Countries of the World Research Questions

(As you find your answers, you should type them in the
appropriate box so you can transfer them to your PowerPoint
later. Don’t forget to keep track of your References as you go!)

My Country is: Japan

Introduction/General ● Introduce your country.
My father works for the
Information
manufacturing plant of Toyota,
and brings home various
stories and facts about the
people and culture of Japan.
This lead me to be interested
in researching Japan. I
thought this to be a perfect
opportunity to learn and share
more about this intriguing
place.
● Where in the world is it
located?
Japan is in Eastern Asia;
located west of the North
Pacific Ocean.
● Which languages are spoken?
Japanese is the primarily
spoken language in Japan.
Although, the modern
Japanese we know today has
been influenced by English
and the Chinese languages.
● What is the current
population?
As of 2018, the population of
Japan is 126.8 million.
Geography ● List some physical features.
and Climate Japan is made up of Islands. It has
hilly terrain with many mountains;
including the famous Mount Fuji.
● Where do most people live?
The most populated area of Japan
is Tokyo-Yokohama; with 35 million
people living there. This is 27% of
Japan’s population.
● What is the climate like?
Japan’s weather usually consists of
high humidity and rainfall; with not
too cold winters.

Government and ● What type of government does the

country have?
Economics
Japan has a unitary government,
and a constitutional monarchy.
Japan currently has an emperor and
prime minister.
● Who is the current leader?
The emperor of Japan is Akihito,
and the prime minister is Shinzō
Abe.
● Describe the economy.
Japan has a free market economy.
It is second in the rank of the world's
largest developed economies.
● What are some major exports?
Japan is a big producer of rice and
high tech products.

Food and Drink ● What are some traditional foods that

are still enjoyed today?
Some of the traditional dishes that
can be found in Japan include…
yakitori (Japanese style chicken
skewers), tempura (fried seafood),
miso soup, and the most famous;
sushi.
● What are some traditional drinks that
 are still enjoyed today?
One of the more known traditional
refreshments of Japan is green tea.
The national beverage is sake; which
is rice wine. Even with this, the most
popular drink is lager-beer (beer-ru).

Values and Beliefs ● What are the major religions practiced in

the country?
Even though Japan has freedom of
religion, Shinto (followed by Buddhism)
is the most practiced religion in Japan.
● What are their main beliefs?
In the Shinto religion, the people pray
and give offerings to the Kami (gods) to
rid the evil spirits that spread the evil in
the world. In Buddhism, they believe in
Karma, and that anything can change at
any time. They follow the path of
spiritual enlightenment with The Four
Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path.

Family and ● Describe a typical household family

(nuclear, multi-generational, etc?).
Education
The average family unit is three
immediate members that care for the
elder(s).
● How many levels does a typical child
complete in school?
Japan has a 1-12 grade system, but
the vast majority of students attended
college as well. This makes the total
number of levels competed about 15.

Customs and ● What are some traditional

customs that are still practiced
Traditions
today?
When entering certain homes
and establishments you should
take off your shoes. It is a sign
of respect to bow when
greeting one another.
● What holidays do people in the
 country celebrate and how?
Some of the holidays
celebrated in Japan include
Coming of Age (second
Monday of January), Doll’s
Festival (March 3), Respect for
the Aged Day (third Monday of
September), and Labor
Thanksgiving Day (December
23).

Scientific ● What scientific advancements has this

county contributed to the world?
Contributions
Many things we use in today’s society
have been heavily influenced by the
inventions of Japan. Examples of these
inventions include the LED light, optical
fiber, and the DVD and Blu-Ray discs.
● Who are some of the famous scientists
that have come from this country and
what are they famous for?
Some of the most notable scientists
from Japan are Hideki Shirakawa who
discovered conductive polymers,
Eizaburo Nishibori who created the
“Sora” vacuum tube, and Atsumu
Ohmura who discovered the global
dimming theory.

Energy Resources ● Describe the renewable and

nonrenewable energy
resource production and
consumption for your country
○ What is it? How much?
Japan is the second largest
producer of solar energy.
There isn’t much production of
non-renewable resources as
Japan doesn’t have much
supply. Originally, Japan
primarily used nuclear power,
but needed to stop due to
safety hazards. As of 2001,
the most used energy
 resource was oil; at 50.2%.

Interesting Facts ● What are some facts about your country

that you found interesting or weird?
(These must be different from any
other facts on other slides.)
Because of the decreasing population, it
is easier to find adult/elderly diapers in
Japan than it is to find infant.

San Antonio and Japan have such a

good relationship; there are sister cities
of San Antonio located in Japan.

Animal from the Zoo ● What are some unusual or interesting

animals from your country?
The Japanese dwarf flying squirrel,
shima enaga, and the tanuki (yes,
the Mario power-up is based off of an
animal) are some of the strange and
cute animals native to Japan.
● What animal(s) native to your country
or the region of your country did you
find at the zoo?
The most interesting animal from my
region I found at the zoo was the
asian elephant.

Works Cited List of the sources that were used to write

your research paper and to create your
PowerPoint Presentation. Remember -
Google is not a legitimate citation.
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-
languages-are-spoken-in-japan.htm
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.
TOTL
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan
http://www.geography-
site.co.uk/pages/countries/climate/japan_clim
ate.html
https://theculturetrip.com/asia/japan/articles/t
he-10-best-traditional-japanese-dishes/
https://www.insidejapantours.com/japanese-
culture/drink/
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2056.html
https://www.tokyo-
icc.jp/guide_eng/educ/01.html
https://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/g
uides/guide-to-japan-etiquette-customs-
culture-business/
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2062.html
https://doyouknowjapan.com/inventions/
https://m.ranker.com/list/famous-scientists-
from-japan/reference
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_in_Ja
pan#Oil
https://owlcation.com/stem/Top-Ten-Cutest-
Japanese-Wild-Animals
And of course, my father.