Introduction to Japan
From the World Factbook
BACKGROUND
In 1603, after decades of civil warfare, the Tokugawa shogunate (a military-led,
dynastic government) ushered in a long period of relative political stability and
isolation from foreign influence. For more than two centuries this policy enabled
Japan to enjoy a flowering of its indigenous culture.
Japan opened its ports after signing the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854
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 an ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne
as a symbol of national unity, elected politicians hold actual decision-making
power.
Following three decades of unprecedented growth, Japan's economy
experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s, but the country remains a
major economic power. In March 2011, Japan's strongest-ever earthquake, and
an accompanying tsunami, devastated the northeast part of Honshu island, killing
thousands and damaging several nuclear power plants. The catastrophe hobbled
the country's economy and its energy infrastructure, and tested its ability to deal
with humanitarian disasters.
GEOGRAPHY
Location: Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the
Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
Area: total: 377,915 sq km (country comparison to the world: 62)
Coastline: 29,751 km
Climate: varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous
Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish
Note: with virtually no energy natural resources, Japan is the world's largest
importer of coal and liquefied natural gas, as well as the second largest importer
of oil
Natural hazards: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic
occurrences (mostly tremors but occasional severe earthquakes) every year;
tsunamis; typhoons
Note: 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
PEOPLE AND SOCIETY
Nationality: Japanese (singular and plural)
Ethnic groups: Japanese 98.5%, Koreans 0.5%, Chinese 0.4%, other 0.6%
Languages: Japanese
Religions: Shintoism 83.9%, Buddhism 71.4%, Christianity 2%, other 7.8%
Note: total adherents exceeds 100% because many people belong to both
Shintoism and Buddhism (2005)
Population: 127,103,388 (July 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 11
Note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of excess mortality
due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality,
higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution
of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected.
Population growth rate: -0.13% (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 210
Birth rate: 8.07 births/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the
world: 222
Death rate: 9.38 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the
world: 58
Urban population: 91.3% of total population (2011)
Rate of urbanization: 0.57% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Major urban areas - population: TOKYO (capital) 37.217 million; Osaka-Kobe
11.494 million; Nagoya 3.328 million; Fukuoka-Kitakyushu 2.868 million; Sapporo
2.742 million; Sendai 2.428 million (2011)
Physicians density: 2.14 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
Education expenditures: 3.8% of GDP (2010) country comparison to the world:
115
Literacy: 99%
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): 15 years
GOVERNMENT
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Japan
local long form: Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku
local short form: Nihon/Nippon
Government type: a parliamentary government with a constitutional monarchy
Capital: Tokyo
geographic coordinates: 35 41 N, 139 45 E
time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Independence: 3 May 1947 (current constitution adopted as amendment to Meiji
Constitution)
Note: notable earlier dates: 660 B.C. (traditional date of the founding of the
nation by Emperor JIMMU); 29 November 1890 (Meiji Constitution provides for
constitutional monarchy)
National holiday: Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)
Head of government: Prime Minister Shinzo ABE (since 26 December 2012);
Deputy Prime Minister Taro ASO (since 26 December 2012)
Flag description: white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in
the center
National symbol(s): red sun disc; chrysanthemum
National anthem: "Kimigayo" (The Emperor"s Reign)
Note: adopted 1999; in use as unofficial national anthem since 1883; oldest
anthem lyrics in the world, dating to the 10th century or earlier; there is some
opposition to the anthem because of its association with militarism and worship
of the emperor
