Asian Current

Japan - Land of the Rising Sun

There are a good many reasons for calling Japan the ‘Land of the rising Sun’. One that is quite logical concerns its location on our planet that is easternmost. Since the sun rises in the east, its rays perceptibly reach Japan first and so the saying is justified. Another version relates to the ancient Japanese who believed that there was no landmass existing in the world, east of their country and hence called their land ‘Nippon’ or land of the rising Sun. No matter whether the Sun is partial to the Japanese or not, people living in the land of the rising Sun are adept in rising to any occasion whenever the situation so demands.

Japan consists of four major islands - Hokkaido in the north, Kyushu in the south, Honshu and Shikoku. Of these, Honshu is the largest. Although the total land area in Japan is around 378,000 sq km, only 16% of it is habitable and/or arable, since the rest is mountainous and inhospitable. The obvious result is the immense density of population. Also, Japan is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, meaning the country is prone to earthquakes. Japan experiences around 1500 seismic occurrences every year. So, the housing and construction schemes in Japan are more restricted as compared to other countries.

Unlike other Asian countries, the climatic condition in Japan varies much. While Hokkaido in the north experiences freezing cold, Okinawa in the south has tropical climate. Japan is affected by Typhoons during September, but the hazards are mostly limited to the southern islands.

Being one of the leading industrial superpowers having teams of skilled workforce with strong work ethics, Japan has advanced on various industrial fields, surpassing many. Innovative thought process and technical advancement of the Japanese have helped them achieve topmost niches in several industrial fields where others had not been so successful. Japanese car- makers had almost beaten hollow most of the big American manufacturers with the introduction of front wheel drive cars in the USA that never skid or slip on a road surface that is covered in ice. Being a pioneer in the field of cellular phone manufacturing, Japan today is probably the largest supplier of mobile phones in the world. In electronics and allied trade, companies like Sony, Nokia and Mitshubishi have reached legendary dimensions. Roboting technology is currently sweeping Japan to such an extent that all hazardous jobs in the not too distant future are likely to be taken over by robots, replacing the human agency altogether.

People from the land of the rising Sun have also made ample contributions to the cause of art, literature, cinema and music. Great Japanese filmmakers like Kinji Fakasaku, Elji Okuda and Yasijiro Ozu have made award winning movies that have gained worldwide applause.

According to eco gurus, however, Japanese economy that represents almost 15% of the world economy may suffer a lot in the foreseeable future since the scenario is undergoing fast change with China and India hitting hard on the world market. With globalization working in full swing, electronic goods made in China are fast replacing Japanese products for their cheaper price and easier availability. Is this an indication that the Sun is on the point of setting in the land of the rising Sun in the near future? But never rule out Japan, remember, they rose like the Phoenix since the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.