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Background: In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854, Japan opened its ports and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32 Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937 it launched a full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 - triggering America's entry into World War II - and soon occupied much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and business executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth, but Japan still remains a major economic power, both in Asia and globally. In 2005, Japan began a two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
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Common Name: Japan
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Local Official Name: nippon
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Abbreviated Name: Japan
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Official Name: Nippon-koku
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Official Script Name: Japan
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Local Common Name: Japan
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Former Name: Japan
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Territory of: NA
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Head of State: Emperor AKIHITO
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Government Type: constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
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Independence: 660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)
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Constitution: 1947 May 3
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National Holiday: Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December
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International Organization Participation: AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAIA, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
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Administrative Divisions: 47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi
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Dependent Areas: NA
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Legal System: modeled after European civil law system with English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
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Suffrage: 20 years
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Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches: Executive Branch:
Chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)
head of government: Prime Minister Shinzo ABE (since 26 September 2006)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
Elections: Diet designates prime minister; constitution requires that prime minister commands parliamentary majority; following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition in House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister; monarch is hereditary
Election results: ABE was elected prime minister with 339 of 476 votes cast in the House of Representatives and 136 of 240 votes cast in the House of Councilors.
Legislative Branch:
bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or Sangi-in (242 seats - members elected for six-year terms; half reelected every three years; 146 members in multi-seat constituencies and 96 by proportional representation) and the House of Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - members elected for four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180 members by proportional representation in 11 regional blocs)
elections: House of Councillors - last held 11 July 2004 (next to be held in July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 11 September 2005 (next election by September 2009)
election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDP 115, DPJ 82, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 5, others 7; distribution of seats as of January 2006 - LDP 112, DPJ 83, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 6, others 8
: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - LDP 47.8%, DPJ 36.4%, others 15.8%; seats by party - LDP 296, DPJ 113, Komeito 31, JCP 9, SDP 7, others 24; distribution of seats as of January 2006 - LDP 294, DPJ 112, Komeito 31, JCP 9, SDP 7, others 27
Judicial Branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the cabinet)
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Party Leaders: Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Ichiro OZAWA]; Japan Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII]; Komeito [Akihoro OTA]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Shinzo ABE]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Mizuho FUKUSHIMA]
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International Disputes: the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "Northern Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kuril Islands," occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Japan and South Korea claim Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do) occupied by South Korea since 1954; China and Taiwan dispute both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon prospecting
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Illicit Drugs: NA
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Location of Japan: Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
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Continent: Asia
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Land Area Total: 377,835 sq km
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Region: North East Asia |
Land Area Land: 374,744 sq km
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Capitol City: Tokyo
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Land Area Water: 3,091 sq km
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Current: +9
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Latitude: 036 00 N
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Border Boundary Land: 0 km
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Longitude: 138 00 E
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Border Boundary Coastline: 29,751 km
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Arable Land: 11.64 %
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Pastures: 0.00 %
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Crops: 0.90 %
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Woodlands and Forests: 0.00
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Highest Elevation: 3,776 m
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Location: Mount Fuji
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Lowest Elevation: -4 m
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Location: Hachiro-gata
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Largest City in Japan: Tokyo
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Tokyo Largest City Population: 26,356,000
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Threatened Species: 177
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Environmental Issues: air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere
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Environmental Agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
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Irrigated Land: 25,920
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Bordering Countries: NA
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Natural Resources: negligible mineral resources, fish
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Geographical Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous
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Comparative Area of Japan: slightly smaller than California
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Japan's Geography: strategic location in northeast Asia
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Click Here for detailed information about the weather conditions in Japan.
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General Climate: varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
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Natural Hazards: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons
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Economic Overview: Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of second most technologically powerful economy in the world after the US and the third-largest economy in the world after the US and China, measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. One notable characteristic of the economy is how manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors work together in closely-knit groups called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force. Both features are now eroding. Japan's industrial sector is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The tiny agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 60% of its food on a caloric basis. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades, overall real economic growth had been spectacular - a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the after effects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative excesses from the stock and real estate markets and to force a restructuring of the economy. From 2000 to 2003, government efforts to revive economic growth met with little success and were further hampered by the slowing of the US, European, and Asian economies. In 2004 and 2005, growth improved and the lingering fears of deflation in prices and economic activity lessened. Japan's huge government debt, which totals 170% of GDP, and the aging of the population are two major long-run problems. Some fear that a rise in taxes could endanger the current economic recovery. Internal conflict over the proper way to reform the financial system will continue as Japan Post's banking, insurance, and delivery services undergo privatization between 2007 and 2017.
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GDP: $401,800,000,000 USD
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Currency: yen
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GDP per Capita: $31,500 USD
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Currency Code: JPY
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GDP Growth Rate: 2.70 %
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One $USD Equals: %fincurrencyequals% JPY
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Currency Exchange Rate History: yen per US dollar - 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004), 115.93 (2003), 125.39 (2002), 121.53 (2001)
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GDP of Agriculture: 1.70 %
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GDP of Industry: 25.80 %
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GDP of Services: 72.50 % |
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Inflation Rate: -0.30 % |
Population in Poverty: 0.00 %
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Unemployment Rate: 4.40 %
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Tourism: 4,438,000.00 visitors each year
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Consumption by lowest 10%: 4.80 %
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Budget Revenue in USD: $1,429,000,000,000 USD
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Consumption by upper 10%: 21.70 %
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Budget Expenditures in USD: $1,775,000,000,000 USD
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Electricity Production: 1,017,000,000,000 kWh
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Electricity Exports: 0 kWh
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Electricity Consumption: 946,300,000,000 kWh
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Electricity Imports: 0 kWh
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Electricity Production by Source:
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Fossil Fuel Electricity Production: 60.69%
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Nuclear Electricity Production: 28.95%
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Hydro Electricity Production: 8.54%
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Other Electricity Production: 1.82%
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Oil Production: 120,700 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Production: 2,814,000,000 cu m
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Oil Consumption: 5,578,000 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Consumption: 86,510,000,000 cu m
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Oil Exports: 93,360 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Exports: 0 cu m
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Oil Imports: 5,449,000 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Imports: 77,730,000,000 cu m
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Proven Oil Reserves: 29,290,000 barrels
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Proven Natural Gas Reserves: 39,640,000,000 cu m
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External Debt: $1,545,000,000,000 USD |
Received in economic aid: $8,900,000,000 USD
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Donated in economic aid: $9,100,000,000 USD
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Agricultural Products: rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs; fish
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Primary Industries: among world's largest and technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods
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Industrial Growth Rate: 1.50 %
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Import Amount in USD: $451,100,000 USD - machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, raw materials
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Import Partners: China 21%, US 12.7%, Saudi Arabia 5.5%, UAE 4.9%, Australia 4.7%, South Korea 4.7%, Indonesia 4%
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Export Amount in USD: $550,500,000,000 USD - transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical machinery, chemicals
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Export Partners: US 22.9%, China 13.4%, South Korea 7.8%, Taiwan 7.3%, Hong Kong 6.1%
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GINI Index: 37.90%
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Labor Force Number of People: 66,400,000
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Labor Force by Occupations: services 67.7%, industry 27.8%, agriculture 4.6%
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Radio Broadcast Stations: 325 |
Number of People with Radios: 120,500,000 |
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Television Broadcast Stations: 211 |
Number of People with Televisions: 86,500,000 |
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Number of People with Mainline Telephones: 58,788,000 |
Number of People with Mobile Phones: 91,473,900 |
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Internet Service Providers: 21,304,292 |
Internet Users: 86,300,000 |
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Internet Country Code: .jp |
Newspapers: 578 |
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Two Letter Country Code: JA |
Weights and Measures: |
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Phone Country Code: 81 |
Electricity Voltage: Volts |
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Telephone Systems: general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of every kind
international: country code - 81; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US (via Guam)
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Highways: 925,000 km |
Railways: 26,556 km
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Gas And Oil Pipelines: 2,949 km |
Waterways: 1,770 km
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Airports: 145 |
Heliports: 15
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Motor Vehicles: 554 per 1,000 people |
CO2 Emissions: 1,230,831,000 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Per capita CO2 emissions: 9.20 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Merchant Marines: total: 683 ships (1000 GRT or over) 10,415,892 GRT/11,765,038 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 134, cargo 30, chemical tanker 20, container 11, liquefied gas 59, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 149, petroleum tanker 156, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 51, vehicle carrier 56
registered in other countries: 2,459 (Australia 1, Bahamas 51, Belize 2, Burma 4, Cambodia 4, Cayman Islands 1, China 3, Cyprus 17, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 4, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 67, Indonesia 3, Isle of Man 4, South Korea 1, Liberia 102, Malaysia 4, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 7, Mongolia 1, Norway 1, Panama 2007, Philippines 26, Portugal 9, Singapore 100, Sweden 2, Thailand 4, Vanuatu 28, unknown 1)
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Ports and Harbors: Chiba, Kawasaki, Kiire, Kisarazu, Kobe, Mizushima, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo, Yohohama
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Population: 127,463,611 people type - nationality |
Birth Rate: 9.37 births per 1,000 people |
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Population Density: 338.00 people per sq km |
Death Rate: 9.16 deaths per 1,000 people |
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Population Growth: 0.02% per year |
Fertility Rate per Women: 1.40 babies born per woman |
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Population Male 0-14: 9,309,524 |
Population Female 0-14: 8,849,476 |
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Population Male 15-64: 42,158,122 |
Population Female 15-64: 41,611,754 |
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Population Male 65+: 10,762,585 |
Population Female 65+: 14,772,150 |
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Population 0-14: 14.20% |
Literacy Rate: 99.00% |
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Population 15-64: 65.70% |
Literacy rate of Males: 99.00% |
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Population 65+: 20.00% |
Literacy rate of Females: 99.00% |
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Population that is Male: 52.50
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Population that is Female: 47.50% |
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Life expectancy at birth in years: 81.25 years |
Infant mortality rate - baby deaths per 1000 births: 3.24 Babies die per 1,000 births |
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Life expectancy at birth for Males: 77.96 years |
Life expectancy at birth for Females: 84.70 years |
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Rate of AIDS/HIV infection: 0.10%
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Number of people living with AIDS or HIV: 12,000
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Number of people who died of AIDS: 500 |
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Disease Risk:
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Diseases:
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Net Migration Rate per 1,000 people: 0.00
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Nationality: JAPANESE
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Ethnic Groups: Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 511,262, Chinese 244,241, Brazilian 182,232, Filipino 89,851, other 237,914)
note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japan in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil
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Primary Language: Japanese
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Other Languages: Japanese
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Primary Religion: Shinto and Buddhist
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Other Religions: other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)
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Branches: Japanese Defense Agency (JDA): Ground Self-Defense Force (Rikujou Jietai, GSDF), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jietai, MSDF), Air Self-Defense Force (Koukuu Jietai, ASDF)
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Manpower Fit to Serve: 18 years
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Manpower Available: 53,156,594 People
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Manpower Fit to Serve: 43,729,610 People
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Amount of Manpower Available each Year: 1,333,304 People per year
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Expenditures: $44,310,000,000 USD per year
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Expenditures as a Percentage of GDP: 1.00
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Note: Phrasebase uses a variety of sources when compiling the facts and information presented above. This information is continually updated throughout the year.
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Japan Spa and Resort Directory
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