2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi

Age structure

0-14 years: 14.4% (male 9,368,132; female 8,906,024) 15-64 years: 67% (male 42,852,204; female 42,368,109) 65 years and over: 18.6% (male 9,945,638; female 13,774,392) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs; fish

Airports

172 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 37 914 to 1,523 m: 27

total

141

under 914 m

32 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 38

Airports - with unpaved runways

over 3047 m

1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

total

31

under 914 m

26 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 3

Area

land

374,744 sq km

note

includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)

total

377,835 sq km

water

3,091 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than California

Background

While retaining its time-honored culture, Japan rapidly absorbed Western technology during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After its defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and business executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth. Geography Japan

Birth rate

9.61 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$718 billion, including capital expenditures (public works only) of about $0 NA (FY 01/02 est.)

revenues

$441 billion

Capital

Tokyo

Climate

varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Coastline

29,751 km

Constitution

3 May 1947

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Japan

Currency

yen (JPY)

Currency code

JPY

Death rate

8.55 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$NA

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Howard H. BAKER, Jr.

embassy

10-5 Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420

mailing address

Unit 45004, Box 258, APO AP 96337-5004

telephone

[81] (03) 3224-5000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Ryozo KATO

Disputes - international

islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do) disputed with South Korea; Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Tai) claimed by China and Taiwan This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Distribution of family income - Gini index

24.9 (1993)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $9.1 billion (1999)

Economy - overview

Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of second-most-technologically-powerful economy in the world after the US and third-largest economy after the US and China. One notable characteristic of the economy is the working together of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely-knit groups called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force. Both features are now eroding. Industry, the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50% of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades overall real economic

growth had been spectacular

a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the aftereffects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative excesses from the stock and real estate markets. Government efforts to revive economic growth have met with little success and were further hampered in 2000-2003 by the slowing of the US, European, and Asian economies. Japan's huge government debt, which is approaching 150% of GDP, and the ageing of the population are two major long-run problems. Robotics constitutes a key long-term economic strength with Japan possessing 410,000 of the world's 720,000 "working robots." Internal conflict over the proper way to reform the ailing banking system continues.

Electricity - consumption

964.2 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

1.037 trillion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

60%

hydro

8.4%

nuclear

29.8%

other

1.8% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Fuji 3,776 m

lowest point

Hachiro-gata -4 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Ethnic groups

Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 511,262, Chinese 244,241, Brazilian 182,232, Filipino 89,851, other 237,914) (2000)

Exchange rates

yen per US dollar - 125.39 (2002), 121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000), 113.91 (1999), 130.91 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

chief of state

Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary; the Diet designates the prime minister; the constitution requires that the prime minister must command a parliamentary majority; therefore, following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister

head of government

Prime Minister Junichiro KOIZUMI (since 26 April 2001)

note

following the resignation of Prime Minister Yoshiro MORI, Junichiro KOIZUMI was elected as the new president of the majority Liberal Democratic Party and soon thereafter designated by the Diet to become the next prime minister

Exports

$383.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

motor vehicles, semiconductors, office machinery, chemicals

Exports - partners

US 28.8%, China 9.6%, South Korea 6.9%, Taiwan 6.2%, Hong Kong 6.1% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 328-2187

[81] (03) 3505-1862

chancery

2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

consulate(s)

Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)

consulate(s)

Fukuoka, Nagoya

consulate(s) general

Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City (Missouri), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, and Seattle

consulate(s) general

Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo

telephone

[1] (202) 238-6700

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March Communications Japan

Flag description

white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center Economy Japan

GDP

purchasing power parity - $3.651 trillion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

1.4%

industry

30.9%

services

67.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $28,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

0.2% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

36 00 N, 138 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location in northeast Asia People Japan

Government type

constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government

Heliports

15 (2002) Military Japan

Highways

paved

534,471 km (including 6,455 km of expressways)

total

1,161,894 km

unpaved

627,423 km (1999)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

430 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

12,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

21.7% (1993)

lowest 10%

4.8%

Imports

$292.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, raw materials (2001)

Imports - partners

China 18.3%, US 17.4%, South Korea 4.6%, Indonesia 4.2%, Australia 4.1% (2002)

Independence

660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)

Industrial production growth rate

-1.4% (2002 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

3.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

3.56 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.9% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

ABEDA, AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Internet country code

.jp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

73 (2000)

Internet users

56 million (2002) Transportation Japan

Irrigated land

26,790 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the cabinet)

Labor force

67.7 million (December 2001)

Labor force - by occupation

services 70%, industry 25%, agriculture 5% (2002 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

12.13%

other

86.86% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

1.01%

Languages

Japanese

Legal system

modeled after European civil law system with English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Legislative branch

bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or Sangi-in (247 seats - members elected for six-year terms; half reelected every three years; 149 members in multi-seat constituencies and 98 by proportional representation); House of Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - members elected for four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180 members by proportional representation in 11 regional blocs)

election results

House of Councillors - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LDP 110, DPJ 59, Komeito 23, JCP 20, SDP 8, Liberal Party 8, Conservative Party 5, independents 14; distribution

elections

House of Councillors - last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held in July 2004); House of Representatives - last held 9 November 2003 (next election has not been scheduled)

of seats as of July 2001 was

LDP 115, DPJ 60, Komeito 24, JCP 20, SDP 8, Liberal Party 8 (merged with DPJ in 2003), independents 6, others 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - LDP 49.38%, DPJ 36.88%, Komeito 7.09%, JCP 1.88%, SDP 1.25%, NCP .84%; seats by party - LDP 237, DPJ 177, Komeito 34, JCP 9, SDP 6, NCP 4, others 13; distribution of seats as of 13 November 2003 was: LDP 244, DPJ 177, Komeito 34, JCP 9, SDP 6, others 10

Life expectancy at birth

female

84.41 years (2003 est.)

male

77.63 years

total population

80.93 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

NA% Government Japan

male

NA%

total population

99% (1995 est.)

Location

Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 NM

exclusive economic zone

200 NM

territorial sea

12 NM; between 3 NM and 12 NM in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait

Median age

female

43.8 years (2002)

male

40.3 years

total

42 years

Merchant marine

convenience

China 1, Panama 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.)

note

includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

ships by type

bulk 120, cargo 45, chemical tanker 18, combination bulk 28, combination ore/oil 1, container 18, liquefied gas 52, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 179, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 59, short-sea passenger 6, vehicle carrier 49

total

594 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,467,142 GRT/13,335,833 DWT

Military branches

Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Navy), Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force), Coast Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$39.52 billion (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1% (FY02) Transnational Issues Japan

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

29,392,559 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

25,405,779 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

725,281 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)

Nationality

adjective

Japanese

noun

Japanese (singular and plural)

Natural gas - consumption

80.42 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

77.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

2.519 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

20.02 billion cu m (37257)

Natural hazards

many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons

Natural resources

negligible mineral resources, fish

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

5.29 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

93,360 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

5.449 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

17,330 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

29.29 million bbl (37257)

Pipelines

gas 2,719 km; oil 170 km; oil/gas/water 60 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Naoto KAN, leader; Katsuya OKADA, secretary general]; Japan Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII, chairman; Tadayoshi ICHIDA, secretary general]; Komeito [Takenori KANZAKI, president; Tetsuzo FUYUSHIBA, secretary general]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Junichiro KOIZUMI, president; Shinzo ABE, secretary general]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Mizuho FUKUSHIMA, chairperson; Seiji MATAICHI, secretary general]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

127,214,499 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.11% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Akita, Amagasaki, Chiba, Hachinohe, Hakodate, Higashi-Harima, Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kinuura, Kobe, Kushiro, Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Sakai, Sakaide, Shimizu, Tokyo, Tomakomai

Radio broadcast stations

AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485 repeaters, shortwave 21 (2001)

Radios

120.5 million (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 19,855 km 1.067-m gauge (12,683 km electrified); 31 km 0.762-m gauge (31 km electrified) (2002)

standard gauge

3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified)

total

23,168 km (15,995 km electrified)

Religions

observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

high level of modern technology and excellent service of every kind

general assessment

excellent domestic and international service

international

satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US (via Guam) (1999)

Telephones - main lines in use

60.381 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

63.88 million (2000)

Television broadcast stations

211 plus 7,341 repeaters

note

in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services (1999)

Televisions

86.5 million (1997)

Terrain

mostly rugged and mountainous

Total fertility rate

1.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.4% (2002)

Waterways

1,770 km approximately

note

seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas