The realities of the "Ring of fire": seismic background of cultural dynamics on the islands of the Japanese archipelago

The Ring of Fire is a marginal area with a high seismic activity in the Pacific Ocean. Currently, assessment of the impact of seismic activity has become a topic of discussion. The information based on natural science data available for the Paleolithic - Jōmon-Yayoi Period does not give a clear answer concerning the degree of its catastrophic character. The natural disasters occurring the historical period are documented by written sources and provide the information on the death toll and the degree of damage. The authors argue that natural disasters did not determine development of cultures on the Japanese Islands. On the contrary, archaeological materials strongly indicate the progressive cultural dynamics, stable growth of population, and number of sites and settlements.