East Asia

Chapter Summary:

Japan's rise in prosperity since the end of World War II has been remarkable. A collection of islands large and small, Japan's physical environment includes mountains, coastal plains, and hazards related to volcanoes, earthquakes, and typhoons. Japanese agriculture is oriented mainly around rice, which is double cropped in places, along with a number of other agricultural products, and increasingly livestock. The Japanese are also heavy seafood eaters, and have the highest per- capita fish consumption in the world.

Japan's main core area stretches from the city of Tokyo in the northeast to northern Kyushu in the West, one of the most highly urbanized areas in the world. Japanese history included periods of decentralization, internal warfare, unification, isolation, opening to the West, and rampant militarism leading to World War II. Since the war Japan has changed politically, culturally, and especially economically. Its economic success is in some ways related to the US, who used Japanese steel and other products during the Korean War. Japanese industrial expansion has moved from cotton textiles; to steel, shipbuilding, and chemicals; to electronics and automobiles; to computers and robotics. Despite its formidable economic success, Japan's economy slowed to a snail's pace in the early 1990s and has not picked up since. Socially, Japan is also faced with problems such as the relatively low status of women, environmental problems, and expensive housing.

Though ethnically and linguistically unique, Korea has long been influenced by its position near China, Russia, and Japan. Events after World War II led to the partition of Korea into two countries: democratic Republic of South Korea, and the People's Republic of North Korea. Vast political and economic differences continue to separate these two countries.

China is characterized by its remarkable history - almost 4000 years of cultural continuity. It is also noteworthy for its ability to support an extremely large population on its land. Fears of being unable to feed a growing population have led to the controversial "one child campaign" since Mao's death in 1976.

China can be roughly divided into an eastern and western half, which differ physically, ethnically, and economically. The western half consists of the Tibetan Highlands and Xinjiang. The eastern half, sometimes referred to as Humid China or "China proper" can be further subdivided into North and South China, which have different physical and cultural characteristics. Politically, China has varied from periods of unity under one emperor to periods of disunity, internal fighting, and conquest by external forces. This includes colonization by the British in the late 1880s. After Mao Zedong and the Communists came to power, a series of changes in agriculture, industry, transportation infrastructure, and settlement patterns were initiated. Changes continued under Deng Xiaoping's rule, especially economic changes linked to the gradual acceptance of free enterprise. Most recently, China has become quite open to economic contact with the West, especially in a number of Special Economic Zones. The territories of Hong Kong and Macao, and the countries of Taiwan and Mongolia are also discussed.

Important Terms:

typhoons
Kanto Plain
Ainu
shoguns
daimyo
samurai
Tokugawa Shogunate
Meiji Restoration
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
the Japanese ‘Miracle'
capital goods
consumer goods

Chiang Jiang - Yangtze River
multicropping
Mao Zedong
Long March
Great Leap Forward
Cultural Revolution
Deng Xiaoping
Han
Tibetan Highlands
Xinjiang
Inner Mongolia
Huang He (Yellow)
Lamaism
Dalai Lama
dynasties
karst
The Silk Road
Three Gorges Dam
Special Economic Zones