Reviews: Atlas of Japan - Physical, economic and social

Summary

This review essay evaluates three recent geographical and planning publications. The first part discusses a thematic atlas of Japan (1970) by R. Isida, published by the International Society for Educational Information, and Martin Schwind’s “Das Japanische Inselreich,” Vol. I (1967). It highlights the persistent language barrier that limits foreign geographical research on Japan, and praises the atlas for providing English, French, and Spanish explanatory texts alongside 73 detailed thematic maps covering physical, economic, and social features, thus offering a much-needed reliable cartographic reference for Western readers. The second part reviews a Danish National Planning Committee Secretariat publication (1970) on land use planning status and future perspectives. It outlines Denmark’s rapid post-1945 transformation from a rural to an industrialized, urbanized society, the resulting challenges such as agricultural decline, industrial growth, urbanization, vacation home expansion, traffic congestion, and environmental pollution, and the difficulties of integrating national, regional, and local plans amidst financial and political constraints. The third part examines Leo Deuel’s “Flights into Yesterday” (1969), a history of aerial archaeology, tracing its technological development over a century and methodological roots of fifty years, while highlighting the pioneering individuals who used aerial observation in the Middle East during World War I and beyond to reveal archaeological landscapes. Collectively, the reviews underscore the importance of accurate spatial information, integrated planning, and innovative methods in understanding and managing dynamic cultural and physical environments.