The Kansai district, which includes Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto, is known for its ship building, electronics industry, metal engineering and cotton spinning and textile industries. Nagoya and the surrounding area have earthenware, woollen mills and automobile industries. North Kyushu is reputed for iron, steel and electronics industries. Main Economic Activities Agriculture, including forestry and fishing, is a highly subsidised and protected sector. The principal crops are rice, potatoes, cabbages, sugar cane, sugar beets and citrus fruits.
Japan is one of the world's leading fishing nations.
Other products include vegetables, pork, poultry, dairy products and eggs. Heavy industries are the most dominant in the industrial sector, specifically motor vehicles, steel, machinery, electrical equipment and chemicals. Transport equipment, food products, iron and steel, fabricated metal products and non-electrical machinery are the top industries in Japan. Other industries include telecommunication equipment, machine tools, automated production systems, locomotives and railroad rolling stock, ships, textiles and processed foods. Although there are sufficient supplies of limestone and sulphur, bauxite, crude petroleum, iron ore, copper ore and coking coal are imported.