Editing Japan (section)

==Geography==
{{Main|Geography of Japan|Geology of Japan}}
[[File:Japan topo en.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|A topographic map of Japan]]
Japan comprises [[List of islands of Japan|14,125 islands]] extending along the Pacific coast of Asia.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/16/japan-sees-its-number-of-islands-double-after-recount |title=Japan sees its number of islands double after recount |first=Justin |last=McCurry |date=February 16, 2023 |work=The Guardian |archivedate=March 1, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230301154105/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/16/japan-sees-its-number-of-islands-double-after-recount |url-status=live }}</ref> It stretches over {{convert|3000|km|mi|abbr=on|comma=5}} northeast–southwest from the [[Sea of Okhotsk]] to the [[East China Sea]].<ref name=water>{{cite web|title = Water Supply in Japan|url = https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/health/water_supply/1.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126130519/https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/health/water_supply/1.html|archivedate = January 26, 2018|publisher = Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare|accessdate = September 26, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=An Invitation to Japan's Borderlands: At the Geopolitical Edge of the Eurasian Continent|last=Iwashita|first=Akihiro|pages=279–282|doi=10.1080/08865655.2011.686969|year=2011|journal=Journal of Borderlands Studies|volume=26|issue=3}}</ref> The country's five main islands, from north to south, are [[Hokkaido]], [[Honshu]], [[Shikoku]], [[Kyushu]] and [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]].<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.imic.2012.04.004|title=The development of small islands in Japan: An historical perspective|last=Kuwahara|first=Sueo|year=2012|volume=1|issue=1|journal=Journal of Marine and Island Cultures|pages=38–45|doi-access=free}}</ref> The [[Ryukyu Islands]], which include Okinawa, are a chain to the south of Kyushu. The [[Nanpō Islands]] are south and east of the main islands of Japan. Together they are often known as the [[Japanese archipelago]].<ref>{{cite book|last=McCargo|first=Duncan|title=Contemporary Japan|year=2000|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=978-0-333-71000-5|pages=8–11|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8au8QgAACAAJ}}</ref> {{As of|2019}}, Japan's territory is {{convert|comma=5|377,975.24|km²|sqmi|abbr=on}}.<ref name="area-2019" /> Japan has the [[List of countries by length of coastline|sixth-longest coastline]] in the world at {{convert|comma=5|29751|km|mi|abbr=on}}. Because of its far-flung outlying islands, [[Exclusive economic zone of Japan|Japan's exclusive economic zone]] is the [[List of countries by length of exclusive economic zones|eighth-largest]] in the world, covering {{convert|comma=5|4470000|km²|sqmi|abbr=on}}.<ref name=cia/><ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1080/08865655.2011.686972|last=Yamada|first=Yoshihiko|title=Japan's New National Border Strategy and Maritime Security|pages=357–367|year=2011|volume=26|issue=3|journal=Journal of Borderlands Studies}}</ref>

The Japanese archipelago is 67% [[Forestry in Japan|forests]] and 14% [[Agriculture in Japan|agricultural]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.env.go.jp/en/nature/npr/ncj/section1.html|publisher=Ministry of the Environment|title=Natural environment of Japan: Japanese archipelago|accessdate=August 4, 2022|archive-date=August 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805032536/https://www.env.go.jp/en/nature/npr/ncj/section1.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The primarily rugged and mountainous terrain is restricted for habitation.<ref>{{cite journal|first1=Shouji|last1=Fujimoto|first2=Takayuki|last2=Mizuno|first3=Takaaki|last3= Ohnishi|first4=Chihiro|last4=Shimizu|first5=Tsutomu|last5=Watanabe|title=Relationship between population density and population movement in inhabitable lands|journal=Evolutionary and Institutional Economics Review|year=2017|volume=14|pages=117–130|doi=10.1007/s40844-016-0064-z|doi-access=free}}</ref> Thus the habitable zones, mainly in the coastal areas, have very high population densities: Japan is the [[List of countries by population density|40th most densely populated country]] even without considering that local concentration.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://statisticstimes.com/demographics/countries-by-population-density.php|website=Statistics Times|title=List of countries by population density|accessdate=October 12, 2020|archive-date=September 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926222139/http://statisticstimes.com/demographics/countries-by-population-density.php|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite conference|title=Geographic Dependency of Population Distribution|conference=International Conference on Social Modeling and Simulation, plus Econophysics Colloquium 2014 |pages=151–162|first1=Shouji|last1=Fujimoto|first2=Takayuki|last2= Mizuno|first3=Takaaki|last3=Ohnishi|first4=Chihiro|last4=Shimizu|first5=Tsutomu|last5=Watanabe|series=Springer Proceedings in Complexity|year=2015|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-20591-5_14|isbn=978-3-319-20590-8|url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-20591-5_14}}</ref> Honshu has the highest population density at 450 persons/km<sup>2</sup> (1200/sq mi) {{as of|2010|lc=y}}, while Hokkaido has the lowest density of 64.5 persons/km<sup>2</sup> {{as of|2016|lc=y}}.<ref name="JPCensus">{{cite web|url=http://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/jichi_gyousei/c-gyousei/daityo/index.html|script-title=ja:総務省｜住基ネット|trans-title=Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Resident Registration net|work=soumu.go.jp|accessdate=November 13, 2021|archive-date=February 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224144613/https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/jichi_gyousei/c-gyousei/daityo/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> {{As of|2014}}, approximately 0.5% of Japan's total area is [[land reclamation|reclaimed land]] ({{transliteration|ja|umetatechi}}).<ref>{{cite journal|first=Yang|last=Hua|title=Legal Regulation of Land Reclamation in China's Coastal Areas|journal=Coastal Management|volume=42|issue=1|year=2014|pages=59–79|doi=10.1080/08920753.2013.865008}}</ref> [[Lake Biwa]] is an [[ancient lake]] and the country's largest freshwater lake.<ref name=Tabata2016>{{Cite journal|doi = 10.1002/ece3.2070|title = Phylogeny and historical demography of endemic fishes in Lake Biwa: The ancient lake as a promoter of evolution and diversification of freshwater fishes in western Japan|year = 2016|last1 = Tabata|first1 = Ryoichi|last2 = Kakioka|first2 = Ryo|last3 = Tominaga|first3 = Koji|last4 = Komiya|first4 = Takefumi|last5 = Watanabe|first5 = Katsutoshi|journal = Ecology and Evolution|volume = 6|issue = 8|pages = 2601–2623|pmid = 27066244|pmc = 4798153}}</ref>

Japan is substantially prone to [[Earthquakes in Japan|earthquakes]], [[tsunami]] and [[Types of volcanic eruptions|volcanic eruptions]] because of its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire.<ref>{{cite web|last=Israel|first=Brett|date=March 14, 2011|title=Japan's Explosive Geology Explained|url=http://www.livescience.com/30226-japan-tectonics-explosive-geology-ring-of-fire-110314.html|website=Live Science|archivedate=August 5, 2019|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805085127/https://www.livescience.com/30226-japan-tectonics-explosive-geology-ring-of-fire-110314.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It has the [[List of countries by natural disaster risk|17th highest natural disaster risk]] as measured in the 2016 World Risk Index.<ref name=wri>{{Cite web|title=World Risk Report 2016|url=http://collections.unu.edu/view/UNU:5763#viewMetadata|publisher=UNU-EHS|accessdate=November 8, 2020|archive-date=September 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923203844/https://collections.unu.edu/view/UNU:5763#viewMetadata|url-status=live}}</ref> Japan has 111 active volcanoes.<ref>{{cite journal|title=A New Japan Volcanological Database|last1=Fujita|first1=Eisuke|last2=Ueda|first2=Hideki|last3=Nakada|first3=Setsuya|journal=Frontiers in Earth Science|date=July 2020|volume=8|page=205|doi=10.3389/feart.2020.00205|doi-access=free}}</ref> Destructive earthquakes, often resulting in tsunami, occur several times each century;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/north_asia/japan_tec.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070204064754/http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/north_asia/japan_tec.html|archivedate=February 4, 2007|title=Tectonics and Volcanoes of Japan|publisher=Oregon State University|accessdate=March 27, 2007}}</ref> the [[1923 Great Kantō earthquake|1923 Tokyo earthquake]] killed over 140,000 people.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-great-japan-earthquake-of-1923-1764539/|website=Smithsonian Magazine|last=Hammer|first=Joshua|date=May 2011|title=The Great Japan Earthquake of 1923|archive-date=March 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318031207/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-great-japan-earthquake-of-1923-1764539/|url-status=live}}</ref> More recent major quakes are the 1995 [[Great Hanshin earthquake]] and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, which triggered a large tsunami.<ref name="nytimes-tsunami" />

===Climate===
{{Main|Geography of Japan#Climate}}
[[File:Series-N700a-Mt.Fuji.jpg|thumb|[[Mount Fuji]] and [[Shinkansen]]]]
The climate of Japan is predominantly temperate but varies greatly from north to south. The northernmost region, Hokkaido, has a [[humid continental climate]] with long, cold winters and very warm to cool summers. [[Precipitation (meteorology)|Precipitation]] is not heavy, but the islands usually develop deep snowbanks in the winter.<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite book|last=Karan|first=Pradyumna Prasad|title=Japan in the 21st century|year=2005|publisher=University Press of Kentucky|isbn=978-0-8131-2342-4|pages=18–21, 41|author2=Gilbreath, Dick|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oze_mWihnU0C}}</ref>

In the [[Sea of Japan]] region on Honshu's west coast, northwest winter winds bring heavy snowfall during winter. In the summer, the region sometimes experiences extremely hot temperatures because of the [[Foehn wind|Foehn]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.data.jma.go.jp/gmd/cpd/longfcst/en/tourist/file/Hokuriku.html|publisher=Japan Meteorological Agency|title=Climate of Hokuriku district|accessdate=October 24, 2020|archive-date=November 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115152056/https://www.data.jma.go.jp/gmd/cpd/longfcst/en/tourist/file/Hokuriku.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Central Highland (Japan)|Central Highland]] has a typical inland humid continental climate, with large temperature differences between summer and winter. The mountains of the [[Chūgoku region|Chūgoku]] and Shikoku regions shelter the [[Seto Inland Sea]] from seasonal winds, bringing mild weather year-round.<ref name=autogenerated2 />

The Pacific coast features a [[humid subtropical]] climate that experiences milder winters with occasional snowfall and hot, humid summers because of the southeast seasonal wind. The Ryukyu and Nanpō Islands have a [[subtropics|subtropical climate]], with warm winters and hot summers. Precipitation is very heavy, especially during the rainy season.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> The main [[East Asian rainy season|rainy season]] begins in early May in Okinawa, and the rain front gradually moves north. In late summer and early autumn, [[typhoon]]s often bring heavy rain.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.data.jma.go.jp/gmd/cpd/longfcst/en/tourist_japan.html|publisher=Japan Meteorological Association|title=Overview of Japan's climate|accessdate=December 11, 2020|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112031532/https://www.data.jma.go.jp/gmd/cpd/longfcst/en/tourist_japan.html|url-status=live}}</ref> According to the Environment Ministry, heavy rainfall and increasing temperatures have caused problems in the agricultural industry and elsewhere.<ref name=climatechange>{{Cite web|title=Japan 2030: Tackling climate issues is key to the next decade|url=https://features.japantimes.co.jp/climate-crisis-2030/|website=The Japan Times|last=Ito|first=Masami|accessdate=September 24, 2020|archive-date=March 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309021632/https://features.japantimes.co.jp/climate-crisis-2030///|url-status=live}}</ref> The highest temperature ever measured in Japan, {{convert|comma=5|41.1|°C}}, was recorded on July 23, 2018,<ref>{{Cite web|agency=Associated Press|date=July 23, 2018|url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/07/23/world/asia/ap-as-asia-heat-wave.html|title=Record High in Japan as Heat Wave Grips the Region|website=The New York Times|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723124113/https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/07/23/world/asia/ap-as-asia-heat-wave.html|archivedate=July 23, 2018|url-status=dead }}</ref> and repeated on August 17, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/18/weather/japan-hottest-temperature-record-climate-intl-hnk/index.html|publisher=CNN|date=August 18, 2020|title=Japan's heat wave continues, as temperatures equal highest record|last1=Ogura|first1=Junko|last2=Regan|first2=Helen|archive-date=November 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120015703/https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/18/weather/japan-hottest-temperature-record-climate-intl-hnk/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Biodiversity===
{{Main|Wildlife of Japan}}
Japan has nine forest [[Ecoregions in Japan|ecoregions]] which reflect the climate and geography of the islands. They range from [[Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests|subtropical moist broadleaf forests]] in the Ryūkyū and [[Bonin Islands]], to [[temperate broadleaf and mixed forests]] in the mild climate regions of the main islands, to [[temperate coniferous forest]]s in the cold, winter portions of the northern islands.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc/spotflora.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070213035135/http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc/spotflora.htm|archivedate=February 13, 2007|title=Flora and Fauna: Diversity and regional uniqueness|publisher=Embassy of Japan in the USA|accessdate=April 1, 2007}}</ref> Japan has over 90,000 species of wildlife {{as of|2019|lc=y}},<ref name="Sakurai2019">{{cite book|first=Ryo|last=Sakurai|title=Human Dimensions of Wildlife Management in Japan: From Asia to the World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=68OWDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA12|year=2019|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-981-13-6332-0|pages=12–13}}</ref> including the [[brown bear]], the [[Japanese macaque]], the [[Japanese raccoon dog]], the [[small Japanese field mouse]], and the [[Japanese giant salamander]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Wildlife in Japan|url=https://www.env.go.jp/nature/yasei/pamph/pamph01/WildlifePamphlet-EN_151126.pdf|publisher=[[Ministry of the Environment (Japan)|Ministry of the Environment]]|date=March 2015|archive-date=December 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221054522/http://www.env.go.jp/nature/yasei/pamph/pamph01/WildlifePamphlet-EN_151126.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> There are 53 [[Ramsar sites in Japan|Ramsar wetland sites]] in Japan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ramsar.org/wetland/japan|publisher=Ramsar|title=Japan|accessdate=December 11, 2020|archive-date=October 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021083523/https://ramsar.org/wetland/japan|url-status=live}}</ref> [[World Heritage Sites in Japan|Five sites]] have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for their outstanding natural value.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Japan|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/jp |accessdate=September 29, 2024 |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre }}</ref>

===Environment===
{{Main|Environmental issues in Japan|Climate change in Japan}}
[[File:Kongobuji Koyasan07n3200.jpg|thumb|Autumn [[Maple tree|maple leaves]] ({{transliteration|ja|[[momiji]]}}) at [[Kongōbu-ji]] on [[Mount Kōya]], a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]]]
In the period of rapid economic growth after World War II, environmental policies were downplayed by the government and industrial corporations; as a result, [[Four Big Pollution Diseases of Japan|environmental pollution]] was widespread in the 1950s and 1960s. Responding to rising concerns, the government introduced environmental protection laws in 1970.<ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:日本の大気汚染の歴史|trans-title=Historical Air Pollution in Japan|url=http://www.erca.go.jp/taiki/history/ko_syousyu.html|publisher=Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency|accessdate=March 2, 2014|language=Japanese|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501085231/http://www.erca.go.jp/taiki/history/ko_syousyu.html|archivedate=May 1, 2011}}</ref> The [[1973 oil crisis|oil crisis in 1973]] also encouraged the efficient use of energy because of Japan's lack of natural resources.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sekiyama|first=Takeshi|title=Japan's international cooperation for energy efficiency and conservation in Asian region|url=http://nice.erina.or.jp/en/pdf/C-SEKIYAMA.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216005103/http://nice.erina.or.jp/en/pdf/C-SEKIYAMA.pdf|archivedate=February 16, 2008|publisher=Energy Conservation Center|accessdate=January 16, 2011}}</ref>

Japan ranks 20th in the 2018 [[Environmental Performance Index]], which measures a country's commitment to environmental sustainability.<ref>{{cite web|title=Environmental Performance Index: Japan|url=https://epi.envirocenter.yale.edu/epi-country-report/JPN|publisher=Yale University|accessdate=February 26, 2018|archive-date=November 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119100506/https://epi.envirocenter.yale.edu/epi-country-report/JPN|url-status=dead}}</ref> Japan is the world's [[List of countries by carbon dioxide emissions|fifth-largest emitter]] of [[carbon dioxide]].<ref name=climatechange/> As the host and signatory of the 1997 [[Kyoto Protocol]], Japan is under treaty obligation to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions and to take other steps to curb climate change.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUST191967|title=Japan sees extra emission cuts to 2020 goal&nbsp;– minister|date=June 24, 2009|publisher=Reuters|archive-date=October 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012011542/https://www.reuters.com/article/idUST191967|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, the government of Japan announced a target of [[carbon neutrality|carbon-neutral]]ity by 2050.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Davidson|first1=Jordan|title=Japan Targets Carbon Neutrality by 2050|url=https://www.ecowatch.com/japan-carbon-neutral-2648499409.html|website=Ecowatch|date=October 26, 2020|archive-date=November 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101101328/https://www.ecowatch.com/japan-carbon-neutral-2648499409.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Environmental issues include urban air pollution ([[NOx]], suspended [[particulate matter]], and [[toxics]]), [[waste management]], water [[eutrophication]], [[nature conservation]], [[Climate change in Japan|climate change]], chemical management and international co-operation for conservation.<ref>{{cite web|title=Environmental Performance Review of Japan|url=http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/0/17/2110905.pdf|publisher=[[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD]]|accessdate=January 16, 2011|archive-date=February 15, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100215084051/http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/0/17/2110905.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>