Country profile

Physical
geography
Japan
Japan is a country of islands surrounded by the
sea. 71% of the country is mountainous. Japan
has clear 4 seasons, and it is famous for its
sakura blossom in spring. Its natural resources
are mainly fish and negligible mineral
resources. Therefore, Japan is the world's
largest importer of coal and liquefied natural
gas, and the second largest importer of oil.

Education and
culture
The Japanese school system is comprised of
six-year elementary schools, three-year
junior high schools, and three-year high
schools, followed by two- or three-year
junior colleges or four-year colleges.
Compulsory education lasts for nine years
through elementary and junior high
school. Special education system is
developed for students with special needs.

Gender roles
Men should work outside the home
Genders should be brought up
differently
Women are more suited to household
work and child-rearing than men.
Full-time housewives are valuable to
society because of their family-raising
role.
Women wearing make-up is a
representation of politeness in
workplace
Health care
All Japanese citizens are required by law to
have personal health insurance. Patients
pay up to 30% of the total medical cost, and
the government covers the rest. Access to
medical services is often abused, with many
patients seeking emergency care for mild or
minor illnesses.

Customs and
traditions
Customs and politeness hold great
importance in Japan. Among the common
customs are bowing, gift-giving, table
manners, and shoes. Bowing is a daily
custom, and a deeper, longer bow indicates
sincere respect, while a small nod is more
casual and informal.

Holidays and
festivals
The most significant festival in Japan is New
Year ( 新年 ), and many businesses close until
January 3rd. In Japan, young people
成人式
celebrate their coming of age ( ),
which represents adulthood. Japan's
National Foundation Day ( 建国記念の
日 ) is on February 11th.