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Group of islands off the eastern coast of [[Asia]].  The principal islands are, in the [[Roman alphabet]], [[Hokkaido]], [[Honshu]], [[Kyushu]] and [[Shikoku]].  Japan also controls many smaller islands, notably the [[Ryuku]] chain south of Kyushu, for a total land area slightly larger than California.  The climate, however, has traditionally varied from north to south as much as that from [[Maine]] to [[Georgia]].

Group of islands off the eastern coast of [[Asia]].  The principal islands are, in the [[Romanization|Roman alphabet]], [[Hokkaido]], [[Honshu]], [[Kyushu]] and [[Shikoku]].  Japan also controls many smaller islands, notably the [[Ryuku]] chain south of Kyushu, for a total land area slightly larger than California.  The climate, however, has traditionally varied from north to south as much as that from [[Maine]] to [[Georgia]].

Early signs of human life appeared in Japan around the year 3000 BC.  The wild Japanese Bison was an early target of wild game, hunted to extinction within 500 years.

Early signs of human life appeared in Japan around the year 3000 BC.  The wild Japanese Bison was an early target of wild game, hunted to extinction within 500 years.