Fawn Bales wrote:

> Note, that none of these animals (fish, birds, rabbits or whales) take
> up much square footage land-wise.  Religion aside, Japan is very small
> and there isn't enough room to cultivate large animals for food.

Something of a myth. Most of Japan, 70%, is unfarmable hill and mountain
land. The Japanese population density isn't much different from
England or Holland. They could easily have grown large animals as the
Swiss do, in the mountains. In fact, after the opening of the country
in the 1800s that is what they began to do. It wasn't long after
samurai class lost power that people began to eat whatever they wanted
to, including large animals. It was pressure from the elites, not
religion, that kept the Japanese populace half starved.

They
> have a long history of invading China simply for the extra space.

Only once, prior to WW-2. They did try to invade Korea a couple of times.

  At
> this point in time, about 80% of their rice is imported.


Not rice, only a few percent is imported recently, after enormous
pressure from the outside world, but other food stuffs is around 60% I believe.