2009 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. In January 2009, Japan assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2009-10 term.

Area

total: 377,915 sq km country comparison to the world: 61 land: 364,485 sq km water: 13,430 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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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: 13.5% (male 8,804,465/female 8,344,800) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 41,187,425/female 40,533,876) 65 years and over: 22.2% (male 11,964,694/female 16,243,419) (2009 est.)

Birth rate

7.64 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 222

Death rate

9.54 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Education expenditures

3.5% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 128

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.) country comparison to the world: 153

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

9,600 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Infant mortality rate

total: 2.79 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 221 male: 2.99 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages

Japanese

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 82.12 years country comparison to the world: 3 male: 78.8 years female: 85.62 years (2009 est.)

Literacy

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

Median age

total: 44.2 years male: 42.4 years female: 46.1 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: Japanese (singular and plural) adjective: Japanese

Net migration rate

NA (2009 est.)

Population

127,078,679 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Population growth rate

-0.191% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 218

Religions

Shintoism 83.9%, Buddhism 71.4%, Christianity 2%, other 7.8% note: total adherents exceeds 100% because many people belong to both Shintoism and Buddhism (2005)

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: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.21 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 217

Urbanization

urban population: 66% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 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 James V. ROOS 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 Yukio HATOYAMA (since 16 September 2009); Deputy Prime Minister Naoto KAN (since 16 September 2009) 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: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Agana (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, Seattle consulate(s): Anchorage, Nashville

[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

a parliamentary government with a constitutional monarchy

Independence

660 B.C. (traditional date of the founding of the nation by Emperor JIMMU; first recognized by Emperor Meiji in 1873)

International organization participation

ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, G-20, 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 fixed 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 maximum four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180 members by proportional representation in 11 regional blocs); the prime minister has the right to dissolve the House of Representatives at any time with the concurrence of the cabinet. elections: House of Councillors - last held 29 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2010); House of Representatives - last held 30 August 2009 (next to be held by August 2013) 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) - DPJ 42.4%, LDP 26.7%, Komeito 11.5%, JCP 7.0%, SDP 4.3%, others 8.1%; seats by party - DPJ 308, LDP 119, Komeito 21, JCP 9, SDP 7, others 16 (2009)

National holiday

Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Yukio HATOYAMA]; Japan Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII]; Komeito [Natsuo YAMAGUCHI]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Sadakazu TANIGAKI]; 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: $1.72 trillion expenditures: $1.788 trillion (2008 est.)

Central bank discount rate

0.3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 135 0.75% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

1.91% (31 December 2008)

Current account balance

$156.6 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $210.5 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$2.231 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 9 $1.768 trillion (31 December 2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

38.1 (2002) country comparison to the world: 74 24.9 (1993)

Economy - overview

In the years following World War II, 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 speed to the rank of second most technologically powerful economy in the world after the US. Today, measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis, Japan is the third-largest economy in the world after the US and China. Two notable characteristic of the post-war economy were the close interlocking structures of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors, known as keiretsu, and the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force. Both features are now eroding under the dual pressures of global competition and domestic demographic change. Japan's industrial sector is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. A tiny agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self sufficient in rice, Japan imports about 60% 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 inefficient investment and an asset price bubble in the late 1980s that required a protracted period of time for firms to reduce excess debt, capital, and labor. In October 2007 Japan's longest post-war period of economic expansion ended after 69 months and Japan entered into recession in 2008, with 2009 marking a return to near 0% interest rates. 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. The Japanese financial sector was not heavily exposed to sub-prime mortgages or their derivative instruments and weathered the initial effect of the global credit crunch, but a sharp downturn in business investment and global demand for Japan's exports in late 2008 pushed Japan further into a recession. Japan's huge government debt, which totals 170% of GDP, and the aging of the population are two major long-run problems. Debate continues on the role of and effects of reform in restructuring the economy.

Electricity - consumption

1.007 trillion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

1.058 trillion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Exchange rates

yen (JPY) per US dollar - 103.58 (2008 est.), 117.99 (2007), 116.18 (2006), 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004)

Exports

$746.5 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 $678.1 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 17.8%, China 16%, South Korea 7.6%, Hong Kong 5.1% (2008)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 1.5% industry: 26.3% services: 72.3% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$34,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $34,300 (2007 est.) $33,500 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

-0.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 204 2.3% (2007 est.) 2% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.911 trillion (2008 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$4.34 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 $4.37 trillion (2007 est.) $4.272 trillion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$708.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 $573.3 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

China 18.9%, US 10.4%, Saudi Arabia 6.7%, Australia 6.2%, UAE 6.1%, Indonesia 4.3% (2008)

Industrial production growth rate

-2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

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)

1.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 0.1% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

23% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Labor force

66.5 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 4.4% industry: 27.9% services: 66.4% (2005)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 4 $4.453 trillion (31 December 2007) $4.726 trillion (31 December 2006)

Natural gas - consumption

101.1 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 166

Natural gas - imports

95.39 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Natural gas - production

5.36 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Natural gas - proved reserves

20.9 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Oil - consumption

4.785 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Oil - exports

268,300 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Oil - imports

5.263 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 3

Oil - production

133,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Oil - proved reserves

44.12 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

172.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 164.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.011 trillion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2 $954.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$663.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 $533.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$135.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 $110.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$12.34 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 3 $9.653 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$5.417 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 2 $4.37 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$6.16 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 2 $4.783 trillion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 3.8% (2007 est.)

Internet country code

.jp

Internet hosts

47.249 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 2

Internet users

90.91 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 3

Radio broadcast stations

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

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

47.579 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 4

Telephones - mobile cellular

110.395 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 7

Television broadcast stations

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

Airports

176 (2009) country comparison to the world: 34

Airports - with paved runways

total: 144 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 42 1,524 to 2,437 m: 40 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 27 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 32 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 28 (2009)

Heliports

15 (2009)

Merchant marine

total: 683 country comparison to the world: 16 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 3,862 km; oil 167 km; oil/gas/water 53 km (2008)

Ports and terminals

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

Railways

total: 23,506 km country comparison to the world: 11 standard gauge: 3,437 km 1.435-m gauge (3,319 km electrified) narrow gauge: 20,059 km 1.067-m gauge (11,842 km electrified); 11 km 0.762-m gauge (11 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways

total: 1,196,999 km country comparison to the world: 5 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) country comparison to the world: 47

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) (2009)

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: 22,757,136 females age 16-49: 21,920,703 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 621,254 female: 589,270 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures

0.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 150

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/Dokdo) 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 page last updated on November 11, 2009