Pradyumna P. Karan, Professor of Geography, University of Kentucky, discusses how Japanese geography shapes Japanese society. Earthquake, tsunami and the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl: The triple disasters of March 2011 hit Japan when it was already feeling vulnerable, its confidence shaken by debt, deflation and political inertia. And yet, those terrible days also revealed Japan’s strengths, most notably the sense of community that created order and dignity amidst the rubble. The lecture will highlight geographic realities of contemporary Japan. Within the context of geography, it will discuss the environmental, socioeconomic and political challenges facing Japan today, and how Japan is responding to these challenges. P. P. Karan is University Research Professor of Geography and Japan Studies and Distinguished Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky. He has held professorships at distinguished universities in the United States, Canada, Japan, Asia and Europe. He has authored and edited several books on Japan including The Japanese City (1997), The Japanese Landscapes (1998), Japan in the Bluegrass (2001), Japan in the 21st Century (2005), and Local Environmental Movements: A Comparative Study of Japan and the United States (2008). His current research in Japan involves geographic analysis of recovery and reconstruction efforts following the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster of March 2011 in Tohoku region.