Geopolitical Framework

        Despite the small size of Japan and the frequent typhoons and earthquakes, Japan was able to become one of the powerful nations in the world today. Japan is in the position it is today because of geography, plate tectonics, wind patterns, climate.

       Japan was formed by Eurasian and Pacific tectonic plates colliding, lifted, warped the Earth’s crust and caused undersea mountains to be pushed above the surface of the sea. This is why Japan is very mountainous. Also, because Japan sits on the ring of fire, earthquakes frequently occur.

        Japan resides on the 35^th Parallel of the Earth. The weather is usually mild and humid with drastic changes from north to south, and across the central mountain ranges from east to the west.  Japan has four distinct seasons and feature three periods of heavy precipitation. Each period of precipitation occurs during winter, early summer, and fall because of the changes in the wind coming from the north, the south. Because of Japan’s mild climate and abundance of precipitation and volcanic ground, the soil of Japan is very fertile.

http://www.geography-papers.com/the-geopolitics-that-shaped-japan-essay.html

http://www.scribd.com/doc/34048739/Geopolitics-of-Japan

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