Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Historical Background Meiji Restoration of 1868 “Enlightened Rule” A Cultural Geography of Japan – Modernization movement with heavy European influence on economic and political reform. – Infrastructure (rail, hwy); Human Geography Dr. Paul Burger Historical Background Japanese Imperial Extent (1933(1933-1941) – North: Manchuria, China; Kurile Islands, Korea. – Southwest: Taiwan, French Indochina (Vietnam), Thailand, Burma – South: Malaysia, Thailand, New Guinea (Guadalcanal) – East: Marshall Islands – Urban Planning – Industrial Location Shape / Size of Territory: Fragmented Many small islands but four (4) major Hokkaido only area of nonnon-Japanese settlement; indigenous Ainu people Honshu – “Mainland”: largest island with current capital o Tokyo (“eastern capital”; formerly Edo) o Kyoto (historic (historic capital) Shikoku Kyushu Physical Landscape 146,000 Sq Miles (Montana) – 18 Percent Inhabitable – 125 million people – 77 percent urban Kanto Plain – Largest in areal extent and population – Tokyo – 1/3rd of Japanese population – 40,000 acres Nobi Plain (Chuba (Chuba District) – Nagoya (3.2 million) – Leading textile producer (Nagoya); center of auto production – Larger in area / Agriculturally than Kansai, but not Economically Kansai District – Osaka / Kobe / Kyoto (10.6 million metro area) Economic Geography (cont’d) Kansai District – Osaka – Kobe – Kyoto “Triangle” – Seto Inland Sea: Access to sea; forward area for Manchurian exploitation / conquest. – Kobe: major port city – 10.6 million inhabitants – Nara and Kyoto core of Japanese civilization 2000 years ago; historic capitals prior to Tokyo Economic Geography of Japan Output is greater than China, China, Koreas, Taiwan, Hong Kong combined. – All economic regions are coastal with exception of Kyoto Kanto Plain – – – – – – – – TokyoTokyo-YokohamaYokohama-Kawasaki 26.2 million (worlds largest conurbation) Largest Agricultural area in Japan Economic Center of Japan (20 Percent of total output of Japan; equivalent to entire GDP of UK) Yokohama: Largest Port and home of Shipbuilding Central location of Japan and Access to Sea for trade Steel Production (Australian .Philippine, Malaysian, coal) Petroleum: SW Asia, Indonesia, Middle East » (interesting factoid: 1 supertanker every hundred miles between Japan and Persian Gulf, either coming or going!) – Not self Sufficient in Food production. Political Geography of Japan Although Japan is a Unitary system it has subdivisions or FOCD’s called ‘Prefectures’ – There are 47 of these in all. Capital and National government is in Tokyo – Japan has several political parties – at least 5 major – They must form coalition governments in order to get a majority to rule their legislature, known as the Diet, who then elect their leader.