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This page was last updated on 19 June 2008
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| Introduction | Japan | Top of Page

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 more than two centuries 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, elected politicians - with heavy input from bureaucrats and business executives - wield actual decisionmaking power. 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.

| Geography | Japan | Top of Page

Location: | Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
Geographic coordinates: | 36 00 N, 138 00 E
Map references: | Asia
Area: | total: 377,835 sq km land: 374,744 sq km water: 3,091 sq km note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)
Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries: | 0 km
Coastline: | 29,751 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: | varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
Terrain: | mostly rugged and mountainous
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m
Natural resources: | negligible mineral resources, fish
Land use: | arable land: 11.64% permanent crops: 0.9% other: 87.46% (2005)
Irrigated land: | 25,920 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources: | 430 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): | total: 88.43 cu km/yr (20%/18%/62%) per capita: 690 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards: | many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons
Environment - current 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
Environment - international 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
Geography - note: | strategic location in northeast Asia

| People | Japan | Top of Page

Population: | 127,288,419 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 13.7% (male 8,926,439/female 8,460,629) 15-64 years: 64.7% (male 41,513,061/female 40,894,057) 65 years and over: 21.6% (male 11,643,845/female 15,850,388) (2008 est.)
Median age: | total: 43.8 years male: 42.1 years female: 45.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate: | -0.139% (2008 est.)
Birth rate: | 7.87 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: | 9.26 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate: | NA
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 82.07 years male: 78.73 years female: 85.59 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.22 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 12,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 500 (2003 est.)
Nationality: | noun: Japanese (singular and plural) adjective: Japanese
Ethnic groups: | Japanese 98.5%, Koreans 0.5%, Chinese 0.4%, other 0.6% note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japan in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil (2004)
Religions: | observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)
Languages: | Japanese
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2002)

| Government | Japan | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Japan local long form: Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku local short form: Nihon/Nippon
Government type: | constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
Capital: | name: Tokyo geographic coordinates: 35 41 N, 139 45 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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
Independence: | 660 B.C. (traditional founding by Emperor JIMMU)
National holiday: | Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)
Constitution: | 3 May 1947
Legal system: | modeled after German civil law system with English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage: | 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch: | chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Yasuo FUKUDA (since 26 September 2007) 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: FUKUDA elected prime minister with 338 of 477 votes cast in the House of Representatives; he received 106 of 240 votes cast in the House of Councillors; vote of House of Representatives prevailed
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 29 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2010); 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 - DPJ 109, LDP 83, Komeito 20, JCP 7, SDP 5, others 18 : House of Representatives - percent of vote by party (in single-seat constituencies) - LDP 47.8%, DPJ 36.4%, others 15.8%; seats by party - LDP 296, DPJ 113, Komeito 31, JCP 9, SDP 7, others 24 (2007)
Judicial branch: | Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the cabinet)
Political parties and leaders: | Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Ichiro OZAWA]; Japan Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII]; Komeito [Akihiro OTA]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Yasuo FUKUDA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Mizuho FUKUSHIMA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | ADB, AfDB (nonregional members), APEC, APT, ARF, 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, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SECI (observer), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Ichiro FUJISAKI chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187 consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Agana (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, Seattle
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420 mailing address: APO AP 96337-5004 telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000 FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862 consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya
Flag description: | white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center

| Economy | Japan | Top of Page

Economy - 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 has been how manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors have worked 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 have now eroded. 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 55% 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 and an asset price bubble during the late 1980s that required a protracted period of time for firms to reduce excess debt, capital, and labor. From 2000 to 2001, government efforts to revive economic growth proved short lived and were hampered by the slowing of the US, European, and Asian economies. In 2002-07, growth improved and the lingering fears of deflation in prices and economic activity lessened, leading the central bank to raise interest rates to 0.25% in July 2006, up from the near 0% rate of the six years prior, and to 0.50% in February 2007. In addition, the 10-year privatization of Japan Post, which has functioned not only as the national postal delivery system but also, through its banking and insurance facilities as Japan's largest financial institution, was completed in October 2007, marking a major milestone in the process of structural reform. Nevertheless, Japan's huge government debt, which totals 182% 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. Debate also continues on the role of and effects of reform in restructuring the economy, particularly with respect to increasing income disparities.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $4.29 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $4.384 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 2.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $33,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 1.4% industry: 26.5% services: 72% (2007 est.)
Labor force: | 66.69 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 4.6% industry: 27.8% services: 67.7% (2004)
Unemployment rate: | 3.9% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line: | NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 4.8% highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 38.1 (2002)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 0% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 23.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $1.448 trillion expenditures: $1.597 trillion (2007 est.)
Public debt: | 195.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products: | rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs; fish
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
Industrial production growth rate: | 1.3% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production: | 1.025 trillion kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption: | 974.2 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production: | 125,000 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - consumption: | 5.353 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - exports: | 94,830 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports: | 5.425 million bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves: | 58.5 million bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production: | 4.85 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 83.67 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 77.6 billion cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 38.02 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance: | $212.8 billion (2007 est.)
Exports: | $676.9 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities: | transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical machinery, chemicals
Exports - partners: | US 22.8%, China 14.3%, South Korea 7.8%, Taiwan 6.8%, Hong Kong 5.6% (2006)
Imports: | $572.4 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, raw materials
Imports - partners: | China 20.5%, US 12%, Saudi Arabia 6.4%, UAE 5.5%, Australia 4.8%, South Korea 4.7%, Indonesia 4.2% (2006)
Economic aid - donor: | ODA, $11.19 billion (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $954.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external: | $1.492 trillion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $109 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $527.8 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares: | $4.737 trillion (2005)
Currency (code): | yen (JPY)
Exchange rates: | yen per US dollar - 117.99 (2007), 116.18 (2006), 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004), 115.93 (2003)
Fiscal year: | 1 April - 31 March

| Communications | Japan | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 55.155 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 101.7 million (2006)
Telephone system: | general assessment: excellent domestic and international service domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of every kind international: country code - 81; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; 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
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 215 (plus 370 repeaters), FM 89 (plus 485 repeaters), shortwave 21 (2001)
Television broadcast stations: | 211 (plus 7,341 repeaters); in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services (1999)
Internet country code: | .jp
Internet hosts: | 33.333 million (2007)
Internet users: | 87.54 million (2006)

| Transportation | Japan | Top of Page

Airports: | 176 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 145 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 40 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 29 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 31 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 27 (2007)
Heliports: | 14 (2007)
Pipelines: | gas 3,939 km; oil 170 km; oil/gas/water 104 km (2007)
Railways: | total: 23,474 km standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified) narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 20,182 km 1.067-m gauge (13,334 km electrified); 11 km 0.762-m gauge (11 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways: | total: 1.193 million km paved: 942,000 km (includes 7,383 km of expressways) unpaved: 251,000 km (2005)
Waterways: | 1,770 km (seagoing vessels use inland seas) (2007)
Merchant marine: | total: 676 ships (1000 GRT or over) 10,386,894 GRT/11,689,142 DWT by type: bulk carrier 131, cargo 29, carrier 3, chemical tanker 23, container 10, liquefied gas 58, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 142, petroleum tanker 157, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 52, vehicle carrier 55 registered in other countries: 2,692 (Bahamas 62, Belize 2, Bermuda 1, Burma 3, Cambodia 3, Cayman Islands 6, China 2, Cyprus 19, France 5, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 78, Indonesia 5, Isle of Man 4, South Korea 1, Liberia 111, Malaysia 4, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 5, Mongolia 1, Norway 1, Panama 2,151, Philippines 69, Portugal 10, Singapore 108, Sweden 1, Thailand 4, UK 1, Vanuatu 28, unknown 2) (2007)
Ports and terminals: | Chiba, Kawasaki, Kobe, Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo, Tomakomai, Yohohama

| Military | Japan | Top of Page

Military branches: | Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD): Ground Self-Defense Force (Rikujou Jietai, GSDF), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jietai, MSDF), Air Self-Defense Force (Koku Jieitai, ASDF) (2008)
Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 27,819,804 females age 16-49: 26,863,794 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 22.963 million females age 16-49: 22,134,127 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: | males age 16-49: 622,168 females age 16-49: 590,153 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 0.8% (2006)

| Transnational Issues | Japan | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | 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

This page was last updated on 19 June 2008