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Japan Chugoku
The Chugoku region, occupying the western end of
Honshu,
encompasses five prefectures. It is characterized by
irregular
rolling hills and limited plain areas and is divided into
two
distinct parts by mountains running east and west through
its
center. The northern, somewhat narrower, district is known
as
San'in, or "shady side of the mountain," and the southern
district
is known as San'y , or "sunny side," because of the marked
differences in climate. The whole Inland Sea region,
including
San'yo, underwent rapid development in the late twentieth
century.
The city of Hiroshima, rebuilt after being destroyed by
the atomic
bomb in 1945, is an industrial metropolis of more than 1
million
people. Overfishing and pollution reduced the productivity
of the
Inland Sea fishing grounds, and the area concentrated on
heavy
industry. San'in, however, is less industrialized and
relies on
agriculture.
Data as of January 1994
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