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 Burakumin…Early 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 country…all 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 figurehead…Shoguns have all the power • Frequent warfare…Japan in a constant state of war through 1400’s. • 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 Tokugawa’s 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 Japan’s isolation by force( Admiral Perry’s Fleet)- Treaty of Kanagawa grants US vast powers over Japan---Unequal terms • Tokugawa’s 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 system”…Still 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 Germany’s 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 Japan’s 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 • Japan’s 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, VCR’s, tape recorders, radios, cameras. TV’s, stereo equipment, computer printers and other related products

20. Japanese Economy • Reason’s 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 father’s 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 OL’s but this is changing rapidly.

23. Japanese Religion • Shinto- Way of the gods…Spirits or Kami live in things and controlled nature • Buddhism- 552 AD arrival via Buddhists missionaries. Ties Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism together. Reincarnation Samurais adapt Zen Buddhism…meditation, self-discipline, self-control both mental and physical. “Bushhido”