Figure 1.--This 1880s colorized photograph graphically shows the immense pressure on the land even before Japan had become an industrial power. Notice just how high up on the mountain the rie reraces here go. I have never seen such marginal land being used anywhere else. It remonds one of Inca terracing in the Andes. The photograph is titled Road to Mogi. This a town located in Kōriyama, Fukushima. That is on Homshu north of Tokyo.

Japan unlike China faced major obstacles to developing a productive economy. There were very limited arable agricultural land and few natural resources. Until the modern age, agriculture was the primary source of wealth for millennia. Japan unfortunately has very limited arable land that supports agriculture. The country is mountaneous. Forests abound, but agricultural land is limited. One source estimates it at 12.5 percent. When the population was fairly small, this was sufficient to meet domestic demand. As the population expanded the country's agricultural harvest barely met demand. And as Japan began to industrialize after the Meiji Restoration, it was totally insuffient to meet the food demands of the growing cities and industrial workforce. Japan had to begin importing rice and other foodstuffs. Despite the need for food, Japan at the time of World War II had an inefficent agricultural sector. This changed with the many reforms promulgated during the American occupation. Although arable land is limited, agricultural resources are not insignificant. Japanese crop yields per acre are now among the highest in the world. The country now produces more than 60 percent of its food. Japan has boutiful coastal waters that provide fish and other marine foods. Given the large population, however, the demand far exceds the coastal resource. After World War II Japan began building distant-water fishing vessels. But the finite limots on ocean productibity and coastal countries expanding their limits based on the Law of the Sea (LOS) Convention have closed off most produvctive distant-water grounds. One important resource that Japan has is timber. The country is heavily forested. And many homes in Japan are constructed of wood. Even with all the forests, Japan has to import wood, including lumber, pulp, paper, and other wood products. Some forests in Hokkaido and northern Honshu have been severely over harvested affecting not only production, but causing local environmental problems. Even in ancient times, natural resources were of some importance, but nothing like the demands of an industrial economy. With the rise of Japan as an industrial powerhouse, Japan found itself needing to import just about everything. And while some coal was availvle, there was a virtual absence of oil and natural gas. Small domestic oil fields in northern Honshu and Hokkaido supply a negliible share of the country's energy needs. At the time of World War II, Japan was totally dependent on imported oil. And even worse for Japan, its primary source was the United States. The hydrocarbon resources it did have, coal, were not avilable in sufficent quantity. Coal deposits in Hokkaido and Kyushu are more abundant but are mostly low grade and expensive to mine. They are also located at some distance to the major cities and industrialized areas where they are most needed. Japan does have abundant water and hydroelectric potential and has developed hydroelectric industries. Japan is particularly lacking in metal and mineral resources. Japan did have a copper resource. The great mines at Ashio in central Honshu and Besshi on Shikoku have been depleted and have been closed. There are no appreciable domestic sources of bauxite, cobalt, iron, lead, tin, tungsted, zinc, and other major industrial ores. These are not only the key metals needed for an industrial economy, but were the metals along with oil that Japan needed to wage World War II. Some of the few mineral resources Japan has are titanium and sheet mica.

Limitations

Japan unlike China faced major obstacles to developing a productive economy. There were very limited arable agricultural land and few natural resources. Until the modern age, agriculture was the primary source of wealth for millennia. Japan unfortunately has very limited arable land that supports agriculture. The country is mountaneous. Forests abound, but agricultural land is limited. One source estimates it at 12.5 percent. When the population was fairly small, this was sufficient to meet domestic demand. As the population expanded the country's agricultural harvest barely met demand. And as Japan began to industrialize after the Meiji Restoration, it was totally insuffient to meet the food demands of the growing cities and industrial workforce. Japan had to begin importing rice and other foodstuffs.

Agriculture

Despite the need for food, Japan at the time of World War II had an inefficent agricultural sector. While major reforms were made as part pf the Meiji Resoration (1868). Japan' land holding systen was not touched. Thisonly changed with the many reforms promulgated during the American occupation (1945-52). Although arable land is limited, agricultural resources are not insignificant. Japanese crop yields per acre are now among the highest in the world. The country now produces more than 60 percent of its food.

Fisheries

Japan has boutiful coastal waters that provide fish and other marine foods. Given the large population, however, the demand far exceds the coastal resource. After World War II Japan began building distant-water fishing vessels. But the finite limots on ocean productibity and coastal countries expanding their limits based on the Law of the Sea (LOS) Convention have closed off most produvctive distant-water grounds.

Forestry

One important resource that Japan has is timber. The country is heavily forested. And many homes in Japan at the time of Workd War II were constructed of wood and paper. Even with all the forests, Japan has to import wood, including lumber, pulp, paper, and other wood products. Some forests in Hokkaido and northern Honshu have been severely over harvested affecting not only production, but causing local environmental problems.

Raw Materials

Even in ancient times, natural resources were of some importance, but nothing like the demands of an industrial economy. With the rise of Japan as an industrial powerhouse, Japan found itself needing to import just about everything. A rare resource Japan had was hydro-elecric power. Japan obtained the bulk of its electrical power from a network of small hydroelectric dams. [Griffith, p. 23.] And while some coal was availble, there was a virtual absence of oil and natural gas. Small domestic oil fields in northern Honshu and Hokkaido supply a negliible share of the country's energy needs. At the time of World War II, Japan was totally dependent on imported oil. And even worse for Japan, its primary source was the United States. The hydrocarbon resources it did have, coal, were not avilable in sufficent quantity. Japan lacked many natural resources fir war, but the lack of oil was by the greadest empediment. Coal deposits in Hokkaido and Kyushu are more abundant but are mostly low grade and expensive to mine. They are also located at some distance to the major cities and industrialized areas where they are most needed. Japan does have abundant water and hydroelectric potential and has developed hydroelectric industries. Japan is particularly lacking in metal and mineral resources. Japan did have a copper resource. The great mines at Ashio in central Honshu and Besshi on Shikoku have been depleted and have been closed. There are no appreciable domestic sources of bauxite, cobalt, iron, lead, tin, tungsted, zinc, and other major industrial ores. These are not only the key metals needed for an industrial economy, but were the metals along with oil that Japan needed to wage World War II. Some of the few mineral resources Japan has are titanium and sheet mica.

Sources

Griffith, Thomas E. Jr. Strategic Attack of National Electrical Systems (Air University Press: Maxwell Air Force Base Alabama: October 1994), 64p.

Created: 8:49 AM 4/2/2018
Last updated: 8:49 AM 4/2/2018