2008 Edition

Background

In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For more than two centuries this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854, Japan opened its ports 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 a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, elected politicians - with heavy input from bureaucrats and business executives - wield actual decisionmaking power. The economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth, but Japan still remains a major economic power, both in Asia and globally.

Area

total: 377,835 sq km land: 374,744 sq km water: 3,091 sq km note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than California

Climate

varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Coastline

29,751 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 88.43 cu km/yr (20%/18%/62%) per capita: 690 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

36 00 N, 138 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location in northeast Asia

Irrigated land

25,920 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 11.64% permanent crops: 0.9% other: 87.46% (2005)

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

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 contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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 note: with virtually no energy natural resources, Japan is the world's largest importer of coal and liquefied natural gas as well as the second largest importer of oil

Terrain

mostly rugged and mountainous

Total renewable water resources

430 cu km (1999)

Age structure

0-14 years: 13.7% (male 8,926,439/female 8,460,629) 15-64 years: 64.7% (male 41,513,061/female 40,894,057) 65 years and over: 21.6% (male 11,643,845/female 15,850,388) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

7.87 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

9.26 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

3.5% of GDP (2005)

Ethnic groups

Japanese 98.5%, Koreans 0.5%, Chinese 0.4%, other 0.6% note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japan in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil (2004)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

12,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

Japanese

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 82.07 years male: 78.73 years female: 85.59 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2002)

Median age

total: 43.8 years male: 42.1 years female: 45.7 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Japanese (singular and plural) adjective: Japanese

Net migration rate

NA (2008 est.)

Population

127,288,416 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.139% (2008 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 15 years (2006)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.22 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Administrative divisions

47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, 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

Capital

name: Tokyo geographic coordinates: 35 41 N, 139 45 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

3 May 1947

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Japan local long form: Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku local short form: Nihon/Nippon

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420 mailing address: Unit 9800, Box 300, APO AP 96303-0300 telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ichiro FUJISAKI chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700

Executive branch

chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Taro ASO (since 24 September 2008) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: Diet designates prime minister; constitution requires that prime minister commands parliamentary majority; following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition in House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister; monarch is hereditary

FAX

[1] (202) 328-2187 consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Agana (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, Seattle

[81] (03) 3505-1862 consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya

Flag description

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

Government type

constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government

Independence

660 B.C. (traditional founding by Emperor JIMMU)

International organization participation

ADB, AfDB (nonregional members), APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

modeled after German 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 (242 seats - members elected for six-year terms; half reelected every three years; 146 members in multi-seat constituencies and 96 by proportional representation) and the 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) elections: House of Councillors - last held 29 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2010); House of Representatives - last held 11 September 2005 (next election by September 2009) election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPJ 109, LDP 83, Komeito 20, JCP 7, SDP 5, others 18 House of Representatives - percent of vote by party (in single-seat constituencies) - LDP 47.8%, DPJ 36.4%, others 15.8%; seats by party - LDP 296, DPJ 113, Komeito 31, JCP 9, SDP 7, others 24 (2007)

National holiday

Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Ichiro OZAWA]; Japan Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII]; Komeito [Akihiro OTA]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Taro ASO]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Mizuho FUKUSHIMA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

other: business groups; trade unions

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $1.462 trillion expenditures: $1.567 trillion (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

0.75% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

1.88% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

yen (JPY)

Currency code

JPY

Current account balance

$210.5 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$1.492 trillion (30 June 2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

38.1 (2002)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $11.19 billion (2006)

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 the third-largest economy in the world after the US and China, measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. One notable characteristic of the economy has been how manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors have worked together 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 have now eroded. Japan's industrial sector is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The tiny 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 55% of its food on a caloric basis. 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 after effects of overinvestment and an asset price bubble during the late 1980s that required a protracted period of time for firms to reduce excess debt, capital, and labor. From 2000 to 2001, government efforts to revive economic growth proved short lived and were hampered by the slowing of the US, European, and Asian economies. In 2002-07, growth improved and the lingering fears of deflation in prices and economic activity lessened, leading the central bank to raise interest rates to 0.25% in July 2006, up from the near 0% rate of the six years prior, and to 0.50% in February 2007. In addition, the 10-year privatization of Japan Post, which has functioned not only as the national postal delivery system but also, through its banking and insurance facilities as Japan's largest financial institution, was completed in October 2007, marking a major milestone in the process of structural reform. Nevertheless, Japan's huge government debt, which totals 182% of GDP, and the aging of the population are two major long-run problems. Some fear that a rise in taxes could endanger the current economic recovery. Debate also continues on the role of and effects of reform in restructuring the economy, particularly with respect to increasing income disparities.

Electricity - consumption

982.5 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

1.082 trillion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 60% hydro: 8.4% nuclear: 29.8% other: 1.8% (2001)

Exchange rates

yen (JPY) per US dollar - 117.99 (2007), 116.18 (2006), 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004), 115.93 (2003)

Exports

$678.1 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical machinery, chemicals

Exports - partners

US 20.4%, China 15.3%, South Korea 7.6%, Taiwan 6.3%, Hong Kong 5.4% (2007)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 1.4% industry: 26.5% services: 72% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$33,500 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.384 trillion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$4.272 trillion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 4.8% highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)

Imports

$573.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, raw materials

Imports - partners

China 20.5%, US 11.6%, Saudi Arabia 5.7%, UAE 5.2%, Australia 5%, South Korea 4.4%, Indonesia 4.2% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

1.3% (2007 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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.1% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

23.2% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

66.69 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 4.6% industry: 27.8% services: 67.7% (2004)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$4.737 trillion (2005)

Natural gas - consumption

100.3 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

95.62 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

3.729 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

20.9 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Oil - consumption

5.007 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - exports

168,800 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

5.47 million bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

129,800 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

44.12 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

170% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$954.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$533.1 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$110.8 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$9.653 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$4.37 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$4.783 trillion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

3.8% (2007 est.)

Internet country code

.jp

Internet hosts

39.909 million (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

73 (2000)

Internet users

88.11 million (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

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

Radios

120.5 million (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: excellent domestic and international service domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of every kind international: country code - 81; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; 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

Telephones - main lines in use

51.232 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular

107.339 million (2007)

Television broadcast stations

211 (plus 7,341 repeaters); in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services (1999)

Televisions

86.5 million (1997)

Airports

176 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 145 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 40 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 29 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 31 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 27 (2007)

Heliports

14 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 683 by type: bulk carrier 136, cargo 30, carrier 3, chemical tanker 27, container 11, liquefied gas 59, passenger 12, passenger/cargo 135, petroleum tanker 156, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 51, vehicle carrier 61 registered in other countries: 3,074 (Australia 1, Bahamas 87, Belize 8, Bermuda 2, Burma 1, Cambodia 1, Cayman Islands 13, China 2, Cyprus 21, France 1, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 111, Indonesia 6, Isle of Man 6, Italy 1, South Korea 20, Liberia 116, Malaysia 4, Malta 8, Marshall Islands 17, Nigeria 1, Norway 29, Panama 2335, Philippines 81, Portugal 15, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Singapore 131, Thailand 4, UK 4, US 7, Vanuatu 29, Vietnam 1, unknown 1) (2008)

Pipelines

gas 3,939 km; oil 170 km; oil/gas/water 104 km (2007)

Ports and terminals

Chiba, Kawasaki, Kobe, Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo, Tomakomai, Yohohama

Railways

total: 23,474 km standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified) narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 20,182 km 1.067-m gauge (13,334 km electrified); 11 km 0.762-m gauge (11 km electrified) (2006)

Roadways

total: 1,196,999 km paved: 949,101 km (includes 7,383 km of expressways) unpaved: 247,898 km (2006)

Waterways

1,770 km (seagoing vessels use inland seas) (2007)

Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD)

Ground Self-Defense Force (Rikujou Jietai, GSDF), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jietai, MSDF), Air Self-Defense Force (Koku Jieitai, ASDF) (2008)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 27,819,804 females age 16-49: 26,863,794 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 22.963 million females age 16-49: 22,134,127 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 622,168 female: 590,153 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures

0.8% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

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; China and Taiwan dispute both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon prospecting This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008