As a country, Japan has become vulnerable to the effects of climate change caused by global warming and other factors.
About 20 million years ago, a part of the Eurasian continent began to be gradually cut off by tectonic movement. This became the base of what was later to become Japan.
Then the original shape of the Japanese archipelago is thought to have been formed about 15 million years ago, after repeated collisions with islands swept away from the Pacific Plate.
All kinds of dinosaurs lived in Japan. Fossil evidence found all over the country bears this out.
The presence of substances found in the seabed in the Japanese Alps also indicates uplift caused by tectonic collisions.
The north and south of Japan is divided by a geological fault and the east and west by mountain ranges.
It is therefore common to see clear skies on the Pacific side of the country, but snow on the Sea of Japan side, which is separated from the rest of the country by a mountain range.
Also, since the Japanese archipelago stretches a long way from north to south, while drift ice can be seen at the northern end, the southernmost end has coral reefs and warm temperatures.
In the same country, the climate and landscape varies greatly depending on the region.
Japan has many beautiful tourist spots such as Mt. Fuji and Matsushima.
On the other hand, Japan has numerous natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and typhoons.
It’s said that this natural environment has had a great influence on the development of the character of the Japanese people.
This is why the Shinto religion, based on the belief that Gods reside everywhere in nature, took root here.
An instinct to find a way to coexist with nature and help each other out gave rise to Japan’s unique culture.
Furthermore, the presence of four distinct seasons together with other natural blessings, such as hot springs, have also created a unique culture in the region.
地球温暖化
chikyuu onndannka
global warming
引き起こされる
hiki oko sareru
caused
気候変動の
kikou henndou no
(the) effects of climate change to
影響が
eikyou ga
vulnerable
大きくなりやすい
ookiku nari yasui
has become
国です。
kuni desu.
(as a) country
2000万年前
nisenn mann nenn mae
twenty million years ago
ユーラシア大陸の
yu-rashia tairiku no
(the) Eurasian continent
地殻変動
chikaku henndou
tectonic movement
切り離されました。
kiri hanasare mashita.
cut off
となります。
to nari masu.
became
太平洋プレート
taiheiyou pure-to
(the) Pacific Plate
押し流されてきた
oshi nagasarete kita
swept away
激突を
gekitotsu wo
collisions
繰り返して、
kurikaeshite,
after repeated
1500万年前に
senngohyaku mann nenn mae ni
fifteen million years ago
日本列島の
nihonn rettou no
(the) Japanese archipelago
原形が
gennkei ga
(the) original shape of
できたとされます。
dekita to sare masu.
is thought to have been formed
さまざまな
samazama na
all kinds of
恐竜が
kyouryuu ga
dinosaurs
生息していました。
seisoku shite i mashita.
lived
化石が
kaseki ga
fossil evidence
いたるところで
itaru tokoro de
all over the country
見つかっています。
mitsukatte i masu.
found
日本アルプス
nihonn arupusu
(the) Japanese Alps indicates
残っている
nokotte iru
found in
存在は
sonnzai ha
(the) presence
衝突
shoutotsu
tectonic collisions
示しています。
shimeshite i masu.
indicates
地質断層
chishitsu dannsou
(a) geological fault
南北に、
nannboku ni,
(the) north and south of
山脈
sannmyaku
mountain ranges
東西に
touzai ni
(the) east and west
分かれています。
wakarete i masu.
is divided
そのため、
sono tame,
it is therefore
太平洋側
taiheiyou gawa
(the) Pacific side of the country
山脈
sannmyaku
a mountain range
隔てられた
hedaterare ta
which is separated (from the rest of the country)
日本海側
nihonnkai gawa
(the) Sea of Japan side
雪が降っている
yuki ga futte iru
snow
といった光景が
to itta koukei ga
[scene]
見られます。
mirare masu.
to see
日本列島は
nihonn rettou ha
(the) Japanese archipelago
南北に
nannboku ni
from north to south
伸びている
nobite iru
stretches
北端
hokutann
(the) northern end
流氷が
ryuuhyou ga
drift ice
時季に
jiki ni
while <season>
南端では
nanntann deha
(the) southernmost end
サンゴ礁が
sanngoshou ga
coral reefs
温暖です。
onndann desu.
warm temperatures
地域によって
chiiki ni yotte
on the region
気候も
kikou mo
<(the) climate> and
景観も
keikann mo
(landscape varies)
違っているのです。
chigatte iru no desu.
depending
松島
matsushima
Matsushima
観光名所が
kannkoumeisho ga
tourist spots
その一方で、
sono ippou de,
on the other hand
地震、
jishinn,
earthquakes
噴火、
funnka,
volcanic eruptions
自然災害が
shizenn saigai ga
natural disasters
起きます。
oki masu.
(Japan) has
日本人
nihonnjinn
(the) Japanese people
性格形成
seikaku keisei
the development (the) character
自然環境が
shizenn kannkyou ga
natural environment
関わって
kakawatte
on influence
いわれます。
iware masu.
it’s said
自然の
shizenn no
in nature
至るところに
itaru tokoro ni
everywhere
存在する
sonnzai suru
reside
考える
kanngaeru
based on the belief
神道信仰が
shinntou shinnkou ga
(the) Shinto religion
根づいたのも
neduita no mo
took root here
その一つです。
sono hitotsu desu.
this is why <one of them>
共存し、
kyouzonn shi,
to coexist and
助け合いを
tasukeai wo
help each other out
大切にする
taisetsu ni suru
to find a way
感性は、
kannsei ha,
(an) instinct
日本独自の
nihonn dokuji no
Japan's unique
育みました。
hagukumi mashita.
gave rise to
四季
shiki
four distinct seasons
存在
sonnzai
(the) presence
自然の
shizenn no
with other natural
独特の
dokutoku no
(a) unique
生みました。
umi mashita.
have created