Japan Geography

1
Japan Geography

• Archipelago- chain of islands
• 4 main islands and 3000 tiny islands
• Kyushu, Shikoku, Honshu, and Hokkaido are the
  main islands- Honshu most populated
• Island Sea serves a major highway between the
  islands

2
Japan Geography

• Lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire
• 1500 tremors shake the islands every year
• 30 active volcanoes
• Fierce typhoons routinely strike the islands
• Mild climate

3
Japan Geography

• Intensive land use / mild climate / terraced
  land / drained swamps / 2 growing seasons.
• Excellent use of the seas / fish is major source
  of protein
• Limited mineral resources- Almost everything
  comes to Japan via trade

4
Japanese People

• Homogenous society- same language, same culture,
  no ethnic minorities
• A separate identity
• Discrimination towards Ainu and BurakuminEarly
  settlers of the northern islands and leather
  tanners respectively

5
Japanese History

• Early Japanese society divided into clans
  according to work/warriors, farmers, weavers,
  potters etc.
• Tenno clan unites countryall emperors can trace
  back to this clan
• Buddhism arrives from Korea in 500AD
• Chinese culture influences every aspect of
  Japanese life- Cultural Diffusion

6
Japanese History

• Despite massive borrowing from Chinese culture,
  Japan still preserves its own culture.
• Japanese selected only those ideas that worked
  for them.
• Rejected civil service system
• Accepted Buddhism and kept Shinto as well

7
Japanese History

• Heian Court- Blended the best of Chinese and
  Japanese cultures
• Created new system of writing-Kana
• Ruled for 200 years
• By 1100AD Japanese Feudalism firmly in place
• Samurai-warrior knights waged battle to control
  land

8
Japanese History

• Feudal Classes
• Emperor
• Shogun
• Samurai
• Merchants
• Artisans
• Peasants

9
Japanese History

• 1192- Minamoto Yoritomo is made shogun or chief
  general of the army.
• Emperor becomes a figureheadShoguns have all the
  power
• Frequent warfareJapan in a constant state of war
  through 1400s.
• 1500- Japan united for 1st time under Toyotomi
  Hideyoshi

10
Japanese History

• 1600- Tokugawa Leyasu claims shogun- His
  shogunate lasts until 1868
• Peaceful, orderly society with centralized
  feudalism
• The great samurai now called daimyo were brought
  under control by using their families as hostages

11
Japanese History

• Tokugawa period caused large economic growth
  complete with money, urbanization, and new rich
  merchants who made their fortunes by trading.
• Remained isolated as Tokugawas drove out
  Christian missionaries who showed up following
  Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and English traders.

12
Japanese History

• By 1600 Japan is almost totally isolated from
  rest of world
• 1853- U.S. ends Japans isolation by force(
  Admiral Perrys Fleet)- Treaty of Kanagawa grants
  US vast powers over Japan---Unequal terms
• Tokugawas begin to decline and lose suppory
  among all classes

13
Japanese History

• 1868- Meiji Restoration- Emperor restored to
  power.
• Modernized Japan
• Sent many to Europe and U.S. to study government,
  industry and military
• Emperor is kept/ constitution is written
  /legislature called Diet is created

14
Japanese History

• Economy grows quickly under zaibatsu
  systemStill exists today.
• Abolished feudal social classes
• Required military service
• Urbanization / large cities
• By 1900 Japan had become a modern industrialized
  nation
• Territorial Expansion begins

15
Japanese History

• 1895- Japan defeats China to get partial control
  of Korea
• 1904- World is shocked when Japan defeats Russia
  for control of the rest of Korea and a small
  section of Manchuria
• Japan gets much needed natural resources and
  world standing and respect

16
Japanese History

• WW1- Japan takes over defeated Germanys holdings
  in China
• The Depression brings military dictatorship to
  Japan
• Renewed expansion in the Pacific to gain more
  control of China and French Indochina (Vietnam)
  for their natural resources

17
Japanese History

• In response to Japanese expansion the Pacific,
  U.S. cuts off Japans oil supply and other goods
  necessary for the military.
• Japan retaliates by bombing Pearl Harbor and WW2
  begins for U.S. and Japan.
• Japan is defeated after U.S. uses atomic bomb

18
Japanese Government

• Many reforms after WW2- Disbanded military, new
  constitution moved power from emperor to the
  Diet, new bill of rights, women allowed to vote,
  war was made illegal.
• Douglas MacArthur in charge of Japanese
  occupation.
• Today the government is democratic, close to
  business, and much like U.S.

19
Japanese Economy

• Japans economy return to a healthy state by
  supplying military equipment to the UN for use in
  Korean War.
• Looked to U.S. market to sell new smaller hi tech
  cars, VCRs, tape recorders, radios, cameras.
  TVs, stereo equipment, computer printers and
  other related products

20
Japanese Economy

• Reasons for success
• Well educated workforce
• Cheap labor
• Innovation of old products and new invention
• Driven as a single society to succeed.
• Some see their economic success as an extension
  of their need to dominate other countries

21
Japanese Societal Reforms

• Arranged marriages based on family interests an
  social class became less common. Marriages are no
  longer family alliances
• Son no longer follow in fathers footsteps
  regarding occupations
• Land was more evenly distributed among tenant
  farmers and peasants.
• Head of households no longer have legal authority
  over family members

22
Japanese Societal Reforms

• Family remains center of life...Elders often live
  in the country while the younger members live in
  the city in very crowded conditions
• Japan women have important roles in the labor
  force 1/3 are OLs but this is changing rapidly.

23
Japanese Religion

• Shinto- Way of the godsSpirits or Kami live in
  things and controlled nature
• Buddhism- 552 AD arrival via Buddhists
  missionaries. Ties Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism
  together. Reincarnation
• Samurais adapt Zen Buddhismmeditation,
  self-discipline, self-control both mental and
  physical. Bushhido