Energy and Matter
Since Japan is located in the northern hemisphere, wind and ocean currents are deflected from a straight line course towards the right, due to the Coriolis effect. This idea explains why tropical storms affecting Japan form around an eye. The higher pressure on the outside of the storm tries to get to the middle, low-pressure section (eye) of the storm. However the Coriolis effect causes the air to deflect to the right, unallowing it to meet the eye and also to create a circular patterned storm. These storms bring in energy and matter through the forms of large amounts of precipitation and wind into Japan. Japan also has several different ocean currents that move bodies of water in and out of the surrounding Japanese waters. Matter and energy is therefore moved in and out of Japan in the form of water though oceanic circulation. Energy also flows in and out of Japan in the form of wind. The wind flows through Japan through jet streams and also through the idea of the Coriolis effect.