Natural Resources
Japan barely has any natural resources. According to the CIA World Factbook, the only natural resources that Japan has are "negligible mineral resources, fish."
This relates to the economic concept of scarcity because Japan has a scarcity for natural resources, meaning there are very few, or scarce, amount of natural resources.
This also relates to the economic concept of shortage and demand. In Japan, there is a lot of demand for valuable natural resources like oil and water, but since there is scarcity of supply of natural resources, this leads to a shortage.
This relates to the economic concept of scarcity because Japan has a scarcity for natural resources, meaning there are very few, or scarce, amount of natural resources.
This also relates to the economic concept of shortage and demand. In Japan, there is a lot of demand for valuable natural resources like oil and water, but since there is scarcity of supply of natural resources, this leads to a shortage.
Environmental Issues
Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental problems that is faced in Japan, especially in urban centers. Toxic pollutants from power plant emissions caused acid rain to happen in Japan. In the 1990s, Japan ranked fourth in the world in terms of highest industrial carbon dioxide emissions. Japan had a total of 1.09 billion metric tons per year. In 2000, the total of carbon dioxide emissions went up to 1.18 billion metric tons. Over the years, the numbers keep going up.
Water pollution is another one of the major environmental problems that is faced by Japan. Water pollution causes an increase in acid levels because of industrial pollutants that affect lakes, rivers, and the waters bordering Japan. In the 1950-60s, mercury in water from a chemical factory in Kumamoto caused a lot of mercury poisoning on both animals and humans. This example, and many others were the main reasons that caused the Water Pollution Control Law of 1971 to happen. Still,there remains lots of water pollution in lakes and rivers that come from household sources.
Water pollution relates to the economic concepts of supply and demand. The water pollution causes a lot of fish to die and that means that there is a decrease in the supply of fish. If there is a decrease in supply, there will be more demand for fish because fish is one of the main food eaten in Japan.
Water pollution is another one of the major environmental problems that is faced by Japan. Water pollution causes an increase in acid levels because of industrial pollutants that affect lakes, rivers, and the waters bordering Japan. In the 1950-60s, mercury in water from a chemical factory in Kumamoto caused a lot of mercury poisoning on both animals and humans. This example, and many others were the main reasons that caused the Water Pollution Control Law of 1971 to happen. Still,there remains lots of water pollution in lakes and rivers that come from household sources.
Water pollution relates to the economic concepts of supply and demand. The water pollution causes a lot of fish to die and that means that there is a decrease in the supply of fish. If there is a decrease in supply, there will be more demand for fish because fish is one of the main food eaten in Japan.