The Land of The Land of the Rising the Rising

SunSun

This 3,000-This 3,000-island island archipelago archipelago in the Pacific in the Pacific Ocean, lies east Ocean, lies east of China and of China and Korea, Korea, stretching from stretching from the Sea of the Sea of Okhotsk in the Okhotsk in the north to Taiwan north to Taiwan in the south. in the south.

JapanJapan

Population Population densitydensity

In 2004, Japan In 2004, Japan had a total had a total population of population of 127.69 million, 127.69 million, ranking it the ranking it the ninth largest in ninth largest in the world. Most the world. Most Japanese live in urban areas. The Kantô and Nôbi Japanese live in urban areas. The Kantô and Nôbi plains are home to Japan's largest cities and over half plains are home to Japan's largest cities and over half of the nation's people. Tokyo is at the heart of the Kantô of the nation's people. Tokyo is at the heart of the Kantô Plain.Plain.

Mt. Mt. FujiyamaFujiyama

Satellite image of Kansai International Airport in Osaka Satellite image of Kansai International Airport in Osaka Bay in Japan. This is an overview image showing the Bay in Japan. This is an overview image showing the airport on its artificial island in the bay.airport on its artificial island in the bay.

LandfillLandfillThe waste The waste disposal area is disposal area is excavated and excavated and the inside is the inside is exposed. Main exposed. Main waste material waste material is an incinerated is an incinerated ash or a grinded ash or a grinded plastic dust. plastic dust. Cover soil is laid down for dust splash prevention. Cover soil is laid down for dust splash prevention. Over 3.5 million tons of garbage is produced by Over 3.5 million tons of garbage is produced by Tokyo residents every year! Tokyo residents every year!

In 1966, a PCB In 1966, a PCB poisoning event in Kyushu, Japan involved accidental poisoning event in Kyushu, Japan involved accidental contamination of rice oil with 2000 ppm of PCBs. This contamination of rice oil with 2000 ppm of PCBs. This resulted in the illness of more than 1000 villagers. Two resulted in the illness of more than 1000 villagers. Two out of 12 children were stillborn and nearly all of the out of 12 children were stillborn and nearly all of the babies showed signs of PCB diseases.babies showed signs of PCB diseases.

The Yushi The Yushi IncidentIncident

The estimated magnitude of the 1923 Great KantoThe estimated magnitude of the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake was earthquake was between 7.9 and 8.4 on thebetween 7.9 and 8.4 on the Richter Richter scalescale

"The Great Wave Off Kanagawa" - 19"The Great Wave Off Kanagawa" - 19 thth Century woodcut Century woodcut

TsunamiTsunamiJapan has Japan has implemented an implemented an extensive program of extensive program of building tsunami building tsunami walls of up to 4.5 m walls of up to 4.5 m (13.5 ft) high in front (13.5 ft) high in front of populated coastal of populated coastal areas. Early warning areas. Early warning systems enable low-systems enable low-lying populated lying populated areas to evacuate.areas to evacuate.

Nuclear Disaster - 2011Nuclear Disaster - 2011

Tsunami inundation - 2011Tsunami inundation - 2011

During the Edo period (1603-1868), Himeji was an During the Edo period (1603-1868), Himeji was an important commercial center for western Japan.important commercial center for western Japan.

Golden Pavilion, Kyoto, JapanGolden Pavilion, Kyoto, Japan

Fat ManFat Man

Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 60,000 feet into the air

The plutonium bomb dropped The plutonium bomb dropped on Nagasaki on the morning on Nagasaki on the morning of August 9, 1945 , had a of August 9, 1945 , had a blast yield equivalent to 21 blast yield equivalent to 21 kilotons of TNT generating an kilotons of TNT generating an estimated at 7000 degrees estimated at 7000 degrees Fahrenheit and 624 mph Fahrenheit and 624 mph winds. The total number of winds. The total number of residents killed may have residents killed may have been as many as 80,000, been as many as 80,000, including those who died including those who died from radiation poisoning from radiation poisoning in the following months.in the following months.

Japan is a Japan is a constitutional constitutional monarchy monarchy where the where the power of the power of the Emperor Emperor is very limited. is very limited. As a ceremonial figurehead, he is defined by the As a ceremonial figurehead, he is defined by the constitution as "the symbol of the state and of the unity constitution as "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people".of the people".

The Imperial The Imperial familyfamily

(( 天皇 天皇 tennō, literally "heavenly sovereign")tennō, literally "heavenly sovereign")

The floating The floating Torrii GateTorrii Gate in front of Miyajima Island in front of Miyajima Island

World Cup domed soccer stadium in MiyagiWorld Cup domed soccer stadium in Miyagi

Day of Day of InfamyInfamyThe Imperial The Imperial Japanese Navy Japanese Navy launched a launched a surprise attack surprise attack on the American on the American Pacific Fleet Pacific Fleet anchored at anchored at Pearl Harbor, Pearl Harbor, at Oahu, Hawaii. The resulting furor stirred at Oahu, Hawaii. The resulting furor stirred America to declare war immediately on America to declare war immediately on both Japan and Germany, the Axis Powers both Japan and Germany, the Axis Powers of World War II. of World War II.

Japan LinksJapan Links

• http://www.travel-earth.com/japan/miyajima-torii-http://www.travel-earth.com/japan/miyajima-torii-gate.jpggate.jpg

• http://www.city.himeji.hyogo.jp/english/himeji/http://www.city.himeji.hyogo.jp/english/himeji/node80.html#SECTION00013000000000000000node80.html#SECTION0001300000000000000000

• http://www.coastside.net/hmbhs/pages/http://www.coastside.net/hmbhs/pages/christensen_comp_aps/graphics/Tokyo.jpgchristensen_comp_aps/graphics/Tokyo.jpg

• http://press.nissan-global.com/COMMON/http://press.nissan-global.com/COMMON/IMAGES/FACILITY/KYUSHU_PLANT/LOW/IMAGES/FACILITY/KYUSHU_PLANT/LOW/kyushu.jpgkyushu.jpg