-Japan is an island country in East Asia.

- Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of

China, Korea, and Russia, stretching from the Sea of
Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea in the south.

-The characters that make up Japan's name literally

means "Sun's Origin", and Japan is also alternatively
referred to as "The Land of the Rising Sun." Its capital
is Tokyo.
 Country Statistics
- 77,872 square kilometres (145,898 sq mi)
- Japan is the 62nd largest country by area. It encompasses over 3,000
islands, the largest of which are Honshū, Hokkaidō, Kyūshū and
Shikoku.
-Japan has the world's 10th largest population, with nearly 128 million
people. The Greater Tokyo Area, with over 30 million residents, is the
largest metropolitan area in the world.
- Japan is the 19th most densely populated country in the world.

Population Statistics
-Ethnic Makeup
- Japanese – 99%
- Other - 1%
-Religion
- Shinto and Buddhist – 84%
- Other - 16% (includes Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, etc)
 Economy
-Japan’s Free Market economy is ranked 2nd in the world by Market
Exchange Rates, and third after US and China by Purchasing Power
Parity
- Japan has very little natural resources, and relies on other nations for
most of its raw materials.
- Japan is among the world's largest and most technologically advanced
producers of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel
and nonferrous metals, ships, chemical, textiles, and processed foods, and
is home to some of the largest and most well-known multinational
corporations and commercial brands.
- Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for
nearly 15% of the global catch.
- Its main export partners are the US 22.7%, China 13.1%, South Korea
7.8%, Taiwan 7.4% and Hong Kong 6.3%. Japan's main exports are
transport equipment, motor vehicles, electronics, electrical machinery and
chemicals.
- Its main import partners are China 20.7%, US 14%, South Korea 4.9%,
Australia 4.3%, Indonesia 4.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.1%, UAE 4% . Japan's
main imports are machinery and equipment, fossil fuels, foodstuffs (in
particular beef), chemicals, textiles and raw materials for its industries.
 Japanese Society & Culture
-Cuisine
- A basic, traditional Japanese meal consists of white Japanese rice
with accompanying pickles as small appetizers, a bowl of soup, a couple of
selected or combined seafood, meat, egg, and vegetable dishes known as
okazu.
- People start and finish meals with phrases of gratitude.
- Foods, beverages, condiments, and cuisine from Japan, such as
sushi, sashimi, ramen, sake, wasabi, sukiyaki and teriyaki are recognized
worldwide.

-Music
- Japanese music is eclectic, having borrowed instruments, scales
and styles from neighboring cultures
- Western music, introduced in the late 19th century, now forms an
integral part of the culture, as evident from the profusion of J-Pop artists.
- Karaoke is a favourite hobby for many Japanese, and is a major
method of socialising.
 Japanese Society & Culture continued
-Sports and Recreation
- Beginning in the 12th century Japan developed
traditional martial arts known as budo, which were popular
among the warrior class. These include judo, karate and kendo.
Sumo is sometimes considered Japan's national sport and is one
of its most popular.
- Baseball is the most popular ball game in Japan
- Football, rugby, golf, table tennis, various martial arts,
and fishing are also popular in Japan, as is auto racing, Super
GT sports car series and Formula Nippon formula racing.
 Etiquette & Behaviour
-Exchanging Business Cards (Meishi) is a very formal affair with a
lot of ceremony and importance.
-The Japanese are very conscious of age and status
- Hierarchy is very important, be it within a family, or in a social
or business environment.
- Saving face is Imperative in Japanese Society. Do not cause your
business partner to lose face.
- It is considered disrespectful to stare into another person's eyes,
particularly those of a person who is senior to you because of age
or status.

Hofstede – Power Distance

-Japan is -25
-New Zealand -173