Major landforms:

Japan

four main islands and thousands of smaller ones

Hokkaido, Honshu (Most Population), Shikoku, Kyushu
Ryuku Islands- Okinawa the largest

Fuji- tallest Mountain



mountains—70 percent of land; Japanese Alps the
longest chain
Japan exists in a subduction zone
Makes Japan particularly susceptible to volcanoes
and earthquakes
 Much of Japan’s engineering projects factor in
tectonic activity


Coastal Tsunami barriers/ Airports
1
Section 2
History and Culture
Major events in modern history:



Shogun Warlords in the 1100’s
U.S. Navy arrived in Tokyo in 1853; Japan
began to open up to foreign influences.
Meiji Restoration of 1868 brought emperor
back; he began modernization reforms.

Moved capitol from Kyoto to Tokyo
2
Section 2
History and Culture
Major events in modern history:




Japan joined Axis Powers in 1940; surrendered in
1945, after atomic bombs.
Japan established democratic system after World War
II.
 Diet- Lawmaking body of government
Korea was divided after the war into communist North
and democratic South.
Korean War (1950–1953) ended in truce (Armistice),
establishment of the DMZ( a border placement due to
armed conflict)
.
3
Section 2
History and Culture
Cultural features:

religion—Buddhism and Shintoism in Japan; Buddhism
and Confucianism in Korea, but strong Christian
influence in South Korea


Shinto factored into belief that Japan would win WWII
Japan- World’s largest fishing fleet
 Whaling an issue. US placed ban on the Japanese
fishing in US waters. International community hopes
banning will conserve small numbers of whales left.
4
Section 2
History and Culture
Cultural features:


education—good schools, high literacy in Japan
and South Korea; North Korea focuses on
communist ideology
customs—strong Western influences, but
traditions survive; focus on family, respect for
elders


(continued)
Strong work ethic/ work moral value
art—music, literature, visual and decorative arts
are strong traditions
5
Section 3
The Region Today
Modern Japan is a blend of traditional and
modern, East and West.

Exports are a key to economic success, but
Asian competition is growing.


Export surplus with U.S.
Japan has many large cities; Tokyo-Yokohama is
world’s largest.
Urban Agglomeration- dense population areas around
the cities
Japans work ethic and belief systems causing an
acceptance of more socialized programs putting them
with an economic philosophy between Free enterprise
and socialism.
Society is getting older; women’s roles are changing.



6
Contrasting North Korea and South Korea:

North Korea
 communist dictatorship; state controls people’s lives
 Kim Jong Unh / today’s leader
 command economy-it is one of the few economies in
the world where the government controls all aspect of
the economy
 Juche- implemented in 1955. Ideas based around
North Korean politics and leadership. It mixes
communist ideas with North Korean culture.

Reliance on own resources and a strong defense became
supreme doctrine of the N. Korean faith
7
Contrasting North Korea, South Korea,
Japan and China:



While China and Korea have developed at the same rate,
S. Korea and Japan today are at a similar level of a more
advanced development due to the free market.
Since 1961, where S. Korea was dealing in primary
economic activities, the fast growing market economy
now exhibits quaternary activities.
 The increasing industrialization is trending to a
growing urban middle class
North Korean cities are changing due to political and
economic factors, while Japanese cities are changing
due to social factors.


North Korea trying to reverse urbanization
Japan needs immigration of laborers to sustain older population
8