Alice Caruso, age 14, of Galveston, Tex., for her question:
HOW MANY ISLANDS ARE THERE IN JAPAN?
Japan is an island country that is located in the far western part of the Pacific ocean, off the coast of northeast Asia. Japan is made up of four large islands and more than 3,000 smaller ones.
The largest and most heavily populated island is called Honshu. It is in the center of the country. To the north is Hokkaido and to the southwest are Shikoku and Kyushu.
Inland Sea is the name of a very quiet body of water that is between Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku. It is one of Japan's major shipping routes.
Very rugged mountains dominate all of the islands' landscapes. The country's highest mountains are on Honshu; many of them are snow covered and over 10,000 feet tall. The range is often called the Japanese Alps.
Many of the mountains were volcanoes in the past and a few of them are still active. The mountain that is the most famous and also considered by many to be the most beautiful is the dormant volcanic cone named Fujiyama. The people called it Fuji san. Its 12,388 foot snow covered peak can be seen for miles.
Fujiyama is located on Honshu Island, southwest of Tokyo. Each summer many tourists from various parts of Japan and the world accept the challenge and climb to the summit.
The Japanese are making very good use of their water resources. There are hundreds of short, swift moving rivers flowing out from all of the mountains, and they are used to provide electric power. A number of new dams also have been built to provide hydroelectric power.
Not many of the rivers are navigable, but they are very important as a source for irrigation water. Only two of the nation's rivers are more than 200 miles long: the Shinano and the Tone.
About 65 percent of Japan's land is covered with forests of both hardwoods and softwoods. Leading trees include spruce, fir, larch, cedar, maple, birch, pine, beech, oak and cypress.
Before World War II the Emperor was thought to hold absolute power and was regarded as a god. However, the real power was held by high ranking military officers and cabinet ministers. An elected legislature, called the Diet, held very little power.
After World War II, a new constitution was drawn up giving Japan a democratic form of government. Guidance from members of the U.S. occupation forces was used in the writing.
Japan's new constitution says that the Emperor does not have divine power and that the right to govern belongs to the people. The present Emperor, His Imperial Majesty AKIHITO, the 125th Emperor of Japan,, has no power in government but serves simply as a symbol of national unity. .
Japan has 47 prefectures, which are similar to states. Each elects a governor and a legislature. Governing the nation is a Diet with an elected House of Representatives and a House of Councilors. The chief executive is the prime minister, who is elected by the Diet.