1. Japan

2. Population patterns Ethnically homogeneous
99% Ethnic Japanese
1% Ainu
78% of population live in coastal urban areas
Lowland areas
valleys
Tokaido corridor – series of cities crowded along the Pacific coast of Honshu between Tokyo and Kobe

3. Urbanization Crowded cities with high cost of housing
System of expressways and trains
Bullet trains

5. Japanese History

6. Early Rulers Clans under Yamato dynasty
1st Shogun – military ruler
Samurai – professional warriors

7. Contact with the West Japan isolated until 1542
First merchant ship – Portuguese
Fear of influence
Foreign restriction by shoguns - isolation by shoguns for 200 years
Matthew C. Perry negotiates treaty with Japan in 1854
Samurai rebellion restores power to emperor

8. Perry “Opens” Japan

9. Modern Japan Cultural convergence Wars for expansion
Mixing of cultures as interaction with other countries increased
Wars for expansion
China
Russia
WWII fought with axis powers against allies (U.S., British, and French)
Surrender after U.S, uses atomic weapons on Nagasaki and Hiroshima

10. Japan rebuilds After WWII Japan becomes a democracy
Rebuilds to become a global economic power
Today – world’s second largest economy

11. Religion
Buddhism
Shintoism

12. Arts
Painting
Origami
Kabuki theater
Haiku

13. Family Source of strength
Being part of the group is more important than individuality
Acculturation
Absorption of popular culture from another country
Example…Western baseball