The general climate, except for part
of Hokkaido in the north and some of the southernmost islands,
is temperate with seasonal winds. Japan has four well-defined
seasons. In the summer southeasterly winds blow across the archipelago
from the Pacific, while in the winter northwesterly winds sweep
across the archipelago from the Asian continent. The annual
mean temperature is 22.7ºC in Naha, Okinawa; 15.9ºC in Tokyo;
and 8.5ºC in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Rainfall is abundant, ranging
from 1,000 to 3,000 millimeters annually.(*1)
Japan has historically experienced frequent earthquakes and
volcanic eruptions as several tectonic plates are believed to
converge beneath the archipelago. The country also chronically
suffers a variety of meteorological disasters including typhoons
and storms.
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