Question

How might have geography made it hard for Japan to keep control of its empire?

Answer 1

Hint: Japan is made up of a series of islands known as an archipelago. There are four major islands and thousands of smaller ones that make up the archipelago. Since the landscape is rugged, there isn't much suitable ground for farming.

Complete answer:
In the 1920s and 1930s, Japan's geography was a major motivator for its colonial extension. For starters, during those years, Japan's population was rapidly increasing and modernising, and space and resources on the home islands were scarce.This expansion, along with the fact that the empire was created by islands surrounded by a wide expanse of sea, made it very difficult to govern and protect.

 Since the Japanese islands are so mountainous, there is very little land suitable for cultivation or urban development. At the very least in the Pacific, the Japanese army could not really hold any island at the same time.

The Sea of Japan and the South China Sea divide the Japanese islands from the Asian mainland, but the difference is not large. This made it simple for the Japanese to commit troops to the mainland in search of imperialism. Furthermore, as an island nation, the Japanese were at ease and skilled at dispatching their navy across the Pacific.

Note: Japanese imperialists saw how European countries in comparable situations looked to their overseas colonies for land and money, and they reasoned that they should do the same in Pacific Asia. This was particularly true during the early twentieth century, when the need for petroleum increased.