Location,Population & Climate

	Location 　　　Japan is an island expanding in a curve 　　along the eastern coast of the Asian 　　continent. It consists of four main islands 　　and almost 7,000 islands altogether. 　　　It covers 369,662 square kilometers. 　　So America is twenty-five times bigger 　　than Japan. 　　Malaysia is a little smaller than Japan. 　　　About 125,000,000 people live there. 　　61% of the land is mountainous and only 　　13% is flat.
population	The population of Japan is 125,439,100, 　　the seventh largest in the world. Nearly 　　half of these people live in the Tokyo, 　　Nagoya and Osaka city areas. 　　　An average of 337 people live on each 　　square kilometer of land. 　　In America the average is 29. 　　In Australia the average is 2. 　　(Statistics Bureau, Management and 　　Coordination Agency,1997)

Climate

There are four seasons ; spring, summer, fall and winter. 　　Spring(March-May) 　 　　It is warm and beautiful flowers bloom. 　　　April 1 is the beginning of the academic and business year. 　　Summer(June-August) 　　　There is a rainy season from the beginning of June to the middle of July. 　　　After the rainy season, it is very humid and hot with the temperature rising to 　　　37 degrees Celsius( 98 degrees Fahrenheit). 　　　Many people go to the beaches to swim. 　　Fall(September-November) 　　　It is a cool and comfortable time of year. 　　　The colors of the changing leaves are very beautiful. 　　Winter(December-February) 　　　It is cold, and snows in many regions. 　　　The temperature may fall to minus 20 degrees Celsius in some places.