Chapter 32—Japan and the Koreas

• Seismograph: an instrument that measures + records movement in earth’s crust

• Typhoon: destructive tropical storm that forms over the Pacific Ocean
• Homogeneous: having a similar nature; uniform in structure/quality
• Militarism: glorification of the military + a readiness for war
• Downsize: fire an employee in order to reduce costs
• Tariff: tax imposed by a gov. on imported goods
• Quota: fixed quantity
• demilitarized zone: strip of land on which troops/weapons aren’t allowed
• proliferation: increase in the # of something

1. What are Japan’s chief physical characteristics?

• Consists of archipelago (chain of islands), that lies about 100 mi. off coast of E. Asia
• 4 large islands where almost all people live—Honshu, 80% of pop., Shikoku, Kyushu, Hokkaido
• Seas served to isolate + protect from invaders + create links
• Islands of Japan = actually peaks of underwater mountain range—mil.s of years ago mountains began pushing up
from ocean floor when 2 tectonic plates collided in subduction zone
• 13% of land = arable b.cus of mountainous terrain
• To create more farmland, Japanese carved terraces into hillsides + drained marshes, swamps, + deltas
• The Ring of Fire
o Japan = part of Ring of Fire, region of spectacular tectonic activity along the rim of the Pacific Ocean—
earthquakes + volcanoes common
o Seismographs record about 7,500 earthquakes/year
o 1ce every 2 years, Japan exp. An earthquake that causes serious damage + loss of life
o 75/170 volcanoes = active, sending showers of hot ash/molten lava down surrounding countryside
o Volcanic activity has benefited—resorts built up around natural hot springs
2. Using the diagram on p.683, how does the region’s tectonic activity result in Japans’ earthquakes and volcanic activity?
• Slow-moving currents push plates together, causing earthquakesplate melts + rises through cracks
3. What geographic factors contribute to the variety of climates found in Japan?
• Vary according to latitude
• Monsoons
o Summer—monsoon blows onto land from e., bringing heavy rains + hot temp.
o From late summer to early fall = season for typhoons
o Winter—monsoon shifts, blowing in cold, dry air from the Asian mainland
• Ocean Currents
o Japan Current warms the airlong growing season that ave. bet. 200 + 260 days
4. What factors encourage national unity and identity among the majority of the Japanese people (hint: uniformity,
religions, & middle class)?
• Uniformity
o Shared ancestry makes pop. homogeneous
o 99% of pop. have ancestors who lived in Japan 1000s of years ago
o Ethnic + cultural similarities have enabled Japanese to build strong sense of national unity + identity
o Isolation helped shape society + view of world
o Koreans, Ainu, + burakumin all suffer from discrimination today
• Similar Religions
o Most people share similar religious beliefs + traditions
o Earliest people followed Shinto, + majority also practice Buddhism
o Culture greatly influenced by Confucianism—respect for wisdom of older people + obedience to positions
of authority
• A Large Middle Class
o Social + eco. uniformity contributes to homogeneity of Japanese pop.
5. Why did Japan isolate itself from the West, and what caused it to reopen?
• First Contacts
 o 1543—1st Portuguese trading ships arrived. Traders + Roman Catholic missionaries were first welcomed,
but soon Japanese began to worry that European nations might try to conquer them
o 1639—gov. closed Japan’s door to West, ordering most European to leave country
• A Forced Reopening
o U.S. gov. sent Commodore Matthew C. Perrty to Japan to negotiate trade agreement—back up by fleet of
steam-powered warships
o Japan forced to sign treaties w/Western nations that gave all eco. advantages to foreigners
6. Describe the changes brought about by the Meiji reforms.
• Politically, the country became more democratic.
• New school system so all children could be offered a basic education
• To promote rapid industrialization, gov. paid for dev. of railroads, mines, telegraph systems, + new industries
7. Why did Japan undertake imperialism?
• Needed natural resources to become an industrial power—began to gain control of weaker countries rich in nat.
resources
• Worldwide economic depression—gov.s inability to solve crisis led to domestic troublesmilitarism
8. What was Japan’s role in World War II?
• Japan sided w/Nazi Germany
• Dec. 7, 1941 Japan attacked U.S. naval fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
• Japan surrendered when U.S. dropped atomic bombs on cities of Hiroshima + Nagasaki
9. How did the American occupation after WWII change Japan?
• Democratic reforms into.—military leaders removed form power, women equal to men
• Japanese emperor stripped of political powers
• Japan’s military disbanded, + forbidden to rebuilt
• Large farms + businesses broken up + sold to poor citizens
10. What factors contributed to Japan’s rapid economic growth after 1945?
• Japan obtained resources through trade
• Gov. encouraged growth to expensive, high-quality goods
• Studied methods used in Europe + US = increased efficiency of factories
11. What are the sources of Japan’s success?
• An Educated Work Force
o High, competitive standards
o Almost al citizens attend high school, + third go on to college
• The Workplace
o Employees work hard for long hours—take pride in company + contribute to successcompanies in
return provide many benefits for employees
o Companies encourage loyalty + team spirit
o Fierce competition + workers downsized as companies trim workers to save costs
• Global Trade Patterns
o Other Asian nations began dev. ecoinstead of being far from countries w/which it trades, Japan is now
at center of active trade networks
• Government Planning
o MITI—Ministry of International Trade and Industry made up of leaders form business + gov.—researches
to find out what kinds of products are wanted + needed in foreign markets + shares findings w/potential
producers
o Tariffs were passed + gov. set quotas which limit the # of foreign-made goods sold in Japan
12. Create a Venn diagram over the Koreas. Include social, political, economic, cultural, and environmental
characteristics.
• North Korea
o Social
 Lags far behind South in standard of living
 Hospitals sometimes have no heat/running water
 1997—severe food shortage hit, international help
o Political
 Communistagriculture to industry
o Economic
 Best industries + hydroelectric plants
 China + Soviet Union became new trading partners
 Gov. encouraged dev. of heavy + light industries—nuclear power plants
 o Cultural
 Gov. discourages people from holding any religious beliefs
o Environmental
 23 mil. people, capital only city w/pop. >1 mil.
 Climate similar to s. Siberia—short, cool summer s+ bitterly cold winters
 Land = mountainous + rugged, fast flowing mountains harnessed to create hydroelectric power
for industries
 Richest natural resources in E Asia, including coal, copper, iron ore, lead, tungsten, + zinc
• South Korea
o Social
 Overflowing w/battle-wary refugees
 High standard of living
o Political
 Non-Communist gov.
o Economic
 Dev. of new middle class
 Increase in role in international trade + politics
 Exporter of textiles, clothing, automobiles, electronic goods
 Family-owned businesses have often treated workers unfairlymassive labor strikes + political
struggles that have disrupted growth at times
o Cultural
o Environmental
 47 mil. people
 Influenced by moderating effects of surrounding seas = subtropical climate
 Warm terrain + climate = better suited for agri.
• Both
o Social
o Political
o Economic
o Cultural
 Common history + ancient culture
 Adapted Chinese cultural ways to their own existing culture—writing system, words, religion,
philosophy
o Environmental
 Peninsula same size as Minnesota
13. How did the Korean Peninsula become two separate countries?
• N. Korea = administered by Soviet Union—instead est. Communist gov.
• S. Korea = administrated by U.S.
• 1950—Surprise attack on S. Korea by North, objective to unite country w/rule of single Communist gov.
• Demilitarized zone separates N. + S. at 38 N latitude
14. Why would reunification be a challenge to both North Korea and South Korea?
• North—wanted exclusively Communist Korean Peninsula
• South—as successful capitalist state, didn’t want to jeopardize free system of government or high standard of
living