World Cultures Portfolio/Japan

World Cultures Japan Report about Natural Resources

Guidelines

World Cultures Korea Unit

Intro/Basics - Africa - Middle East - South Asia - China - Japan - Korea - Latin America

Only spent one day on this unit World Cultures Daily Questions

Notebook

Portfolio

Portfolio
- Physical Map Report

World Cultures Portfolio

Africa: HDI Graph Reflections - Decolonization Report
Middle East: Population Density Report - Essay: A Peaceful Vacation
South Asia: Rainfall Report - South Asia Comparisons Graph - Postcards
China: Sphere of Influences Report - Mao Button Journal
Japan: Natural Resources Report - Japanese Violence Journal
Korea: Physical Map Report
Latin America: Landforms Report
Worldwide: T-Shirt Trade Report

Japan Natural Resources Map

Textbook Japanese Landforms Map

Japan, an nation unlike any other. Fiercely independent and self-sufficient for centuries, it has now arisen into one of the most powerful industrial nations on earth. Japan has managed to get around it's small size due to the fierce loyalty and trustworthiness of the Japanese people. For centuries, Japan's lack of resources did not hurt it. It had what it needed. But as the age of industrialization came, Japan knew it needed more. It want to war to try and steal natural resources from others. Today, the old boundaries came back. But Japan has realized how to industrialize its self without the need for many resources.

Japan's real birth occurred from the volcanoes which make up the Pacific rim of fire. This has many implications for the Japanese. Unlike normal earth, volcanic rock doesn't hold many resources. All of the plants and animals needed to have come from the mainland. In addition, the fault lines mean a large possibility for earthquakes and volcanoes. More then thirty active volcanoes make up Japan, and as many as 1,500 tremors happen each year (Blue 390). These can have devastating damage on the buildings of the Japanese. They have dedicated entire research institutes to researching earthquakes and earthquake proof buildings.

Japan, like Korea, has many mountains. More than four/fifths of Japan has little population living in it due to the mountains (Blue 390). This means that almost of the 125 million people live in the small coastal plains (Blue 390). As a comparison, Japan has the seventh largest population squeezed in to a nation a bit larger then Great Britain, and that's before you account for all of the mountains.

Japan has managed, somewhat, do deal with its small space. Many Americans think of the capsule hotels when they think of this problem. The hotels "room" only consist of a bed, like a bunk bed, but with the smaller end facing the room. The door can be closed for privacy and peace. However, most tourists sleep there only one night for the novelty. However, the Japanese also use technology to solve their problems, such as a robotic parking garage. You drive your car onto a platform, get out, pay, and then the platform moves into a slot for storage.

The map indicates that all but the smallest island in Japan has coal. As industrialization started, one needed coal as the primary fuel source in factories. Today oil has taken coal's place. A small amount of oil can be drilled for in the north of Honshu (Global Insights: People and Cultures). The Honshu island has many trees which one can harvest for lumber. Paper and furniture then gets produced from wood. Also on the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido fast flowing streams have the potential for hydroelectric power plants. Hydroelectric power will not run out and does not directly pollute the environment. The island of Honshu also produces silk. Silk works require mulberry leaves and silk gets spun into light clothing.

The waters around Japan have many fish in them. Fish represents an important source of protein for the Japanese people (Blue 391). Historically, the Japanese did not get enough protein from the rice and other crops, so they turned to the sea (Blue 391). The ocean provides sardines, tuna, herring, salmon, cod, and halibut (Blue 391). In addition the inland seas provide shell-fish and seaweed (Blue 391).

However, Japan has a very limited amount of mineral resources (Blue 391). In the northern island of Hokkaido, iron ore exists in the southern part of the island (Global Insights: People and Cultures). In the north of Honshu, one can mine manganese (Global Insights: People and Cultures). One needs Manganese to make steel, an important industry in Japan. In addition, in the south of Honshu, and on the islands of Shikoku, one can find copper (Global Insights: People and Cultures). Wires commonly use copper as a conductor.

Before industrilization, Japan did not have much of a need for these resources. What they did need, however, they had enough off. However, as factories started processing the minerals much faster, and the resources no longer could feed the need. Thus, Japan invaded other nations like Korea and China to try use their resources, among other things. Due to their loss in World War Two, they needed to give up their colonies. Today they import iron ore from the Philippines, Malaysia, Australia, and India (Blue 391). North America, South Africa, and Australia provide coal (Blue 391). In addition they get oil from the Middle East (Blue 391).

Today Japan imports and exports many goods. The 2007 CIA World Factbook lists the following as Japan's primary exports: "transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical machinery, [and] chemicals" (USA CIA). Their primary imports, as of 2001, include: "machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, [and] raw materials" (USA CIA). Common agricultural items grown include: "rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit, pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs, [and] fish" (USA CIA).

Japan's natural resources have defined, helped, and hurt Japan. The tall mountains restrict arable land and force most of the population into a small area. The resources such as fish have helped their diet for centuries. But their lack of mineral resources hurt it as it was industrializing. It represented a primary cause of its own imperialization. Today Japan has managed to peacefully import needed resources to power its large industry and economy.