Japan

Japan. Endless Discovery

Overview of Japan

History

Japan was settled about 35,000 years ago by Paleolithic people from the Asian mainland. At the end of the last Ice Age, about 10,000 years ago, a culture called the Jomon developed. Jomon hunter-gatherers fashioned fur clothing, wooden houses, and elaborate clay vessels. According to DNA analysis, the Ainu people may be descendants of the Jomon.

The second wave of settlement by the Yayoi people introduced metal-working, rice cultivation, and weaving to Japan. DNA evidence suggests that these settlers came from Korea.

The first era of recorded history in Japan is the Kofun ( 300 A.D to 538 A. D., which was characterized by large burial mounds or tumuli. The Kofun were headed by a class of aristocratic warlords; they adopted many Chinese customs and innovations.

Buddhism came to Japan during the Asuka period, 552 AD and 710 AD, as did the Chinese writing system. At this time, society was divided into clans. The first strong central government developed during the Nara period 710-794 AD. The aristocratic class practiced Buddhism and Chinese calligraphy, while agricultural villagers followed Shintoism.

Japan's unique culture developed rapidly during the Heian era 794 and 1185. The imperial court turned out enduring art, poetry, and prose. The samurai warrior class developed at this time as well.

Samurai lords, called "shogun," took over the government in 1185, and ruled Japan in the name of the emperor until 1868. The Kamakura Shogunate 1185 to 1333 ruled much of Japan from Kyoto. Aided by two miraculous typhoons, the Kamakura repelled attacks by Mongol armadas in 1274 and 1281.

A particularly strong emperor, Go-Daigo, tried to overthrow the shogunate in 1331, resulting in a civil war between competing northern and southern courts that finally ended in 1392. During this time, a class of strong regional lords called "daimyo" increased in power; their rule lasted through the end of the Edo period, also known as the Tokugawa Shogunate, in 1868.

That year, a new constitutional monarchy was established, headed by the Meiji Emperor. The power of the shoguns came to an end.

After the Meiji Emperor's death, the emperor's son became the Taisho Emperor. His chronic illnesses kept him away from his duties and allowed the country's legislature to introduce new democratic reforms. During World War I, Japan formalized its rule over Korea and seized control of northern China.

The Showa Emperor, Hirohito, oversaw Japan's aggressive expansion during World War II, its surrender, and its rebirth as a modern, industrialized nation.

Geography

The Japanese archipelago includes more than 3,000 islands, covering a total area of 377,835 square kilometers (145,883 square miles). The four main islands, from north to south, are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.

Japan is largely mountainous and forested, with arable land making up only 11.6 percent of the country. The highest point is Mount Fuji, at 3,776 meters (12,385 feet). The lowest point is Hachiro-gata, which sits at four meters below sea level (-12 feet).

Positioned astride the Pacific Ring of Fire, Japan features a number of hydrothermal features such as geysers and hot springs. The country suffers frequent earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.

"Japan– Country Quick-facts
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Official Name: Japan

Form of Government: Constitutional monarchy with parliamentary government

Capital: Tokyo

Population: 126, 048, 450

Official Language: Japanese

Money: Japanese yen

Area: 377,835 square kilometres

Major Mountain Ranges: Japanese Alps

Major Rivers: Biwa, Inawashiro, Kasumigaura

Main Exports

Motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods

Religion(s)

Shinto; Buddhism

Life Expectancy

On average, men live to be 78 years old, and women live to be 85. (The current world average is 67.)

DETAILED BACKGROUND

Japan is an island nation of East Asia. It is composed of four large islands and many smaller ones, which extend in a narrow arc, northeast to southwest, for a distance of about 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) off the eastern coast of Asia. The four main islands are Honshu (the largest and most populous), Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku.

Japan's culture is a blend of traditional Japanese values and modern Western ideas. Japan is the world's oldest monarchy. Its emperors traced their descent from Jimmu. Jimmu, according to mythical tradition, unified Japan and became its first emperor more than 2,500 years ago. Modern Japan, however, is a constitutional monarchy. The emperor is the symbol of the nation, with little political power.

Until slightly more than a century ago, Japan, by its own choice, was almost completely isolated from the rest of the world. It reluctantly opened to Western countries in the mid-1800's. It adopted modern technology and quickly became an industrial and military power. Following the destruction of World War II, Japan rebuilt its economy and now ranks among the world's leading industrialized nations.