Why did most of early Japanese people live in small fishing villages along the coast? Choose 2 answers below. Japan is surrounded by water. Only \( 20 \% \) of Japan's land is flat and useable. Japan's land is mostly mountainous with volcanic terrain.

Japan is surrounded by water, which provided abundant marine resources, making fishing a primary source of food and livelihood. Coastal living allowed early Japanese communities to take advantage of rich fishing grounds and trade opportunities with neighboring regions, fostering growth and stability. Additionally, only 20% of Japan's land is flat and usable, which significantly limited the areas available for agriculture and settlement. As a result, early populations congregated in coastal areas where the fertile land and access to the ocean provided better living conditions, enabling the development of small, self-sufficient fishing villages.