Japan Recent Developments

The Defence Minister recently held a bilateral meeting with Japan’s Defence Minister, Gen Nakatani, in New Delhi.

Essential Information About Japan

• Capital: Tokyo, situated in the east-central region of Honshu.
• Official Language: Japanese.
• Currency: Japanese Yen.
• Government: A parliamentary system under a constitutional monarchy.
• Geography: An island nation in East Asia, located in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean.

Physical Geography of Japan

• Archipelago Structure: Japan consists of a series of islands stretching about 1,500 miles in a northeast-to-southwest direction.
• Main Islands (from north to south): Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.
• Maritime Borders:
  • East: Pacific Ocean.
  • North: Sea of Okhotsk.
  • West: Sea of Japan (East Sea).
  • Southwest: East China Sea.
• Land Borders: Japan has no land borders, as it is an island nation.

Terrain and Natural Features

• Landscape: More than 80% of Japan is mountainous, with a predominantly rugged terrain.
• Volcanic Activity: Situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, Japan experiences significant earthquake activity and active volcanoes.
• Highest Peak: Mount Fuji, a stratovolcano standing at 3,776 meters, is the tallest mountain and a national symbol.
• Major Mountain Ranges: The Japanese Alps.
• Major Rivers: Shinano River (the longest), Tone River, Kiso River.

Climate

• Climatic Zones: Japan’s climate ranges from subarctic in the north to humid subtropical in the south.
• Natural Disasters: The country frequently faces earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions due to its position on tectonic plates.