Terrain

Japan is an archipelago that consists of around 3,400 islands. The largest are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. The islands are mountainous; plains and river basins only account for 25% of the land. Inland, the country is characterised by the convergence of three mountain chains that form the Japanese Alps. The dormant volcano Mt. Fuji (3,776 m) is the country's highest peak. It is known that there are 265 volcanoes Japan, around 20 of which are still active. Located within a geologically active region, Japan registers around 1,000 earthquakes a year, though most are minor.

Climate

Two ocean currents influence Japan's climate: the Kuroshio, a warm current which makes winters in southern and eastern Japan warmer and the Oyashio, a cold current which makes winters on the islands of Hokkaido and Honshu harsh. Southern Japan is hit by monsoons and tropical cyclones in the summertime. The Asian mainland's climate also has an influence on Japan's temperatures and rainfall. The north has short summers and long winters with heavy snowfalls. The average annual temperature ranges from 5°C-16°C.

Fauna/Flora

The inaccessibility of Japan's mountainous areas has preserved areas of outstanding natural beauty, in particular the alpine regions of central Honshu and the natural parks of Hokkaido. Japan's largest carnivorous mammals are its bears. Animals unique to Japan include the Japanese macaque and the giant salamander. The Iriomote cat, which is a descendent of the leopard, is found on Iriomote island in the Okinawa archipelago. It is known as a "living fossil" because there are only around 100 animals alive.

History/Politics

The first inhabitants settled in the area that is now Japan during the Palaeolithic era, around 30,000 years ago. Over the centuries that followed, the population developed and at the beginning of the modern age, numerous states formed with complex structures. Between the 4th and 8th centuries, the imperial house unified Japan, as well as extending its power and incorporating aspects from Chinese politics and culture, such as Buddhism.

Over the centuries that followed, the noble family Fujiwara gained authority in the court, which it retained until the 12th century. After its fall, the land fell into the hands of just a few aristocratic families, which led to the formation of a feudal system.

The following centuries were characterised by a series of plots against the emperors and their heirs, two attempted Mongol invasions and the civil war which began in 1333 and which divided the country, creating two courts. The war lasted for just over a century, until Toyotomi Hideyoshi finally succeeded in reunifying the country under a single national authority.

The first Europeans arrived in Japan in the middle of the 16th century, which meant that trade flourished and Christianity was introduced in Japan. Towards the end of that century, Christianity was prohibited in some places and practising Christians were persecuted. Over the decades that followed, the situation became worse; Christianity was officially suppressed and foreign trade was also prohibited. This meant that the country was completely isolated for the next two centuries.

In the middle of the 19th century, pressure from the North Americans led the Japanese government to open various ports for trade. It agreed to the presence of a North American consul in Japan, and later to other Western powers being in the country.

In the last decades of the 19th century, Japan was involved in wars with China and Russia, which led to it gaining land on the Asian continent. It also joined the Allies in the First World War. The search for more space to accommodate the increase in industry and a growing population led to the invasion and occupation of Manchuria in 1931 and the formation of Manchukuo.

Japan signed a peace treaty with China in 1933, but used an armed attack as the pretext for reinvading Chinese territory four years later. During the Second World War, Japan joined the Axis (Germany and Italy) and expanded into Asia. After the United States dropped the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered and was stripped of the territories that it had conquered. The reconstruction period had surprising results and Japan became an industrial power. Emperor Hirohito died in 1989 and was succeeded by his son Akihito, which marked the beginning of a new period in Japanese history, which is known as Heisei "achieving peace".

In March 2005, China accused Japan of playing down the atrocities it had committed during the years it occupied China in its school books, which resulted in the Japanese government apologising for the injustices committed.

Economy

Until the beginning of the 20th century, the Japanese economy was in the hands of just a few wealthy families. The Allies put an end to this system after the Second World War, which meant that Japan's economy experienced rapid growth, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s. Since then, Japan's industrial sector has developed significantly, particularly in the field of electronics, in which it hardly has any competition.

Japan imports around 60% of its food products and despite the fact that its agricultural sector is officially protected, it is the largest importer of agricultural products. In 2003, the unemployment rate was 5.3% and inflation was -0.20%.

Culture

Japanese art was influenced by Chinese and Korean art until the 19th century, when a cultural exchange with Europe and the United States developed. Despite these influences, poetry, theatre and the novel are forms of art that have existed for many years and have remained distinctly Japanese.

The first anthology of traditional texts was put together in the 5th century AD. However, the first works of classical literature were written five centuries later. One of the most well-known writers of those times is Murasaki Shikibu, who wrote one of Japan's most important literary works, "The Tale of Genji".