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Formosa and the southern end of Kyushu. From the Asiatic mainland, Korea pro-
jects to within 110 miles of Kyushu and Honshu, and the intervening strait is broken
midway by islands.
While the latitude and climate of this area is similar to that of the coastal plain
of North and South Carolina, the terrain is much rougher. The major relief features
of this area are arranged roughly in three parallel lines which extend southwest-
northeast following the main trend of this part of the Japanese Islands. The two
outer lines are predominantly uplands; the inner line is largely a series of basins
and small plains. Small coastal plains are scattered along the outer flank of the
two great upland belts, and a few small basins are found within the highlands. Few
of these lowlands are interconnected by easily passable natural routes. Landforms
within the upland belts vary from low rugged hills of 600-1,000 feet to plateaus and
mountains of 2,500-5,000 feet, with some peaks reaching 8,000-10,000 feet. Most
hills and mountains are relatively steep-sided and sharply created although some, espe-
cially in central Kyushu, have smoother surfaces of lava or volcanic ash. About 50
percent of southwest Japan is in forest, 17 percent under cultivation, and the re-
mainder in scrub land, waste land, barrens, cities, villages, rural dwellings, lakes, and
streams. Wet rice fields occupy a large part of the crop area on the plains and in
the larger valleys.
The natural drainage pattern of southwestern Japan is very dense, and on the
plains is augmented by a close network of drainage and irrigation canals and water
storage ponds. Cold springs are numerous along the margins of the lowlands and
there are several areas of hot springs. In the mountains most of the streams are
short, swift, and shallow; on the plains the streams are also short and flow more
slowly in wider, flatter channels. Because of the diversion of water for irrigation,
many of the streams on the lowlands are shallow, 1 to 5 feet, for much of the year,
and divide into many rivulets which flow in broad channels choked with boulders
and gravel. Except during short periods of high water, such streams are navigable
only near their mouths, and even there only by small boats. The rivers of this area
are of value chiefly for hydroelectric power, irrigation and transportation of logs.
Biwa-ko, near Kyoto, is by far the largest lake of Japan. Natural marshes are not
generally important in the areas as most of them have been converted into rice fields.
Kyushu, Shikoku and southwest Honshu may be conveniently divided into two
principal regions for the discussion of climate. The first, and larger, region lies
to the south of the main mountain ranges of Honshu and includes all coastal sections
and mountain slopes facing the Pacific Ocean. The climate of this region is char-
acterized by summers with heavy rainfall and much cloudiness, and by winters that
are relatively dry and sunny. The second, and smaller, of the two regions lies to
the north of the main mountain ranges of Honshu and includes all coasts and moun-
tain slopes facing the Japan Sea. This region is characterized by frequent precipita-
tion and much cloudiness in the winter months and a secondary maximum of precip-
itation and cloudiness in the summer months.
SECRET
A-4
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"ocrText": "Formosa and the southern end of Kyushu. From the Asiatic mainland, Korea pro-\njects to within 110 miles of Kyushu and Honshu, and the intervening strait is broken\nmidway by islands.\nWhile the latitude and climate of this area is similar to that of the coastal plain\nof North and South Carolina, the terrain is much rougher. The major relief features\nof this area are arranged roughly in three parallel lines which extend southwest-\nnortheast following the main trend of this part of the Japanese Islands. The two\nouter lines are predominantly uplands; the inner line is largely a series of basins\nand small plains. Small coastal plains are scattered along the outer flank of the\ntwo great upland belts, and a few small basins are found within the highlands. Few\nof these lowlands are interconnected by easily passable natural routes. Landforms\nwithin the upland belts vary from low rugged hills of 600-1,000 feet to plateaus and\nmountains of 2,500-5,000 feet, with some peaks reaching 8,000-10,000 feet. Most\nhills and mountains are relatively steep-sided and sharply created although some, espe-\ncially in central Kyushu, have smoother surfaces of lava or volcanic ash. About 50\npercent of southwest Japan is in forest, 17 percent under cultivation, and the re-\nmainder in scrub land, waste land, barrens, cities, villages, rural dwellings, lakes, and\nstreams. Wet rice fields occupy a large part of the crop area on the plains and in\nthe larger valleys.\nThe natural drainage pattern of southwestern Japan is very dense, and on the\nplains is augmented by a close network of drainage and irrigation canals and water\nstorage ponds. Cold springs are numerous along the margins of the lowlands and\nthere are several areas of hot springs. In the mountains most of the streams are\nshort, swift, and shallow; on the plains the streams are also short and flow more\nslowly in wider, flatter channels. Because of the diversion of water for irrigation,\nmany of the streams on the lowlands are shallow, 1 to 5 feet, for much of the year,\nand divide into many rivulets which flow in broad channels choked with boulders\nand gravel. Except during short periods of high water, such streams are navigable\nonly near their mouths, and even there only by small boats. The rivers of this area\nare of value chiefly for hydroelectric power, irrigation and transportation of logs.\nBiwa-ko, near Kyoto, is by far the largest lake of Japan. Natural marshes are not\ngenerally important in the areas as most of them have been converted into rice fields.\nKyushu, Shikoku and southwest Honshu may be conveniently divided into two\nprincipal regions for the discussion of climate. The first, and larger, region lies\nto the south of the main mountain ranges of Honshu and includes all coastal sections\nand mountain slopes facing the Pacific Ocean. The climate of this region is char-\nacterized by summers with heavy rainfall and much cloudiness, and by winters that\nare relatively dry and sunny. The second, and smaller, of the two regions lies to\nthe north of the main mountain ranges of Honshu and includes all coasts and moun-\ntain slopes facing the Japan Sea. This region is characterized by frequent precipita-\ntion and much cloudiness in the winter months and a secondary maximum of precip-\nitation and cloudiness in the summer months.\nSECRET\nA-4"
}