2. SETTINO 



a. Land 



(1) North of Hokkaido: Karafuto and Sakhalin 



(2) North of Hokkaido; Chiahlaia Eetto (Kuril Islanda) 



(3) South and southwest of Kyushu: Ryukyu Rett© (Nansei 

 lalemds) 



h. Water 



(1) East of Japan Proper: Pacific Ocean 



(2) West of Japan Proper: Japan Sea 



(3) West and southwest of Kyusha: East China Sea 



(4) Southeast of Kyushu, south of Shlkoku, east of fiyukyu 

 Retto (Nansei Islanda), west of Izu Islands: 

 Philippine Sea 



3. SURROUNDING WATERS 



a. Deep water is comparatively near shore around the islands. 

 Single exception is the sea off northern Kyushu and southwestern Honshu. 

 Limited coastal shelf, hence limited opportunity for bottom fishing. 



b. Japan lies at zone of conrergence of two water masses, the 

 cold waters of the northwestern Pacific, and the warm-surfaced mass known 

 near the islands as the Kuroshio, or Japan (or Black) current (Plate 2). 



(1) The Japan current moves slowly northward from the 

 equator, divides south of Kyushu, one branch to the 

 Japan Sea, and the main mass eastward along the south- 

 ern shore of Honshu. Late summer temperature averages 

 82 P; late winter temperature 68° 



(2) Japan current met by cold waters off northern Honshu, 

 known as the Oya current on the Pacific side. This 

 water less salty than Japan 'current , and tenqperature 

 rarely rises above 65°, even in summer. Winter temper- 

 atures may approach freezing point. 



c. Effects of water masses 



(1) Contrast between climates of Hokkaido and other parts 

 of Japan. Japan current favors mild winters and high 

 precipitation for Honshu, Shlkoku, Kyushu. 



(2) Great variety and abundance of marine life. 



