Japanese Archipelago

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The Japanese Archipelago (日本列島, Nihon Rettō^?), which forms the country of Japan, extends roughly from northeast to southwest along the northeastern coast of the Eurasia mainland, washing upon the northwestern shores of the Pacific Ocean. The term Home Islands was used at the end of World War II to define the area of Japan to which its sovereignty and the constitutional rule of the Emperor would be restricted. The term is also commonly used today to distinguish the archipelago from Japan's colonies and other territories in the first half of the 20th century, but is not used in reference to the country as it exists today.

[edit] Island components

The archipelago consists of more than 3000 islands, including the four main islands. The main islands, listed in descending order from north to south, are:

1. Hokkaidō
2. Honshū
3. Shikoku
4. Kyūshū

[edit] See also

• Geography of Japan
• List of islands of Japan