Fishing has been a key factor of Japan’s environment for thousands of years, with seafood and fish consistently being included as a main or side dish in most Japanese meals. In addition to seafood, Japan’s rice agriculture consists of 85% of all farming in Japan. Most rice plantations are in the countryside, on terraced slopes or and in the marshlands. These two sources of food provide the foundation of the Japanese diet going back thousands of years before the introduction to Western foods.
A number of challenges facing the Japanese people have already been discussed (earthquakes and tsunamis), but these aren’t the only challenges. Typhoons are common in the 2-3 months of the rainy season during the summer and this can bring high winds and heavy rain, causing flooding and falling trees. The summer can also bring extreme heat to some parts of Japan, upwards of 105 degrees. Many smaller towns and older apartments don’t have adequate air-conditioning to keep occupants from getting sick. Air pollution has also become an issue in the last 50 years as highways and factories are being built across Japan.
What kinds of environmental challenges do you face in your town?
Living on an island where just over a quarter of its land is good for living and natural disasters strike frequently, the Japanese people have found ways to make their island into a safe home. Design, structure and materials are key for buildings to withstand earthquakes. There are strict building codes in Japan that require a certain level of shock absorption, so that instead of collapsing, buildings will sway.
