JAPAN

CAPITAL Tokyo
FORM OF GOVERNMENT Constitutional Monarchy
AREA 145,913 sq mi (377,915 sq km
POPULATION 125,507,472 (July 2020 est.)
LANGUAGE Nihongo
MONEY Yen

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 an economic
power. In March 2011, Japan's strongest-ever earthquake, and an accompanying tsunami, devastated the northeast
part of Honshu island, killed thousands, and damaged several nuclear power plants. The catastrophe hobbled the
country's economy and its energy infrastructure, and tested its ability to deal with humanitarian disasters. Prime
Minister Shinzo ABE was reelected to office in December 2012, and has since embarked on ambitious economic and
security reforms to improve Japan's economy and bolster the country's international standing .

GEOGRAPHY

Japan is an archipelago of some 6,852 islands located in a volcanic zone on the Pacific Ring of Fire. A nearly
continuous series of ocean trenches, volcanic arcs and shifting tectonic plates, the Pacific Ring of Fire accounts for
more than 75 percent of the world’s active volcanoes and 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes.
Japan’s four main islands, Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, make up 97 percent of the country’s total land
area. Honshu is home to Tokyo and many of Japan’s other largest cities, including Yokahama, Osaka, Nagoya, Kobe,
Kyoto, Kawasaki, Saitama, Hiroshima and Sendai.
Hokkaido, the second largest Japanese island and northernmost prefecture, accounts for nearly a quarter of Japan’s
arable land.  Hokkaido leads Japan’s other 46 prefectures in the production of seafood and a host of agricultural
products, including soybeans (the key ingredient for tofu and all things miso), wheat, corn, beef and raw milk.  
Sapporo, Hokkaido’s capital and largest city, hosts the annual Sapporo Snow Festival, which regularly draws more
than 2 million visitors to the spectacular exhibition of some 400 snow and ice sculptures.
Kyushu, the third largest and most southern of Japan’s four main islands, is the site of Japan’s most active volcano,
Mt. Aso, and several cities with important historical, political and commercial significance, including Nagasaki,
Kagoshima and Fukuoka.

PEOPLE
No country is immune to stereotypes and generalizations. However, opinions about a country and their
inhabitants are not always negative. In fact, Japan has many positive attributes.

One may say the Japanese are formal, disciplined, and are bound by traditions and rituals. Nonetheless, there is so
much more in depth regarding these characteristics.
  Many have heard of the traditional greeting in Japan, which is bowing during any given exchange. Greetings
are very formal and ritualized in Japan. It is important to display the correct amount of respect based upon
their status relative to your own. Although this may be true, handshakes are common in Japan as well, which
is expected from foreigners.

 Japan’s society is organized into a hierarchy. The Japanese people are very conscious about one’s age and
status, be it in a social or business situation. Traditionally, seniority has been the main qualification for a
higher rank. It is emphasized in Japan that younger people show respect and deference when socializing with
their seniors.

 In the light of, students at school learn to address their older peers as “senpai” or junior to them “kohai”.
Likewise, the oldest person in a group is treated with reverence and honor. You may be viewed as rude if you
were to use informal language towards someone of a senior status.

 Japanese people value harmony. It is a guided philosophy placing great emphasis on personal responsibility,
politeness, and working together as a universal. As a matter of fact, Japanese students would rather work in
groups and share ideas than voice their opinions alone.

 Since there is need for harmonious relationships between people, it is reflected upon Japanese behavior.
Japanese people rely on facial expressions, tone of voice, and posture to tell someone how they feel. Non-
verbal communication is often trusted more than the spoken word, since words can have several meanings.

 There is a concept called “saving face” in which Japanese people believe is crucial in their society. It is a mark
of personal dignity and having high status with one’s peers.

 Another highly ritualistic and meaningful custom in Japan is the gift giving etiquette. Gifts are given in many
occasions, such as visiting another person’s house. Food like small cakes or nice quality chocolates are usually
good gift ideas. To the Western mindset, this can be seen as being kind and polite.

 In business and social settings, punctuality is a must. Time management is important in Japan. It is courteous
to show up to a business meeting or social gathering early or on time.

 Japanese people value harmony and etiquette; they have a highly structured and traditional society. On the
contrary, this is conventional enlightenment on Japanese society and culture, and is not meant to stereotype
every Japanese person.

 Japan's principal religions are Shinto and Buddhism ; most Japanese practice both faiths. While the
development of Shinto was radically altered by the influence of Buddhism, which was brought from China in
the 6th cent., Jodo, Shingon, Nichiren, and other Japanese varieties of Buddhism also developed.

GOVERNMENT

The current Japanese constitution was promulgated in the year 1946 during the occupation by the Allied
powers:

The Emperor does not have any effective power but is only the symbol of the state.

1. Legislature: The Japanese parliament is called the Diet. It consists of the House of Representatives and the
House of Councillors. The members of the Diet are elected by the Japanese people.
2. Executive: The cabinet is headed by the Prime Minister. The cabinet further consists of the ministers which
are appointed by the prime minister and are usually members of the Diet. The prime minister is elected by
the Diet.
3. Judiciary: The highest court is the Supreme Court. Other courts are district courts, high courts, family courts,
and summary courts. Judges are appointed by the cabinet.
 4. Elections: The minimum voting age is 19 years. Women received the right to vote with the postwar
constitution. Elections for the House of Representatives are carried out every four years, and half of the
House of Councillors is elected every three years. Beside the national elections there are prefectural and
municipal elections.
5. Defense: The constitution prohibits Japan to maintain military forces and to lead war. Despite the anti-war
clause, the National Police Reserve was established in 1950 during the occupation of Japan by the Allied
powers (1945-1952) as a replacement for American troops sent to the Korean War. The National Police
Reserve was transformed into the Self Defense Force by the Japanese government in 1954.

ECONOMY

Japan is among the world's most literate and technically advanced nations; its economy is a highly developed free-
market economy and the third-largest in the world by nominal GDP. Japan is ranked 7th in the 2018 Best Countries
survey power ranking. But Japan is also the most indebted country in the world, with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 235%.
The nation's main export goods are cars, consumer electronics, computers, semiconductors, copper, iron, and steel.
Other key industries in Japan are petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, bio-industry, shipbuilding, aerospace, textiles,
cosmetics, and processed food.

Agriculture - products :

vegetables, rice, fish, poultry, fruit, dairy products, pork, beef, flowers, potatoes/taros/yams, sugarcane, tea,
legumes, wheat and barley

Industries :

among world's largest and most technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, electronic equipment,
machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods

Power

The rate of Japan’s consumption of energy leveled off in the mid-1990s, after having increased steadily for decades.
Per capita consumption of electricity is comparable to that for most industrialized countries, but that for oil and
natural gas is considerably lower. The largest single source of energy is oil; almost the entire demand is satisfied
through imports, an important share of which comes from fields developed by Japanese companies. Coal, largely
imported, constitutes a much smaller proportion of overall consumption. Gas production is greatest for natural gas
and liquefied natural gas and in terms of energy output is comparable to that for coal.

Transportation:

 Railways
 Highways
 Waterways
 Ports and terminals
 Airports

Military and security forces:

o Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD):

o Ground Self-Defense Force (Rikujou Jieitai, GSDF; includes aviation),
o Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jieitai, MSDF; includes naval aviation),
o Air Self-Defense Force (Koukuu Jieitai, ASDF);
o Japan Coast Guard (Ministry of Land, Transport, Infrastructure and Tourism) (2019)

Military service age and obligation:

  18 years of age for voluntary military service;
 no conscription;
 mandatory retirement at age 53 for senior enlisted personnel and at 62 years for senior service
officers (2012)

TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES

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;
 the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands are also claimed by China and Taiwan

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

 stateless persons: 709 (2018)