Kyushu and Okinawa Regions

Abstract

Kyushu is the most southerly island among Japan’s main islands. The landscape of Kyushu has been formed through volcanic activity where volcanic soils (AndosolsAndosols) are widely distributed in the central and southern part of the island. Okinawa is the southern half of the Nansei IslandsNansei Islands, which extends approximately 1200 km from Kyushu to Taiwan. The soils of Okinawa are far different from the soils of Japan’s mainland. The three main soils are Red-Yellow soilsRed-Yellow soils, Calcareous Eutrosols, and Terrestrial Regosols, all having low soil fertility. Kyushu has a warm and rainy climateClimate, while Okinawa has a subtropical oceanic climate. However, typhoonsTyphoon and torrential rains are frequent in both regions during summer and autumn, leading damage to fields and crops behind them. Kyushu is the second largest food producer on a monetary basis next to Kanto including diverse sectors such as paddy ricePaddy rice, arable crops, vegetables, and fruits. Okinawa, on the other hand, produces sugarcaneSugarcane, pineapple, tropical fruits, and so on by taking advantage of its subtropical climate. Moreover, large-scale livestock production is active through both regions. Like other regions of the globe, environmental issues related to modern agriculture are challenges, including nitrateNitrate contamination of groundwaterGroundwater, greenhouse gasGreenhouse gas (GHG) emission, soil erosionSoil erosion, and so on. Beside dominating modern agriculture, traditional agriculture with thought-provoking soil managementSoil management practices still survives in these regions.