It is many Japanese earned their living from the sea. Because Japan is an island nation, the sea has had a big influence on it. Many people fish, and a lot of native Japanese dishes are seafood based.
Buddhism actually did take hold in Japan, but that was not influenced by the geography; therefore the second one is right.
Japan is strategically located close to the sea and this made most Japanese in the early days become fishermen therefore earning their living from the surrounding sea.
The Fishermen and farmers benefited from the sea because in the sea they could catch various sea foods and fishes which they could sell to neighboring countries or to their citizens who were not fishermen. the farmer could use water from the sea to get salt which they could use for cooking and also can be sold for commercial use.
Buddhism is one of the oldest religion in Japan so it took hold properly in Japan.
