From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Geology of Japan
Geology of Japan
quakes include the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami,
the 2004 Chūetsu earthquake and the Great Hanshin
Earthquake of 1995. Hot springs are numerous and have
been developed as resorts.
See also
• Seismicity in Japan
• List of earthquakes in Japan
• List of volcanoes in Japan
• Category: Japanese geologists
The island of Japan was separated from mainland Asia by
References
back-arc spreading [1] Barnes, Gina L. (2003). "Origins of the Japanese
Islands: The New “Big Picture”". University of
The islands of Japan are primarily the result of sev- Durham. http://shinku.nichibun.ac.jp/jpub/pdf/
eral large oceanic movements occurring over hundreds jr/IJ1501.pdf. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
of millions of years from the mid-Silurian to the Pleis-
tocene as a result of the subduction of the Philippine
Sea Plate beneath the continental Amurian Plate and Ok-
External links
inawa Plate to the south, and subduction of the Pacific
Plate under the Okhotsk Plate to the north. External images
Japan was originally attached to the eastern coast
of the Eurasian continent. The subducting plates, being Statistical map of location, size and depth of
earthquakes near Japan
deeper than the Eurasian plate, pulled Japan eastward,
opening the Sea of Japan around 15 million years ago.[1]
• Geological Survey of Japan
The Strait of Tartary and the Korea Strait opened much
• Introduction to the Landforms and Geology of Japan
later.
• National Archives of Japan: Tatoroyama no ki, survey
Japan is situated in a volcanic zone on the Pacific Ring
of limestone cave in Mount Tatoro in Kozuke
of Fire. Frequent low intensity earth tremors and occa-
Province, 1837 (Tenpo 8).
sional volcanic activity are felt throughout the islands.
Destructive earthquakes, often resulting in tsunamis, oc-
cur several times a century. The most recent major
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Categories:
• Japan stubs
• Regional geology stubs
• Geology of Japan
• Natural history of Japan
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