are precipitous, most of them are only a few hundred meters high.
Central Japan, however, is marked by the convergence of the three mountain
chains that form the Japanese Alps, and several of the peaks there are over
3,000 meters high. The highest point in the country is Mount Fuji, a dormant
volcano that rises to 3,776 meters.

     Most of the population is concentrated in the plains and mountain basins,
none of which are extensive in area. The largest, the Kanto plain, where Tokyo
is situated, covers an area of only 13,000 square kilometers. Other important
plains are the Nobi plain surrounding Nagoya, the Kinki plain in the
Osaka-Kyoto area, the Sendai plain around Sendai in northeastern Honshu, and
the Ishikari plain on Hokkaido. Many of these plains are located along the
coast, and the land areas have been increased by reclamation efforts
throughout recorded history.

     Limited habitable land has resulted in significant man-made modification
of the terrain over many centuries. Land was reclaimed from the sea and from
river deltas by diking and draining, and rice paddies were constructed on
terraces carved into mountainsides. The process continues in the modern period
with the extension of the shoreline and the creation of new islands for
industrial and port development, such as the one recently completed outside
Kobe. Hills and even mountains have been razed to provide flat areas for
housing construction.

     Rivers tend to be steep and swift and hence unsuitable for navigation.
Their hydroelectric power potential has been exploited almost to capacity.
Seasonal variations in flow have led to extensive development of flood control
measures. Most of the rivers are very short. The longest, the Shinano River,
which winds through Nagano and Niigata prefectures and exits to the Sea of
Japan, is only 367 kilometers long. The largest freshwater lake is Lake Biwa,
northwest of Kyoto.

     Lack of riverine transportation is compensated for by extensive coastal
shipping, especially around the Inland Sea. The coastline on the Pacific side
is characterized by long, narrow, gradually shallowing inlets resulting from
mountain sedimentation, which creates many natural harbors. The Pacific
coastline north of Tokyo, the coast of Hokkaido, and the Sea of Japan coast
are generally unindented and provide few natural ports (see fig. 3).

Geographic Regions

     The country's forty-seven prefectures are grouped into eight major
regions frequently employed as statistical units in government documents. The
islands of Hokkaido, Shikoku, and Kyushu each form a region, and the main
island of Honshu is subdivided into five regions (see fig. 1).

     The largest administrative divisions of the country consist of the
forty-seven prefectures, consisting of one to (metropolitan district), Tokyo;
two fu (urban prefectures), Osaka and Kyoto; one do (district), Hokkaido; and
forty-three ken (rural prefectures). At the next lower level of
administration, prefectures are divided into areas of shi, cho, or mura (city,
town, or village), depending on population size. Cities are sometimes further
subdivided into ku (wards), which are the smallest official administrative
subdivisions, but often incorporate further neighborhood or hamlet groupings.

Hokkaido

     Hokkaido, about 83,500 square kilometers in area, constitutes more than
one-fifth of Japan. The island was long looked upon as a remote frontier area
and, until the latter half of the 1800s, was left largely to the indigenous
Ainu. Substantial economic development has occurred in the twentieth century,
and Sapporo, the provincial capital, had a population of over 1.3 million in
1978. Many Japanese in the early 1980s, however, still though of Hokkaido as a
pioneering land because of the region's more rugged climate and the difference
in life-style that the climate enforced.

     Like the other main islands, Hokkaido is generally mountainous, but its
mountains are lower, many have leveled summits, and hills predominate. Valleys
cut through these, and communications are comparatively easy.

     Much of Hokkaido remains covered by forests. Agriculture, forestry, and
fishing were the principal industrial activities in 1981, but the region is
seen as ripe for industrial development. Individual farms have tended to be
larger than in other parts of Japan, and dispersed farmsteads have been
common. Although houses follow the traditional Japanese pattern, construction
is sturdier because of weather conditions. Externally many farmhouses resemble
those found in the West. Early American and European influence on Hokkaido's
widespread dairy farming industry has also resulted in the construction of
solidly built barns and outbuildings that have a Western appearance.

Tohoku

     The Tohoku (literally, northeast) region includes the six prefectures
that occupy most of the northeastern part of Honshu, above approximately the
thirty-seventh parallel. Tohoku resembles most of Japan in its hilly and
mountainous terrain. The initial settlement of the region occurred between the
seventh and ninth centuries A.D.-well after Japanese civilization and culture
had become firmly established in the central and southwestern parts of the
country. The region was long considered a back country and is still thought of
as an area where traditional dialects and customs persist. In the early 1980s
the region remained largely rural and lagged well behind most other parts of
Japan in industrial development.

     The climate, harsher than in other parts of Honshu, permits growth of one
crop a year on paddy land. As a result individual family land requirements are
greater, and farms are generally larger than in other areas of Honshu. The
inland location of many lowlands has led to a concentration of much of the
population there. Coupled with coastlines that do not favor port development,
this has resulted in much greater dependence on land and rail transportation.
Low points in the central mountain range fortunately make communications
between lowlands on either side of the range moderately easy.

Kanto

     The Kanto region, the most highly developed and urbanized, comprises the
seven prefectures of east-central Honshu. The region centers on the large
Kanto plain, in the southern part of which is located the sprawling
Tokyo-Yokohama metropolitan area. The plain itself, however, makes up only
slightly more than two-fifths of the region; the remainder consists of the
hills and mountains that border it except on the seaward side.

     Rice is the principal crop, but in a zone around Tokyo and Yokohama the
level of many paddy fields has been artificially elevated, and the land is
used to grow garden crops for the metropolitan market. A considerable variety
of dry crops is grown, including sweet potatoes and upland grains. Vegetables
for markets in Tokyo and Yokohama are cultivated extensively. Commercial
crops, such as tobacco, various fruits, and mulberry, are also important.

     The Kanto region is highly industrialized. Tokyo and Yokohama form a
single industrial complex with a concentration of both light and heavy
industry that stretches for miles along Tokyo Bay. Also within the region are
smaller cities located away from the coast, which have substantial, usually
light, industry. A third of the national population lives in the Kanto region,
and average density reached a high of 1,064 persons per square kilometer in
1981.

Chubu

     The Chubu region, the midland of Japan, lies roughly west of the Kanto
region. It is the widest part of Honshu and is characterized by the generally
greater height and ruggedness of its mountains. The region consists of three
distinct districts: Hokuriku, a coastal strip on the Sea of Japan; Tosan, the
Central Highlands; and Tokai, a narrow corridor lying along the Pacific coast.

     Hokuriku lies to the west of the massive mountains that occupy the
central part of the Chubu region. The district has very heavy snowfall and
strong winds. Its turbulent rivers are the source of abundant hydroelectric
power. Niigata Prefecture is the site of domestic gas and oil production.
Industrial development is extensive, especially in the cities of Niigata and
Toyama. Fukui and Kanazawa also have large manufacturing industries.

     Hokuriku has remained relatively isolated from the major industrial and
cultural centers of the Pacific Ocean side of Japan. Because port facilities
are limited and road connections are hampered during winter by heavy snows,
the district relies to a considerable extent on rail transportation.

[See Snowfall: The prefectures in northern Japan are famous for their abundant
snowfall in winter. Courtesy Embassy of Japan]

     The Tosan, or Central Highlands, district is an area of complex and high
rugged mountains-often called the roof of Japan-which includes the Japanese
Alps. The population is chiefly concentrated in six elevated basins connected
by narrow valleys. The district was long a main silk-producing area, although
a decline in output has occurred since World War II. Much of the labor
formerly required in silk production has been absorbed by the district's
diversified manufacturing industry, which included precision instruments,
machinery, textiles, food processing, and other light manufacturing.

     The Tokai district, bordering the Pacific Ocean, is a narrow corridor
interrupted at places by mountains that descend into the sea. This corridor
has been important since the Tokugawa period as the link between Tokyo, Kyoto,
and Osaka. One of old Japan's most famous roads, the Tokaido ran through it
connecting Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto, then the imperial capital; today it is the
route of new super-express highways and rail lines.

     A number of small alluvial plains are found in the corridor section. A
mild climate, their favorable location relative to the great metropolitan
complexes, and the fast transportation available have made them
truck-gardening centers for out-of-season vegetables. Upland areas of rolling
hills are extensively given over to the growing of mandarin oranges and tea. A
number of important small industrial centers are situated in the corridor
zone.

     The western part of the Tokai district includes the Nobi plain, where
rice was grown as early as the seventh century A.D. Nagoya, facing on Ise
Bay, is a center for heavy industry, including iron and steel and machinery
manufacturing.

     The Kinki region lies to the west and consists of a comparatively narrow
area of Honshu, stretching from the Sea of Japan on the north to the Pacific
Ocean on the south. It includes Japan's second largest industrial-commercial
complex, centered on Osaka and Kobe, and the two former imperial cities of
Nara and Kyoto, seats of the imperial family from the early eighth century
A.D. until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. The area is rich in imperial and
cultural history and is the objective of a myriad of tourists amounting to 10
million or more annually.

     The other important lowland area of Kinki, the Osaka plain, is the site
of Osaka, Kobe, and a considerable number of intermediate-sized industrial
cities, which together form the Hanshin commercial-industrial complex. The
suburban areas around Osaka are given over to farming, including vegetables,
dairying, poultry raising, and rice cultivation. These areas have been
progressively reduced as the city has expanded and residential areas,
including tremendous "new cities," have been built.

Chugoku

     The Chugoku region, occupying the western end of Honshu, is characterized
by irregular rolling hills and limited plain areas. It is divided into two
distinct districts by mountains running east and west through the central
part. The northern, somewhat narrower, district is known as San'in, or the
shady side of the mountain, and the southern district, as San'yo, or the sunny
side, because of their marked differences in climate. The region does not
include any large metropolitan centers. The population on the Sea of Japan
side relies primarily on fishing. Overfishing and pollution have reduced the
productivity of fishing grounds on the Inland Sea, and the area concentrates
on heavy industries.

Shikoku

     The Shikoku region, consisting of the island of Shikoku, approximately
18,800 square kilometers in area, is connected to Honshu by ferry and air, and
in 1981 a bridge system was under construction. Its population has been
relatively isolated from the rest of Japan as a result of the lack of direct
land communication.

     Mountains running east and west divide the island into a narrow northern
subregion that fronts on the Inland Sea and a wider southern part that faces
the Pacific Ocean. Most of the population lives in the northern section, and
all but one of the island's few larger cities are located there. Industry is
moderately well developed and includes the processing of ores from the
important Besshi copper mine. Land is used intensively in this zone. Wide
alluvial areas found especially in the eastern part of the zone are planted to
rice and subsequently double cropped with winter wheat and barley. Fruit is
grown throughout the northern area in great variety, including citrus fruits,
persimmons, peaches, and grapes.

     The larger southern section of Shikoku is mostly mountainous and sparsely
populated. The only significant lowland is a small alluvial plain at Kochi.
The southern part of the island has warm winters. The mild winters have
stimulated some development of truck farming, which specializes in growing
out-of-season vegetables under plastic covering. Because of the region's
benign climate, two crops of rice can be cultivated annually in the southern
portion. This area is also supported by the pulp and paper industry, which
takes advantage of abundant forests and hydroelectric power.

Kyushu

     Kyushu, the southernmost of the main islands, was the steppingstone to
Honshu for early migrants from the Korean peninsula and a channel for the
spread of ideas from the Asian mainland. Having an area of about 44,360 square
kilometers, it lies at the western end of the Inland Sea. Its northern
extremity is only about 1.6 kilometers from Honshu, and the two islands are
connected by undersea rail and vehicular tunnels.

     The region is divided into northern and southern parts by the Kyushu
Mountains, which run diagonally across the middle of the island. The northern
part is one of Japan's most highly industrialized areas and includes the
Kitakyushu industrial region. The hilly northwestern part of the island has
extensive coal deposits, which have formed the basis for establishment of a
large iron and steel industry. An extensive lowland area, lying on the
northwest between Kumamoto and Saga, is an important farming district.

     In general the climate of Kyushu is warm and humid, and the cultivation
of vegetables and fruits is supplemented by cattle raising. Japan's second
largest coal deposits are found in Kyushu, and the cities of Kit kyushu,
Sasebo, and Nagasaki are noted, respectively, for iron and steel production
and manufacturing. Nagasaki is a city of historical and cultural importance, a
center for Chinese and Western trends and influences from the sixteenth
century on, and the only port open to ships during most of the Tokugawa
period.

Ryukyu Islands

     The Ryukyu Islands include well over 200 islands and islets (some little
more than coral outcroppings) of which fewer than half have been populated.
They extend in a chain generally southwestward from the Tokara strait, which
separates them from the outlying islands of Kyushu, to within 120 kilometers
of Taiwan.

     The islands are the tops of mountain ranges situated along the outer edge
of the continental shelf. They generally have hilly or mountainous terrains,
and active volcanoes occur principally in the northern part of the
archipelago. Okinawa is the largest and economically most important. Its
northern two-thirds is quite rugged and forested. The southern part consists
of rolling hills.

     Although agriculture and fishing have remained the occupations of a
majority of the population in the Ryukyus, the region experienced considerable
industrial expansion during the occupation period.