Japan is part of the Ring of Fire,
a narrow zone of active volcanoes that nearly encircles the Pacific
Ocean. Japan consists of a series of volcanic mountains that thrust
from the Pacific Ocean millions of years ago, and continue to reshape
the land. Japan has about 170 volcanoes, 75 of which are active.
There are more earthquakes in Japan
than in any other nation. The Japanese people feel about 1500 tremors
every year. Most are harmless, but about once every two years, an
earthquake causes serious damage and loss of life. When the epicenter
of the earthquake is on land, buildings, farmland, and whole villages
can be destroyed. An offshore earthquake can cause a tsunami. A
tsunami is an enormous ocean wave that can devastate coastal lands.
A 1923 earthquake in Tokyo and Yokohama
killed more than 130,000 people and destroyed most of the cities.
27 million people, more than one-fifth of all Japanese people, are
crowded into the area that includes Tokyo and Yokohama. The area
is filled with towering buildings, modern subways, and traffic jammed
streets. A severe earthquake in Tokyo would be more devastating
than anything that has ever happened before.
Japan's climate is affected by monsoons,
or winds that change direction with the season. In the summer, the
monsoon blows onto Japan from the east, bringing heavy rain from
the Pacific Ocean. Late summer is the season for typhoons, violent
tropical hurricanes that bring floods and landslides. The winter
monsoon brings in cold dry air from the Asian mainland.
Japan's steep, mountainous terrain
presents a stunning landscape, but is difficult to farm. Only 13%
of Japan consists of arable land. The chief crop is rice, because
Japan's mild climate and plentiful rainfall make the crop easy to
grow. The Japanese people eat little meat; the rely on the sea as
a food source. A dinner in Japan often includes rice along with
fish, squid, or octopus.
