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@dastanjan320 Жыл бұрын
regarding the questions from 9:50 , here is my Answer: Japan is who is today because of its Geography! I specifically did not say "thanks to" but ",because". That choice of words is because although as you menționed some advantages indeed, Japans suffers mostly. lets Take It chronological: During the economic boom of Japan în the late 1800s and early 1900s, Japan was forced to invade Koreea and bits of China. Why? Because Koreean Peninsula is extremly rich în resources that a country în the industrial area (even today) needs to survive. Even at the Tokyo trials of I remember coreectly what one guy told me, they "excused" themselves for their imperialism BECAUSE THEY CANT LIVE OF THEIR LAND! I live in the country of România. Our country is a very resource plenty one and our history is pretty much dominated by stronger foreign powers conquering and ruling us not because "oh, nice mountains you have" but because everyone wishes our resources (the oil Germany used to fuel ww2 was mostly from Romania). Japan did not had România's fate because it was an Island (big advantage) but lacking resources they got to become fascist (debatable) and commit horrendous crimes în order to submit their rule over lands that were not theirs, but they needed to be theirs.(big disatvange) And regarding post war Japan, their lack of resources made them think more efficient and so they created lots of cheap technology and eficiently . They have enorumous debts because they have to import, but everyone wants trade with them for their products that are mostly top quality. Without its interesting geography, Japan would not have commited so many crimes în the past and get itself so full of debt and în the same time, it wouldnt have had the stability and security it had for centuries and the products that are being sold today (Sony and Anime for E.g.). În conclusion, Japan is Japan. It has its own dilema and it manages Hardy to live with it. As we have a saying în România that would be translated like "Like Jesus had to carry his cross, everybody has its own cross. Some have it lighter while others heavier". Japan's cross is very big. The burden it has to carry because of geography left an impact on the world history.
@Hungry_for_LIKES Жыл бұрын
Yoyo *2nd reply* yoyo
@Visavislespoir Жыл бұрын
There are a few other benefits of Japan's geography that you may have missed. 1. Due to a warm water current, Japan is temperate with warm/hot summers and relatively milder winters, despite its higher latitude. Its weather is far milder than other nearby cities at similar latitudes, like Vladivostok. 2. Japan's mountains and high precipitation create many, many fast-flowing rivers, which can and have been harnessed for hydroelectric power and for manufacturing during industrialization. 3. Japan's high precipitation and location near China allowed for the early adoption of rice and large amounts of rice cultivation, which allowed the islands to grow more food and sustain higher populations than it should have. This was also helped by Japan's fertile volcanic soil. The Indonesian island of Java also has these benefits, along with being in the Tropics (and thus having year long growing seasons). Still, this is a really good video. A nation or region having "bad geography" is sometimes sometimes subjective, and there's usually some sort of benefit that comes with any downsides. There are definitely exceptions to that though. Edit: just realized that my point about the warm water current might not be valid. They aren't as high up as places like Great Britain to be benefiting as much as them.
@GeographyGeek Жыл бұрын
I appreciate the extra input. I’d pin this if I didn’t have a sponsor.
@jeffbenton6183 Жыл бұрын
Here's an extra like and comment for the algorithim
@murkywaters5502 Жыл бұрын
Very cool and informative comment. Thanks for sharing.
@linuxman7777 Жыл бұрын
Your point about the currents is very wrong. And Japan's climate is more similar to the Eastern US where a cold ocean current flows. Tokyo is around the latitude of Charlotte NC, and the climate is quite similar, although the heat island effect is worse in Tokyo. Mt Fuji is snow capped in winter even though it is quite far south, and not extremely tall.
@Visavislespoir Жыл бұрын
@@linuxman7777 yeah, I realized that after, and posted an edit saying that it might be wrong.
@themodernfrontiersmen Жыл бұрын
This geography helped stop the Mongol's form invading and I think it really helped contribute to the rise of Imperial Japan. We also learned in WWII how devastating island hoping can be.
@SuperCatacata Жыл бұрын
Contributed to both it's rise and it's fall. A blessing for defense, but also a curse that Imperial Japan was never able to overcome once they started attempting to become an empire. With such a lack of natural resources on the home island. There is a reason why American submarines were able to sink a record tonnage of shipments headed towards Japan. That same sea which serves as a barrier to invaders also serves as a barrier to any sort of supplies Japan would need.
@asuka7309 Жыл бұрын
It didn't stop the Mongols in either invasion, the Mongols landed on the plains around Fukuoka in both and never even made it to the mountains surrounding it.
@Hungry_for_LIKES Жыл бұрын
@@SuperCatacata Yeah
@Hungry_for_LIKES Жыл бұрын
@@asuka7309 ok
@firmanrizkisantoso945 Жыл бұрын
PO PO PO PO
@gr8bkset-524 Жыл бұрын
Not having is actually good for Japan. It forces them to develop a highly skilled workforce rather than fall into the "resource curse" trap of many countries. One natural resource that Japan has, but is underdeveloped is geothermal. All that heat underground can be converted into renewable energy.
@zachariahsmith91306 ай бұрын
This is such a silly take. Lack of resources limits the country immensely. They overwork their people and because of that have a population crisis. They also have one of the highest rates of suicide and depression in the world.
@GREEN142235Күн бұрын
In Japan, many areas around active volcanoes are designated as national parks, and development, including geothermal power plants, is restricted. In addition, the abundant hot water used for power generation is used as hot springs, so there is a fear of the springs drying up, which has made it difficult to make progress in using it as a renewable energy source.
@GeographyGeek Жыл бұрын
Correction: I said the Mongol Empire was the largest empire by land area. It was the largest by contiguous land area. The British Empire was actually larger.
@Justyouraveragedaeodon5 Жыл бұрын
Is it the Russian empire
@Lazy_D3m0n Жыл бұрын
At one point british empire controls 1/4 of the land area of the earth 😂
@Justyouraveragedaeodon5 Жыл бұрын
@@Lazy_D3m0n but Russian empire is bigger than mongol empire
@Lazy_D3m0n Жыл бұрын
@@Justyouraveragedaeodon5 British empire 35.5 square kilometers Mongol empire 24.0 square kilometers Russian Empire 22.8 square kilometers ✌️Russian empire is the third largest empire
@Justyouraveragedaeodon5 Жыл бұрын
@@Lazy_D3m0n well I recently added up all of the countries in USSR plus Alaska and Finland and it was bigger than the mongol empire
I love the points you raised. Here's my additional take. Harder to live environment requires more collective coordination, and that gives rise to a better organized social structure, which is the root of advanced civilizations. This is especially true in China, where resource poor north often ruled fertile south.
@no_more_spamplease5121 Жыл бұрын
Afghanistan offers a very hard-to-live environment, yet didn't give rise to an advanced civilization.
@Yutaro-Yoshii Жыл бұрын
@@no_more_spamplease5121 Thanks for providing a counter example. In my view, Afghanistan didn't become a superpower because it was located smack in the middle of the silk road, and that meant it was a target of conquest. It changed hands between Persians, Greeks, and Muslims, and it didn't have enough time to develop a power of its own. On the other hand, Japan, was isolated by the ocean, and China was populous enough that even if it was conquered, it would still retain its own culture.
@112313 Жыл бұрын
You are actually quite wrong. The chinese civilization rose in the extremely fertile lands between the two great chinese rivers, Yangtze and yellow. The area is flat, large and very fertile. the reason the northern region in china dominates the south was because, chinese civilization started from the north, and expanded south.
@Yutaro-Yoshii Жыл бұрын
@@112313 The land was not fertile enough to support a large population without irrigation, which necessitated some level of large scale coordination that paved a way to civilization. Similar thing happened in Mesopotamia.
@112313 Жыл бұрын
@@Yutaro-Yoshii ......sighhh
@jeffreypeterson1364 Жыл бұрын
I would add that the lack of land to build human developments except for the shoreline is a contributing factor on why Japan's manufacturing hubs are right by the sea to export their goods.
@blindedbliss Жыл бұрын
The Fukushima nuclear incident was relatively small in scope, and was caused by negligence, not by the tsunami. The operator failed to move its backup generators high above ground, despite repeated warnings that not doing so could be disastrous, if a high wave hit.
@cwnicholson4439 Жыл бұрын
What was the engineering tradeoff why they didn't move it up?
@ccengineer5902 Жыл бұрын
Fun fact, the design of the Fukushima plant was of GE, and forced onto Tokyo Electric back in the 60's.
@schutendohkji548 Жыл бұрын
We still have a decommissioned nuke plant in San Clemente, CA - San Onofre nuclear plant. We kant get rid of the nuke waste. It's right on the Ocean Pacific beach and no concrete walls surround it. With CA being an Earthquake prone, what was the plant designer thought about? Yah, u can have free BIG Ocean cooling water right on it!!! Wunder how Chernobyl nuke plant in the middle of a steppe being cooled? Well, it's nxt to Pripyat Rvr... Per Google map, the plant is nxt to this big pond fed by that river. So wonder if it'll b a good fishing spot for such warm pond B4 the 'Accident'? So goes w the TMI disaster in PA, nxt to the creek. We needn't worry bout hi waves on these plants n s/b no Mother Earth tremors! Up the Creeks!!!
@AudieHolland Жыл бұрын
Challenging geography makes its inhabitants thrive. If they don't, they disappear. The Netherlands is the 2nd largest food producer despite its small size and being technically underwater for half of its territory.
@Afronautsays Жыл бұрын
Sure if you ignore the numerous benefits that vastly out number your detriments.
@AudieHolland Жыл бұрын
@@Afronautsays If the Dutch had not first built mounds then dikes then DELTAPLAN , they would not have been able to thrive.
@nerdonspeed3493 Жыл бұрын
damn your wording making me goosebump
@rizkyadiyanto79223 ай бұрын
2nd largest by what?
@erinrising2799 Жыл бұрын
I think part of the perception that Japan has bad geography is due to the News. Like they aren't gonna report on the hundred good days, just the one bad day. And If you only time you see a place its having a bad day, you might start to think all it has is bad days
@ernestchacon4928 Жыл бұрын
Japan is a beautiful and very clean country, love their way if life !!!
@noormaree2975 Жыл бұрын
لديهم نسبة انتحار مرتفعة
@jxxxxx44 Жыл бұрын
@@noormaree2975 so?
@k.mccarty7907 Жыл бұрын
@@noormaree2975 It would be fair to point out that due to Japan’s relatively distinct culture and traditions, it perhaps would make your statement not entirely reliable if comparing to other nations.
@Cactusgamer3033 ай бұрын
I feel like they would fall to ai first I know that's random but I mean I feel like it's true
@davideast5987 Жыл бұрын
Thanks for a very challenging video. I had always been taught and understood the idea of Japan suffering from its geography. What a breath of fresh air to see an alternative view that has so much fact supporting it.
@CaucAsianSasquatch Жыл бұрын
Consider this, every Japanese infantry division is a Mountain division simply because of geography
@iveBENwatchin Жыл бұрын
I feel NZ is similar to Japan geography wise
@haroeneissa790 Жыл бұрын
Yeah it's so weird to think about the difference between the population between the two countries (125 million compared to just 5 million) despite being very similair in size and geography. New Zealand was uninhabited until very recently relatively speaking. So they didn't have much time to grow their population as population grows exponentionally.
@An-kw3ec Жыл бұрын
Indeed, their latitudes are almost the same, NZ is slightly closer to the south pole but with milder climate, both have lots of volcanoes and dense forests
@rizkyadiyanto79223 ай бұрын
@@haroeneissa790NZ is much colder annd smaller.
@objetivista686 Жыл бұрын
Private agrobusiness, at least here Brazil, export most of its production. Most of our food is produced by family farms.
@chefnyc Жыл бұрын
The lack of oil and iron can be a good thing sometimes. You get better at advanced manufacturing instead of pumping oil (by western companies).
@Justyouraveragedaeodon5 Жыл бұрын
They do have iron ore and natural iron from iron sand
@Luizgcmotta Жыл бұрын
Great video, great format
@GeographyGeek Жыл бұрын
Much appreciated!
@honodle7219 Жыл бұрын
Japan is a truly beautiful land to visit.
@lc9245 Жыл бұрын
Compare and contrast the U.K., Philippines, NZ and Indonesia and Cuba. Only one of them is a superpower, and the most the similar nation, Philippines, is far from its equal. This counters quite a lot of points in the video. First is farmland. Sure, some Japanese areas have very fertile soil, however as mentioned most of the country is mountainous, making industrial farming extremely difficult. That's why you seldom see Japanese farmers with huge farming equipment the likes of Europe, America or even China. One thing that's not mention as well is the wide range of temperature, which makes crops susceptible to changing weather. A few disastrous harvests caused catastrophic economic condition in Japan, leading to the rise of militarism post WW1. Food security had been a headache to Japanese central power for centuries. About the "fertile Japan", they have a myth called "oyasute". Just look it up to see how nice life is in "fertile Japan". Next is island nation advantage, ports and trade. The geographic advantage is not clear. For much of history Japanese trade had been an end point and served as hideouts to pirates more than productive trading hub. In fact, due to ocean current/trade wind, traffics flow from Asia to America would go to Japan, but travelling from America, prevalent current goes directly to the Philippines instead, so Japan is akin to the "goodbye sign" than gateway to Asia. Then, you can compare and contrast the huge South China Sea region which has many areas that can be considered "giant inland sea". But, none of those countries were strong naval nations. The point about natural disaster is almost too dumb to argue. Natural disaster cause more damage to the country far more than it deters damage from invasion. In fact, adding the "stability due to not being invaded" is almost irrelevant if internal turmoil destroys the destroy over and over. Much of Indonesia and Philippines has had similar history of internal turmoil, with Japan experiencing a few amazing episodes of civil war that changed its social make up. However, while the other two were occupied by colonial powers, Japan transformed itself to avoid that fate. I would consider every points made almost irrelevant. I thought this would be about the complex relationship between geographic hardship which mould its society into a more resilient one that's capable of change and one that strive to exploit every other advantages it has. There's very few advantage to Japan geography and it's a remarkable case of human's endurance to tame mountainous wilderness. Japanese geographic advantage includes a few region with flat land and fertile soil, long coast line, a huge inland sea. That's it. In term of average geography, that's pretty lacking. But, much like the U.K., limited geography led to a hardened people always ready for change and look beyond their homeland. That's how they were able to rise as superpower. An indominable spirit of adventure and, uh, colonialism.
@Butter_Warrior99 Жыл бұрын
It’s still damn beautiful.
@jontaedouglas7244 Жыл бұрын
Mount Fuji has to be the most aesthetically pleasing volcano 🗻 in the world
@MaddoScientisto-fb3kb Жыл бұрын
Small correction: during WW2, the IJN was arguably the least technologically advanced out of the 3 (the USN and the Royal Navy being more advanced), it's pretty understandable considering the Japanese GDP per capita was 1/3 of the British/American one, that's where the institutions/economy come to play
@no_more_spamplease5121 Жыл бұрын
GDP per capita is not a dependable measure for advanced military technology. For instance, USSR had always have an awful GDP per capita (that's why it was then called the "Second World"), yet it was a technologically advanced State in military matters.
@MaddoScientisto-fb3kb Жыл бұрын
@@no_more_spamplease5121 GDPpc is a proxy measure, sure it can be not that useful for some outliner countries (socialist, highly militarized etc., both of those apply to the USSR), but even in the USSR example you can see its military was relatively less capital-intensive compared to the US (smaller and less technologically advanced Navy and Air Force, especially considering naval aircraft, carriers and avionics) while also being far more militarized (about 40% of the Soviet budget was allocated to defence even in relatively peaceful 1980s which Japan, for example, never achieved in the peacetime, only during wars and post WWI dreadnought race in 1920-1921)
@shiramaro Жыл бұрын
@@MaddoScientisto-fb3kb with that dumbass logic of yours luxembourg is the most advanced country in the world
@dastanjan320 Жыл бұрын
regarding the questions from 9:50 , here is my Answer: Japan is who is today because of its Geography! I specifically did not say "thanks to" but ",because". That choice of words is because although as you menționed some advantages indeed, Japans suffers mostly. lets Take It chronological: During the economic boom of Japan în the late 1800s and early 1900s, Japan was forced to invade Koreea and bits of China. Why? Because Koreean Peninsula is extremly rich în resources that a country în the industrial area (even today) needs to survive. Even at the Tokyo trials of I remember coreectly what one guy told me, they "excused" themselves for their imperialism BECAUSE THEY CANT LIVE OF THEIR LAND! I live in the country of România. Our country is a very resource plenty one and our history is pretty much dominated by stronger foreign powers conquering and ruling us not because "oh, nice mountains you have" but because everyone wishes our resources (the oil Germany used to fuel ww2 was mostly from Romania). Japan did not had România's fate because it was an Island (big advantage) but lacking resources they got to become fascist (debatable) and commit horrendous crimes în order to submit their rule over lands that were not theirs, but they needed to be theirs.(big disatvange) And regarding post war Japan, their lack of resources made them think more efficient and so they created lots of cheap technology and eficiently . They have enorumous debts because they have to import, but everyone wants trade with them for their products that are mostly top quality. Without its interesting geography, Japan would not have commited so many crimes în the past and get itself so full of debt and în the same time, it wouldnt have had the stability and security it had for centuries and the products that are being sold today (Sony and Anime for E.g.). În conclusion, Japan is Japan. It has its own dilema and it manages Hardy to live with it. As we have a saying în România that would be translated like "Like Jesus had to carry his cross, everybody has its own cross. Some have it lighter while others heavier". Japan's cross is very big. The burden it has to carry because of geography left an impact on the world history.
@wanderlustjapan4501 Жыл бұрын
Most rice field land is farmed by Agris. Agriculture co-operative. There is so much farm land not used. I am farming on a borrowed piece that a farmer borrowed. Most farm land is too small for large farming. Hills and mountains make it impossible for most farm areas to expand .
@jrmayberry35367 ай бұрын
I live in Japan and there's literally empty farm land everywhere. Even the things people grow often don't go sold because its too much product. And because there's too much product, prices are low. Low prices are low incentive to farm more.
@JPJ432 Жыл бұрын
Great video again! Please do Argentina next as those two are usually contrasted in geopolitics.
@JonBrownSherman Жыл бұрын
I'm completely drunk and I'm listening to this at 2x speed without issue
@GeographyGeek Жыл бұрын
Take a shot every time I say geography. Edit: jk please don’t do that lol
@cwnicholson4439 Жыл бұрын
😁😆😅
@vetabeta9890 Жыл бұрын
i always thought it was strange that the mountains of japan were framed as a bad thing
@musashiwebb Жыл бұрын
Just out of curiosity, will you be incorporating a regions past/present/potential future demographics, as well as a brief stab at their culture that their geography may have played a roll in into your analysis in future videos? It may add extra layers for depth in understanding the areas you cover. Getting us viewers even more hooked on your content. :) Also, as someone who grew up in Okinawa, Japan, but never stepped foot upon the mainland, I thoroughly enjoyed this video. Thank you good sir.
@sergeant_chris6209 Жыл бұрын
Wow that's very interesting. I know that Okinawa is not by amy means some desolate island, far from it, but still, how was it growing up in such a limited land area and never leaving? Didn't you feel isolated at times? If you couldn't tell, im not an islander
@Strideo1 Жыл бұрын
Japan seems to have a lot of laws that are friendly for small businesses.
@GorgiRO Жыл бұрын
in my opinion it had a small role in its succsess but mostly its succsess is owed to their hardworking respectfull culture.
@wayneebrecht1712 Жыл бұрын
Love from Namibia🇳🇦
@julianhermanez1694 Жыл бұрын
Great vid boss
@GeographyGeek Жыл бұрын
I appreciate it!
@ZulqirnainMalik-zq7yd11 ай бұрын
I think due to deep harbour and numerous ports Japan was able to do the trade efficiently and where trade flourishes the economy of the country increases and hence result in successful and peaceful country formation.
@Stratuji Жыл бұрын
I clicked on this video in a heartbeat. So refreshing to see the good of Japan's geography rather than just an earthquake hotspot.
@arturcabral6347 Жыл бұрын
Angola mentioned? Leeezzzgoooooooooo
@ItsLunaRegina Жыл бұрын
The Japanese, Germans and English are the three golden peoples. Several pars above the rest.
@michaelniederer2831 Жыл бұрын
Thank you for a balanced view.
@ptptpt123Ай бұрын
Japan is pretty big, so that small percentage arable land area is still a lot, specially combined with generous amounts of rain.
@readjordan2257 Жыл бұрын
These videos arent really about Japan, they are about a series showing the disadvantages from certain things of every country...which is why i think someone could really make a hit series doing the opposite
@euanstokes2828 Жыл бұрын
Japan is one of the few countries that has overcome its geographical challenges. In a tier list, historical Japan would be a C or D, but now its an A. The natural disasters problem has been largely overcome by good infrastructure and mountains aren't barriers as they once were.
@TheSkyGuy77 Жыл бұрын
It has kept them in isolation from most other nations for most of history. That is bound to have _some_ perks. Makes invasion much more difficult if there's water in the way
@TheSkyGuy77 Жыл бұрын
As well as being a seafaring nation
@no_more_spamplease5121 Жыл бұрын
@@TheSkyGuy77 Yet, they didn't colonize the Americas and Oceania.
@justsomeguywithoutamustach9322 Жыл бұрын
@@no_more_spamplease5121 It's difficult to colonize something that's on the other side of the world.
@FYMASMD Жыл бұрын
And of course they have been inbreeding for ever so..,
@user-fe9hr4ok6q Жыл бұрын
Summer in Japan is hot and humid, and it is the country with the most snow in the world. It also has numerous earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, typhoons, and floods. Severe natural disasters like this have inspired the prosperity of the Japanese people and the building of a stronger nation.
@jontaedouglas7244 Жыл бұрын
Namibia couldn’t build any ports if it wanted to though, it’s entire western coast is encompassed by a desert
@alex_zetsu Жыл бұрын
There is so few fossil fuels in Japan that in the early 20th century they decided to steal it through wars (and lost) so I think we have an argument to make that their geography leaves something to be desired.
@BigboiiTone9 ай бұрын
Any video title stupid enough to say "x sucks" is just trying to get clicks via outrage. I appreciate your videos having a calmer tone.
@unknownman687411 ай бұрын
But we all hope they will find some big number of natural resources in future.
@kmg501 Жыл бұрын
It's partially geographic, it's mostly the people who occupy the geography however.
@mikeswan6707 Жыл бұрын
"it took 2 nuclear bombs to do it" is very silly. Tokyo was busy being napalmed to the ground, no mention of that lol?
@GeographyGeek Жыл бұрын
Because they didn’t surrender after that.
@theJellyjoker Жыл бұрын
Japan, no further explanation required.
@112313 Жыл бұрын
Weird....when almost any place are described as sitting in one of the world's trade routes....
@antun88 Жыл бұрын
anyone that plays total war knows thats a faction with easy starting position
@BigboiiTone9 ай бұрын
and regarding Africa, centuries of imperialistic exploitation doesn't help matters either. Really surprised you didnt touch on that
@yiguangshi8722 Жыл бұрын
Food carrying capacity is a relative term. In the 1970s, Japan was not that wealthy. People were happy just to eat the basics. As Japan got wealthier, people wanted to eat the good stuff like beef and shrimp that takes much more land to cultivate. I won't count seafood as they don't take farmland to cultivate. Other countries like China are experiencing the same issue. The last I heard Japan only produces 50% of the food they consume, but that is based on today's diet.
@GeographyGeek Жыл бұрын
That kind of proves my point. Japan has the ability to feed itself when talking pure calories but it’s not because of diet choices.
@ikmarchini Жыл бұрын
Great job. Never thought about this detail. Japan's success, I think, is culturally driven and has little to do with geography.
@SB-qm5wg Жыл бұрын
When it's good it's good. When it's bad it's *really* bad.
@cwnicholson4439 Жыл бұрын
Fukushima Green Nuclear Successful Tsunami Safety Design Test < Reframe Your Brain 🧠 * How many nuclear power stations passed the earthquake safety design tests on that day in Japan?
@duckbizniz663 Жыл бұрын
I like video where people try to explain something with reason and logic. Geography Geek made a good attempt to use reason. But like many reports on KZfaq it is based on outright distortion of the truth. Japan has very little flat land with good topsoil for farming. Farming is where a small fraction of your people can make enough food to feed everyone. Geography Geek is obviously an American. America has the Great Plains. Flat land with good soil and a wet climate in the spring and summer where there is plenty of rainfall to access fresh water. Plus there are some really large rivers flowing through the heart land of America to supply fresh water to irrigate America's farmland. The only person who would think Japan is good for agriculture has to be someone who is from a country that has the Great Plains, and take farming for granted. Then Geography Geek makes a claim for good "natural' harbors. Yes, this is true. But you have to make things in order to engage in trade. Japan does manufacture many things that it can trade internationally. So it is not the "natural" harbors that makes trade possible, it is Japan's industrialization. A modern, industrialized nation like Japan can probably build their own man-made harbor. So again this natural harbor argument is misleading at best. Then Geography Geek mentions something about the mongol invasion (in the 14th or 15th century). First the mongols are a nomadic people on the steppes of Northern China. They are a nomadic people who dominated the medieval world on horseback. Horses are abundant on the grassland of Mongolia, so the Mongols became a mobile people who can travel far and live on the go. They conquered China, Korea, Persia, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Eastern Europe (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus). After they conquered Korea they tried to conquer Japan. The Mongols had to transport their calvary across the open ocean of the Sea of Japan. The Mongol horsemen are a pre-civilization nomadic people. They never achieved civilization, no agriculture. Their Korean and Chinese advisors (who they conquered) tried to warn the Mongols that crossing the Sea of Japan require sea-faring ships with deep drafts, which the Chinese, Koreans, and Mongols did not have. But the Mongol leadership would not listen as they are pre-civilization, nomadic horsemen, that is they do not understand the challenge of sailing across an open ocean with a vast army in the 14th century on wooden boats. It was the rough sea that destroyed the Mongol Armada and sank their ships. The Japanese did not have to do anything. It was the rough seas and ocean winds that destroyed the Mongol calvary. To compare the Ally Invasion of with over 1000 modern war and cargo ships in Normandy France during WWII makes no sense. In addition, what does this have to do with geography? It has more to do with industrialization. On the issue of earthquakes. Have you watched any video footage of the 2011 Japanese earthquake? If you did you would know how extreme Japan's earthquakes are. I watched a video of people inside a major airport in the Miyagi Prefecture during the 2011 earthquake. For over 10 minutes, it felt a giant was repeatedly clubbing the airport with all his might. The shear noise, movement, and duration was incomprehensible. Is this a plus? Let us not forget the tragedy of the tsunami after the earthquake. Many Japanese did not heed the warnings coming from public loud speakers telling people to head for high ground. As an island nation Japan is isolated from the rest of the world. But what the Japanese people achieved has less to do with geography (as Geography Geek wants you to believe) and more to do with human ingenuity. In 1853 three American Warships under the command of Admiral Perry arrived in Tokyo Bay and forced the Japanese to open itself up to international trade. What the Japanese learned from international trade was that the industrialized countries (Western Europe and the US) was way ahead of everybody else. What the Japanese learned from the 1842 Opium War between Qing Imperial China and the Empire of Great Britain was that Western European Powers were far more powerful than non-European people. The Japanese did not want the Europeans to colonize Japan the way they subjugated the Americas, Africa, and the rest of Asia. The Japanese industrialized. How they did this I am sure, because to this day the South Koreans are the other non-European people who are truly industrialized. An industrialized Japan soon began to act like the Western European Super Powers. Japan started colonizing other Asian countries like Korea and China. Eventually the Japanese decided to just attack the US, Great Britain, Netherlands, and France territories in Asia, which launched WWII in the Pacific. By 1945 the US Air Force and Navy had devastated Japan. Japan should have surrendered before the atomic bombs were dropped. But the traditional Japanese leadership did not want to give up their authority. It had nothing to do with saving face. The Japanese leadership like having absolute power and had no intention of giving up. US conventional bombing had already wiped out the major industrial cities of Japan. The average Japanese people were already dying from hunger and exposure. One atomic bomb got no response from the Japan leadership who wanted to fight on. Three days later the second atomic bomb finally settled the issue. After the WWII the US helped Japan recover by giving Japanese companies access to US markets. The success of Japan after WWII is due to the modern world of free-market capitalism. Instead of using your industries to make weapons to attack other people and steal other people's natural resources. Use your industries to make consumer products (not weapons). Buy other people's natural resources from the world free-market. And you will still make money. And give your people a good life. When you make war on other people the costs are just too high. That is what Great Britain learned after WWII. Great Britain's treasury was depleted because the price of empire. It simply could not impose its rule on India with its military. West Germany learned the same lesson. Just make Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, and Volkswagen (consumer products) and sell them to Russia. It is easier and the average German can have a better life. The Bundeswehr Marching Band finally got to march in Red Square during an International Military parade, and the Germans did not have build a single Panzer.
@JetWarrior Жыл бұрын
ChatGPT wemt haywore, someone get the IT guy...
@zachariahsmith91306 ай бұрын
Hes right tho. This video is silly and makes it hard to take this person serious
@lesinge8868 Жыл бұрын
Japan is almost impossible to invade, being both mountainous and an island. Which is why the USA had to build another sun *twice* in order to defeat them, rather than commencing a campaign that would make the Eastern Front look like a paintball session.
@Justyouraveragedaeodon5 Жыл бұрын
Not necessarily While Japan does have good amounts of zinc , copper and to degree iron , aluminium and titanium, they didnt really utilize that and mostly industrialized near the coast and even then it was nothing to the USA, by 1945 Japan was basically a wasteland with burning people due to the USA ,they were already defeated from the start , the atomic bombs were just the icing of the start of a USA controlled state
@zachariahsmith91306 ай бұрын
This is far from the truth. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were more about flexing their might for the Russians than anything else. The Americans would have no problem invading. This limited resources hold them back. The Mongol Empire likely would have won save not for a series of events that crippled them. The black ships could also have easily gone in and started setting the stage for invasion.
@Wasnt-1 Жыл бұрын
being close to china and north korea screems sucks for me and not only that japan is in the pacific they're either prone to naval attacks or natural disasters like tsunamis
@Kameeho Жыл бұрын
I am curious, isn't japan one of the few countries in the world that can go fully electric with renewable energy from Geothermal plants if it wanted to? I.e they might not have oil or gas, but if they wanted to, the volcanic nature shud provide them with limitless green and safe energy?
@user-eh2dr8ln2k Жыл бұрын
The problem is that there are already many hot springs in such areas. A power plant could destroy their beautiful scenery and diminish their value as a tourist destination. So the locals are reluctant to build a power plant. I hope this problem will be solved.
@Kameeho Жыл бұрын
@@user-eh2dr8ln2k well if they do like iceland, they could always make artificial hotsprings (the famous blue lagoon is an artificial hotspring created due to the geothermal plant) And sometimes, in as stereotypical as it may sound, but in the name of progress and for the enviroment in its whole, somethings have to give way. But as you say, I do hope they figure out a solution where they can preserve the old while giving room to the new.
@ume819tgs Жыл бұрын
観光利権と温泉利権で地熱開発が進まない
@mfsalatino6 ай бұрын
imagine if Japan kept the Kuriles and all Sakhalin.
@KhaoticDeterminism Жыл бұрын
I wonder how many Japanese have inadvertently respected the Wild Hunt by only eating fish and have earned sympathy for the next 7 generations of their matrilineal line. 🤔🤔🤔 It would explain why Nintendo is so philosophical and into psychedelics.
@gregoryguillen2717 Жыл бұрын
Do one on Mexico !
@GeographyGeek Жыл бұрын
I'm thinking about it.
@gregoryguillen2717 Жыл бұрын
@@GeographyGeek thx for replying! I have seen videos of why geography sucks in Mexico due to mountains, no navigable rivers, etc…but I’m sure just like Japan it has benefits? Fertile farming just like Japan is one thing I can think of off the top of my head. Thanks!
@rizkyadiyanto79223 ай бұрын
@@gregoryguillen2717the best thing about mexico's geography is that it is the neighbor of the richest nation on earth. the rest doesnt really matter.
@gregoryguillen27173 ай бұрын
@@rizkyadiyanto7922 Poor Mexico, so far from God and so close to the United States” is a phrase attributed to Mexican president Porfirio Díaz, who served seven terms and is known for this quote. The phrase is used to express the country's pragmatism towards the United States, which has led to "defensive modernization”. (Took from a Google search) 🙏
@ShowTheOreo10 ай бұрын
You compared Japan to Africa .. like comparing humans to monkeys
@vonleiningen10 ай бұрын
It literally is. Japan is still thousands of years ahead of anything African. 😂
@GustafUNL Жыл бұрын
👍
@user-pd5vj4ox3x Жыл бұрын
7:09 This information is partially incorrect. Japan was invaded by the Soviet Union. At the time, Japan had signed a Neutrality Pact with the Soviet Union and wanted the Soviet government to mediate for peace negotiations in World War II. However, the Soviet Union broke its treaty with Japan and attacked Japan by making secret promises within the Allies. As a result, there was no chance of negotiations with the Allied Forces, and Japan decided to surrender unconditionally. However,Soviet Union did not stop their invasion even after after Japan disarmed. Therefore, Japanese soldiers fought to protect Hokkaido even after the end of the war. And the Soviet Union occupied some of Japan's native islands. This is the territorial issue between Japan and Russia now.
@yatarookayama832910 ай бұрын
Japan Geography of sea + mountain make it ideal place for land reclamation and so can make more arable land in the sea !
@ume819tgs Жыл бұрын
たくさん雨が降ってミネラルたっぷりの火山のおかげで水が美味しいです
@MrMuel1205 Жыл бұрын
I'd point out fertility of soil. Japan may not have vast agricultural lands, but volcanism coupled with rivers makes for very fertile soil.
@itemtest1 Жыл бұрын
If you play Civilization 6, Japan would be ideal location for Inca with their Terrace Farms🤔🤔🤔
@mousasaab2652 Жыл бұрын
Japan has the geography of California simple as
@christianwestling2019 Жыл бұрын
It always bothers me that Sakhalin and the Kuriles aren't japanese. Its their natural extension. Too bad they didn't bother with them before.
@thequietstag4366 Жыл бұрын
"Gifu" 😂
@ingenuity2967 ай бұрын
You're right.
@110mh96 ай бұрын
紹介してくれてありがとうございます! ぜひ日本に来てください!
@objetivista686 Жыл бұрын
The HUMAN factor also.
@oliround Жыл бұрын
Listening at 1.25x speed = chefs kiss
@Stragirl21 Жыл бұрын
Stalking ur videos
@Santa13325 Жыл бұрын
First
@fredm.2699 Жыл бұрын
I know this sounds ignorant but, with the frequency of tsunamis, the cons outweigh the pros of Japan’s geography. America has great geography.
@BabyMan-hu5ut Жыл бұрын
Its in the ring of fire, what are you talking about?
@notreally2406 Жыл бұрын
How bad do i think it is?
@jamesbobo6745 Жыл бұрын
I think Japan can be strong due to its fertile land that can grow rice, the people's mindset from Confucianism, and the carefulness of people.
@garyhuntsr71698 Жыл бұрын
bible class
@TWMASTER200 Жыл бұрын
Important asterisk for the point at 7:18 about having it's mainland invaded. While Japan lost WW2 of course and came under Americana occupation, the Japanese mainland was never invaded. It was precisely how costly an invasion of the Japanese mainland would have been that was a major factor in dropping those atomic bombs. The US invaded some surrounding islands (for example, Okinawa) but never actually made an invasion attempt on the mainland itself. Only coming ashore after the country formally surrendered.
@GardenerEarthGuy Жыл бұрын
Japan has the hottie women, too...
@fredrickdemello2260 Жыл бұрын
mah man! finally someone said it. RIRIKO KINOSHITA Supremacy. wooooooooohooooooooooooooooooo
@zainmudassir2964 Жыл бұрын
Japan 🗾 is g.o.a.t.
@webcelt Жыл бұрын
Maybe the "bad geography" idea comes from a lack of natural resources, and that mostly means fossil fuels. They've depended on imports of what modern industry requires, especially oil. The surrounding water that protects them from invasion also made their shipping vulnerable during World War 2, so US submarines were mostly able to cut off supplies of raw materials they invaded Malaysia and Indonesia to get a hold of. Oil especially, but also rubber, tin, and probably some things I'm forgetting. Japan is a lot like other island nations, having the same protection from invasion and vulnerability to attacks on shipping. Geography looks great when it stops an invasion, but not when it allows enemies to sink your cargo ships.
@thomaslanders2073 Жыл бұрын
Japan's gdp per capita is now less than half that of the US. I think it's safe to say that the days of considering Japan as a successful country is now long over. 🤔
@cumonodalio3938 Жыл бұрын
It depends on how you define a successful country. The US may be successful in gdp growth, but most people have not benefited from the growth, and the gap between rich and poor continues to widen, while the gap in Japan is much smaller. Japan also doesn't have as high percentage of homeless people, gunshots, drug abusers as the US. The life expectancy in the US is 76 years, 6 years shorter than that of Japan, but health care costs as a percentage of gdp are much higher in the US than in Japan.
@AIIIAKS-vn4co Жыл бұрын
So Luxembourg is the most successful country in the world?
@JetWarrior Жыл бұрын
Japan is still the world's third-largest economy despite having the 12th largest population. It's still in the top 30 in GDP per capita, ahead of other heavy hitters like South Korea and China. I'd still call that pretty successful, even if it isn't at the comparative highs that it reached back in the 80s
@kthmalloy16 Жыл бұрын
Japanese live a longer life, have lower crime. The prices for healthcare are way lower as is most day to day items.
@user-fo8qr8dg2f Жыл бұрын
Comparing GDP per capita in US dollar terms is not very meaningful. Currently, the US dollar is strong and the yen is weak due to differences in monetary policy caused by global inflation. In 1995, Japan's GDP per capita was 1.5 times that of the United States, but this was due to the appreciation of the yen due to Japan's deflation, and it still could not beat the United States in per capita GDP converted to purchasing power parity. In 2023, When compared in terms of PPP, Japan's GDP per capita is two-thirds that of the United States.
@PistonHonda87 Жыл бұрын
Born in Japan, visited many times, another bonus is they have social cohesion due to a homogenous society, which studies show multi-ethnic societies tend to lose trust among each other. Geography can help or hurt a population, but at some point you have to look at the people who make it prosperous. Japanese were not born on magic soil, Japan is great because of the Japanese and their culture. Not their geography, not diversity or some political or religious horseshit.
@shiramaro Жыл бұрын
you were not born in japan
@robertfindley921 Жыл бұрын
Nice video. A few minor things. First, you call Japan an 'adversary'. Japan fought with the US and allies during WW1. Second, Japan gets a massive amount of its food from the ocean. More so than the vast majority of countries.
@GeographyGeek Жыл бұрын
Thank you. I called them an adversary as in an opponent to someone. Anyone. They were fighting Russia in the image. Also, I talked being a global leader in fishing in the video.
@andrewvanorden233611 ай бұрын
9/11. Reminds me of that tragedy -norm Macdonald He walked through blood and bone that day to find his brother in Canada. RiP
@poruto226 ай бұрын
Geography geek comparing japan with global south. Such garbage content inyt now a days
@TheWizardGamez Жыл бұрын
They have 0 industrial metal deposits. Or at least none but enough to feed their entire economy. So. Japan got lucky enough to be left alone long enough for it to develop a naval culture. But as we know from WW2. Japan was incredibly starved of resources. When they invaded China the US banned all metals export to Japan, which forced Japan to have to make iron ore imports. And because no one liked them invading China. They ended up just invading the entire East Indies. That didn’t even solve their problems because they never actually processed any of the Bornean oil, leaving their ships under an extremely poor condition. It really was a failure of the first move kinda thing.
@briankleinschmidt3664 Жыл бұрын
I never considered geography good or bad. Now, are you talking about the island nation that just got hit by a tsunami that killed more than 20 thousand and rendered a chunk of the coast into a nuclear wasteland? I suppose Pompeii did get it worse.
@Ihavpickle Жыл бұрын
Cope it sucks
@jxxxxx44 Жыл бұрын
Okay Kfan
@eshep71 Жыл бұрын
America actually bombed the tar out of Japan before the atomic bombs as well. So, it was invaded by one enemy, multiple times, continually
@touayaaj84 Жыл бұрын
WW2 proved Japans geography sucks, especially when it comes to resources.