Japan sits on the Eurasian plate which, like its name states, spreads across Europe and Asia. This very large plate borders the Pacific Plate and the Philippine Plate. These three plates however, are not just bordering each other, both the Philippine and Pacific plates are subducting under the Eurasian plate. This causes the numerous volcanoes littered throughout Japan and makes Japan “one of the most earthquake-prone regions of the world” (http://www.seinan-gu.ac.jp/~djohnson/natural/quakes.html). Because of this intense subduction zone, there are many faults that run across Japan causing countless other earthquakes.
The speeds of both the Pacific Plates and the Philippine Plate are different even though they are heading towards the same direction. The Pacific Plate is moving under the northern half of Japan at a rate of 80 millimeters a year.
The Philippine Plate is subducting at a rate of 40 millimeters per year under the south part of Japan. Even though they are both subducting under Japan, the difference in speeds is enough to make the process not as smooth as it could be. The northern Pacific Plate is also subducting under the southern Philippine plate along a chain of volcanoes called the Izu-Bonin Volcanic Arc. This arc is kept active due to the constant subduction of plates.
Japan sits on the Eurasian plate which, like its name states, spreads across Europe and Asia. This very large plate borders the Pacific Plate and the Philippine Plate. These three plates however, are not just bordering each other, both the Philippine and Pacific plates are subducting under the Eurasian plate. This causes the numerous volcanoes littered throughout Japan and makes Japan “one of the most earthquake-prone regions of the world” (http://www.seinan-gu.ac.jp/~djohnson/natural/quakes.html). Because of this intense subduction zone, there are many faults that run across Japan causing countless other earthquakes.
The speeds of both the Pacific Plates and the Philippine Plate are different even though they are heading towards the same direction. The Pacific Plate is moving under the northern half of Japan at a rate of 80 millimeters a year. 
The Philippine Plate is subducting at a rate of 40 millimeters per year under the south part of Japan. Even though they are both subducting under Japan, the difference in speeds is enough to make the process not as smooth as it could be. The northern Pacific Plate is also subducting under the southern Philippine plate along a chain of volcanoes called the Izu-Bonin Volcanic Arc. This arc is kept active due to the constant subduction of plates.
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