The Land of The Land of the rising sunthe rising sun

Japan is a 3,000-Japan is a 3,000-island archipelago island archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, in the Pacific Ocean, east of China and east of China and Korea, stretching Korea, stretching from the Sea of from the Sea of Okhotsk in the Okhotsk in the north to Taiwan in north to Taiwan in the south. It is the south. It is composed of over composed of over 3,000 islands, the 3,000 islands, the largest of which are largest of which are Hokkaidō, Honshū, Hokkaidō, Honshū, Shikoku, and Shikoku, and Kyūshū. Kyūshū.

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.

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")

Mt. Mt. FujiyamaFujiyama

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.

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

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. Over Cover soil is laid down for dust splash prevention. Over 3.5 million tons of garbage is produced by Tokyo 3.5 million tons of garbage is produced by Tokyo residents every year! 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 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.

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 Imperial Japanese The Imperial Japanese Navy made its attack Navy made its attack on Pearl Harbor on the on Pearl Harbor on the morning of December 7, morning of December 7, 1941. The surprise attack 1941. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Oahu, on Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii, was aimed at the Hawaii, was aimed at the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy and its Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy and its defending Army Air Forces and Marine air forces. The defending Army Air Forces and Marine air forces. The U.S. public saw the attack as a treacherous act and U.S. public saw the attack as a treacherous act and rallied against the Empire of Japan, causing the United rallied against the Empire of Japan, causing the United States to enter World War II.States to enter World War II.

Pearl Harbor DayPearl Harbor Day

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 LinksJapan Links

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