1. A vowel can be described as either lax or tense; as either high or mid or low; and as either front or central or back. According to this description, how many vowels are there?   2. As a (very!)...

1. A vowel can be described as either lax or tense; as either high or mid or low; and as either front or central or back. According to this description, how many vowels are there?

2. As a (very!) rough approximation, Japanese syllables consist of one of 25 consonants followed by one of 5 vowels, with one consonant that can appear as a coda (or the coda can be left off). How many Japanese syllables are there?