Development and future of insect conservation in Japan

Abstract

Japan is located at the eastern edge of the Eurasian Continent, and is an island nation composed of four large islands-Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu-and a large number of small islands. Although the Japanese Archipelago is relatively small (with the total area of land approximately 380,000 km2), the climate ranges from subtropical to the Frigid Zone, with a temperate zone that has four distinct seasons at the centre; the Japanese Archipelago is approximately 3,000 km from north to south, extending from latitude about 45° N to about 20° N. Moreover, Japan is a volcanic country, and mountain ranges run in all directions on each island. There are numerous mountains with various heights including the highest mountain, Mt. Fuji (3,776 m).