Japan by Mugita Kurosaki

Japan is an island country lying off the east coast of Asia. The entire island stretches for approximately 1,500 miles through the western North Pacific Ocean. From Sacramento, it’s about 5,190 miles in the western direction. There are nearly 7,000 islands in Japan and the 4 primary islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku. However, according to Science Direct, “only 421 islands are inhabited.” The remainder are uninhabited.

In terms of landscape, Japan is famous for its ruggedness since more than four-fifths of the land are mountains. The highest is Mount Fuji, which the elevation is 3,776 meters high. Also, it rains and snows a lot in the country and the temperatures are mild in some areas. Other areas are either super cold like Hokkaido in the winter or humid like Tokyo during summer. Depending on the location, difference in climate allows varieties of crops to be raised too.

Furthermore, population in Japan is ethnically homogeneous. According to World Population Review, it proves that the country’s 98.5% are Japanese. Other 1.5% is made up of people from foreign countries. Usually, Japan’s language is only Japanese, although it has changed when more foreigners migrated to Japan. It caused new languages to be taught in the country, which gave people more opportunity to speak multiple languages too. The total population in Japan is around 126 million people as of 2021, but it has been declining over the years. This is due to fewer infants being born each year, while there are more older people in Japan. As for gender, there isn’t a problem since it’s being distributed equally.

Historically, Japan was a colonizer itself. It means that Japan wasn’t colonized by western country. However, it has experience being influenced by Western colonialism in wide-ranging ways. For example, according to Encyclopedia.com, it said that “Japan's first encounter with Western colonialism was with Portugal in the mid-sixteenth century. The Portuguese brought Catholicism and the new technology of gun and gunpowder into Japan.” However, national rulers during this time, which was ruled under Tokugawa Shogunate felt that foreign teachings were a threat to their country.

Following this issue, a closed nation policy called Sakoku policy was formed around 1860s. It prevented foreign countries from having relationships with Japan. Also, the policy banned Japanese people from practicing Christianity and prohibited the return of Japanese from abroad who’ve lived five years or more too. It gave the government a monopoly over foreign trade, which they gave exception only to China and Dutch since Japan saw them as less of a threat. Both countries weren’t interested in converting Japanese people to become Christians or to conquer the country. This policy lasted for over 200 years and it ended around 1850s.

For my research, I focused on the environmental issues that exists in Japan, specifically on earthquakes. I still remember myself standing in front of the TV inside my home in America and being shocked at the damage caused by the magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan 11 years ago on March 11. I’ve understood why Japan is vulnerable to earthquakes because the land sits on the boundary of four types of tectonic plates. According to PBS News Hour, it said that “Japan sits on or near the boundary of four tectonic plates: the Pacific, North American, Eurasian and Filipino plates.” I learned that when two of these plates push together under the sea, it causes large earthquakes to occur.

Since the 3.11 earthquake, Japan has made a tremendous economic development to make it preventable by building seawalls along the coast and raising the elevation of the land. The country was able to achieve these goals because they have the money and resources to make it happen. Therefore, Japan was able to overcome the aftermath on its own. There were also support pouring in from all parts of the world too. Relief items like hygiene kits, food, blankets, clothing, and household items were delivered to impacted areas to help the people in need.

This would’ve been impossible when compared to countries like Ecuador. The country had a large earthquake in 2016, which caused destruction in large parts of the land. According to The New Humanitarian, the video said how Ecuador is poorer than Japan and the impact from earthquake will always be worse. It shows that economic inequality can impact countries redevelopment. Developing countries like Ecuador is a great example since recovery has been difficult in the country. It’s been endless since there aren’t a lot of money and resources like Japan.

Source Citations (ordered alphabetically by title):

“Demographic Trends.” *Encyclopedia Britannica*, https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/Demographic-trends. Accessed 27 Mar. 2022.

Grant, Miranda. “Ecuador & Japan: Earthquake Inequality.” *The New Humanitarian*, 20 Apr. 2016, https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/film/ecuador-japan-earthquake-inequality. Accessed 27 Mar. 2022.

Jacobs, Sarah. “'It Feels like We're in Jail': Japan Spent $12 Billion on Seawalls after the Devastating 2011 Tsunami - and Now Locals Are Feeling like Prisoners.” *Business Insider*, 12 Mar. 2018, https://www.businessinsider.com/japan-seawalls-cost-12-billion-since-fukushima-disaster-2018-3. Accessed 27 Mar. 2022.

“Japan.” *Encyclopedia Britannica*, https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan. Accessed 27 Mar. 2022.

“Japan, Colonized.” *Encyclopedia.com*, Cengage, 27 Mar. 2022, https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/japan-colonized. Accessed 27 Mar. 2022.

Marder, Jenny. “Japan's Earthquake and Tsunami: How They Happened.” *PBS*, Public Broadcasting Service, 11 Mar. 2011, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/japans-earthquake-and-tsunami-how-they-happened#:~:text=Japan%20sits%20on%20or%20near,American%2C%20Eurasian%20and%20Filipino%20plates. Accessed 27 Mar. 2022.

“Japan Maps & Facts.” *World Atlas*, 24 Feb. 2021, https://www.worldatlas.com/maps/japan. Accessed 27 Mar. 2022.

“Japan Population 2022 (Live).” *World Population Review*, https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/japan-population. Accessed 27 Mar. 2022.

France-Presse, Agence. “Japan Tsunami: Remains on Beach Identified as Victim of 2011 Disaster.” *The Guardian*, Guardian News and Media, 4 Mar. 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/05/japan-tsunami-remains-on-beach-identified-as-victim-of-2011-disaster. Accessed 27 Mar. 2022.

*Sakoku (Closure of Country)*. https://www.grips.ac.jp/teacher/oono/hp/docu03/sakoku.pdf. Accessed 27 Mar. 2022.

Kuwahara, Sueo. “The Development of Small Islands in Japan: An Historical Perspective.” *Journal of Marine and Island Cultures*, No Longer Published by Elsevier, 27 June 2012, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221268211200008X#:~:text=Abstract,only%20421%20islands%20are%20inhabited. Accessed 27 Mar. 2022.

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Japan's Environmental Crises by Mugita Kurosaki

Japan's Social Justice Warrior by Mugita Kurosaki

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Infographic on LGBT in Japan