●Total Land Area
377,923 square kilometers
(Forests: 66.4%, Farmland: 12.6%)
(2005/2006)*
●Population
127.77 million (2006)*
The 10th largest population in the world (2005)*
●Capital
Tokyo (Population: 12,571,000) (2005)*
●Average Life Expectancy at Birth (2008)*
Male: 79.29 years
Female: 86.05 years
●National Holidays
New Year’s Day January 1
Coming-of-Age Day 2nd Monday of January
National Foundation Day February 11
Vernal Equinox Day around March 21
Showa Day April 29
Constitution Memorial Day May 3
Greenery Day May 4
Children’s Day May 5
Marine Day 3rd Monday of July
Respect for the Aged Day 3rd Monday of September
Autumnal Equinox Day around September 23
Sports Day 2nd Monday of October
Culture Day November 3
Labor Thanksgiving Day November 23
Emperor’s Birthday December 23
●National Flag and Anthem
The national flag of Japan is known as hi-no-maru, a crimson disc that symbolizes the sun in the center of a white field. The words of the Japanese anthem Kimigayo are based on a waka poem written more than 1000 years ago. It expresses the desire for national prosperity and eternal peace.
●Climate*
The Japanese archipelago stretches for some 3,000 kilometers on a roughly north-south axis and the climate differs from region to region – subarctic zone climate in the northern region, temperate zone climate in the central and subtropical zone climate in the southern region.
●Gross Domestic Product (2008, World Bank)
US＄ 4,909.27 billions
●GNI per capita (2008, World Bank)
US$ 35,220
●GNI Ranking (2008, World Bank)
Total 57,637,512 (Unit: US$ millions)
U.S.A. 14,466,112
Japan 4,879,171
China 3,899,289
Germany 3,485,674
U.K 2,787,159
France 2,702,180
Italy 2,109,075
Spain 1,456,488
Brazil 1,411,224
Others 20,441,140
●Total Trade Value (2006, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)
Import: US$ 579,010 million
Equipment and machinery: 28.5%, Mineral fuels: 27.7%, Foodstuffs: 8.5%, Chemicals: 7.3%, Textiles: 5.1%
Export: US$ 646,693 million
Equipment and machinery: 68.7%, Chemicals: 9.0%, Metal goods: 7.7%
●Major Trade Partners (2006, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)
Import: Asia (43.6%), Middle East (18.8%), North America (13.4%), EU (10.3%)
Export: Asia (47.5%), North America (24.0%), EU (14.5%)
●Official Development Assistance (ODA) (Net disbursement)
(2006, OECD/DAC)
Total 104.42 (Unit:US$ billions)
U.S.A. 23.53 22.5%
U.K. 12.46 11.9%
Japan 11.19 10.7%
France 10.60 10.2%
Germany 10.43 10.0%
Netherlands 5.45 5.2%
Sweden 3.95 3.8%
Spain 3.81 3.6%
Canada 3.68 3.5%
Italy 3.64 3.5%
Others 15.68 15.1%
●USEFUL LINKS
・Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet
http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/index-e.html
・Ministry of Foreign Affairs
http://www.mofa.go.jp
・Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
http://www.soumu.go.jp/english/index.html
・Web Japan
http://web-japan.org
・Economic and Social Research Institute
http://www.esri.cao.go.jp/index-e.html
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What do you do when someone bows to you?
Bowing is the way you greet people in Japan. When someone bows to you, the general rule is to return the bow. Receiving a bow from someone of higher status means returning a bow that is deeper and longer. Bowing is also used to express appreciation and apologies.
What do you do when you visit a friend's home?
Greetings
If your visit is during the morning hours, you say Ohayo gozai-masu. The proper expression is Kon’nichi-wa if you visit during the afternoon and Komban wa if it is during the evening. Your host will say Ohairi Kudasai, which means "please come in," to invite you to the house. When you step through the front door, you say Ojama shimasu, which literally means " I'm going to get in your way.”
Before Entering
When entering a Japanese home, you always take off your shoes.
Some Useful Japanese Expressions
How do you do? - Hajime-mashite
Thank you - Arigatou
Good bye - Sayonara
Tea Breaks
Many Japanese households have green tea, coffee and black tea and serve guests the beverage of their preference. Japanese people do not drink green tea with sugar or milk. A cup of green tea is often accompanied by sweet Japanese-style confectionery.
At the Table
Each person at the table says Itadakimasu before eating and finishes the meal by saying Gochisosama deshita. Both of these phrases express the appreciation for meal.
In private households, various dishes are generally served individually to each person. Individual servings are placed before each person in their own separate serving dishes in a set pattern (The picture on the right shows one example). Food may also be served on larger plates to be shared by those at the table.
cooked vegetables
vegetables with Japanese dressing
grilled fish
steamed rice
Japanese pickles
soya (miso) soup
Using Chopsticks
The general practice is to hold the rice bowl in your left hand and use your right hand to take food with chopsticks (refer to the picture).
Proper Way of Drinking Alcoholic Beverages
The general rule in drinking is to serve one another in turn rather than serving by themselves. Those in the group will check one another's glasses and serve more as glasses become empty. Japanese people do not only drink sake but also enjoy beer, wine and whiskey.
When Dining Out
Some restaurants display wax imitations of their dishes in the front window. You can make your choice from these imitations or from photos in the menu. Tipping is not necessary in Japan.
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Following the end of WWⅡ in August 1945, Japan began taking steps toward a democratic nation. The Constitution of Japan, which became effective in 1947, is based on three principles: popular sovereignty, respect for fundamental human rights and the renunciation of war. The Constitution also stipulates the independence of the three branches of government - legislative, executive and judicial.
GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE
The Diet (legislative branch) comprises the 480-seat House of Representatives (Lower House) and the 242-seat House of Councillors (Upper House). The executive branch is the Cabinet organized as a parliamentary cabinet system. Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, 12 ministries exist. Judicial power has been granted to the Supreme Court and high courts as well as district and other inferior courts.
THE IMPERIAL FAMILY
The Emperor is the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people and has no governing power. All acts of the Emperor in matters of state are based on cabinet recommendation and approval. The present Emperor, Akihito, acceded to the throne in 1989 as the 125th in the imperial lineage. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko are blessed with three children and four grandchildren.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Japan is actively involved in various activities for the realization of peace, prosperity and stability in the world. While seeking solutions to terrorism, the world economy, environmental protection and other global issues, Japan plays an active role in assuring stability in regional issues that could potentially impact the international community, by strengthening ties and cooperation with the world's major powers with an emphasis on Japan-US relations.
CENTRAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
There are 47 prefectures and a total of about 1,800 cities, towns and villages in Japan (April, 2007)*. Each municipality has its own assembly. Prefectural governors and mayors of cities and towns are chosen by popular vote. The local government system is more of a direct democracy than that of the central government.
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The postwar economy of Japan expanded at a remarkable pace, maintaining an average annual growth rate of 8% from 1953 to 1973, ranking now second in the world after the United States. Though the country suffered various problems stemming from environmental pollution throughout the period of rapid growth in the 1960s, the efforts and enthusiasm of the government, industry and the citizens made it possible for Japan to overcome these problems. The country is now actively involved in environmental issues around the world, by taking advantage of this experience.
INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURE
The period of rapid economic growth in Japan (1950s-80s) was driven primarily by secondary industries such as steel production, shipbuilding, automobiles and electrical equipment manufacturing. The appreciation of the yen beginning in 1985 led many Japanese manufacturers to shift production overseas. 4.3% of the working population is currently engaged in primary industries (agriculture etc.), 27% in secondary industries and 67.7% in service and other tertiary industries (2006)*.
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES
Electrical equipment and automobiles are the two major export industries. 373,481 industrial robots, 40.5% of the world's total, were in service as of the end of 2005. Research and development efforts in biology, chemistry, physics and other fields of advanced technology are being actively pursued. (Japan Robot Association)
AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES
Japan is dependent on foreign imports for its food supply, as the self-sufficiency rate is low, with only 12.6% of the national land used for farming (2005)*. An island nation surrounded by the sea, the people have developed a taste for seafood. The nation ranks fifth in the world, in the total annual catch of fish. (2005, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries)
TRADING
Main exports today include equipment and machinery (electrical equipment, precision equipment and automobiles) while imports include machinery, petroleum products and food. Japan realized a surplus of 170.4 billion US $ in its current account balance in 2005 with foreign reserves amounting to 973 billion US $ as of December 2007. (IMF, Ministry of Finance)
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Although it is said that humans first inhabited the Japanese archipelago more than 10,000 years ago, the origin of the present-day Japanese people is still unknown. A unique culture took shape over the subsequent years while receiving the influence in many ways of China and the Korean Peninsula.
PROTOHISTORY
Rice cultivation and the use of metal tools started in Japan at least as early as 300 BC. A government system centered in the Emperor developed between the 4th and 7th centuries with its capital located in present-day Nara Prefecture.
ARISTOCRACY
Buddhist culture with the strong influence of China flourished in the 8th century. The capital was then moved to the present-day city of Kyoto, where aristocratic rule persisted for a long time. The Tale of Genji, said to be the world's oldest novel, was written around this time.
WARRIOR（SAMURAI）SOCIETY
Later, the warrior class gradually gained in force and seized power by around the end of the 12th century. The Tokugawa Shogunate was established at the beginning of the 17th century, culminating many years of strife and the overturn of many regimes, with its capital in Edo (now Tokyo ). The government of Edo adopted a national seclusion policy of limiting contact with foreign countries. The arrival in Japan of Commodore Perry in 1853 effectively ended the closed-door policy.
MODERN PERIOD
Authority was restored to the Emperor upon the resignation of the Shogun in power in 1867 (known as the Meiji Restoration). Resuming control of state affairs, the new government under the Meiji Emperor promoted westernization policies, including the establishment of a cabinet system, formulation of a constitution, reform of the local government system and a modern education system. Western culture was actively introduced under a policy for the enhancement of the national prosperity and military might.
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The Japanese people have taken much ideas from abroad over the years, including technology, custom and other cultural elements, and developed their unique culture. The Japanese lifestyle today is the mixture of traditional culture with Asian influences and a modern culture reflecting western influences.
TRADITIONAL CULTURE―TEA CEREMONY AND IKEBANA
Both of these art forms share a search for truth through profound principles while mastering rules of propriety and formality. Tea ceremony stresses the spirit of wabi, a desire to be materially simple and spiritually free and full. Both the host and guests cherish the moment of serving and receiving a cup of tea as if they would never again have such an encounter in their lives. In Ikebana, flowers in season are arranged to create an aesthetic balance of flower, vase and the surrounding space.
TRADITIONAL CULTURE―KABUKI, NOH AND KYOGEN
Kabuki is one of the major traditional theatrical arts of Japan originating from a 16th century folk play. All roles in a performance are played by males with gaudy make-up in magnificent costumes on an elaborated stage. Noh features masked actors in luxurious costume and is played with kyogen, comic interludes between acts of Noh, both designated as "masterpieces" by UNESCO.
MODERN CULTURE―POP CULTURE
J-pop, or Japanese pop music, and enka, popular Japanese ballads are the most popular genre of Japanese music. Karaoke, a backing for amateur singers, has now spread in the world. Japanese comics and animations are also familiar to the younger generation in the world. Among popular works are Astro Boy, Doraemon, Pokemon and Tales from Earthsea.
MODERN CULTURE―LITERATURE
There are two Japanese Nobel prize laureates in literature: Yasunari Kawabata and Kenzaburo Oe. The works of young writers such as Haruki Murakami and Banana Yoshimoto have been translated into many languages and enjoy a worldwide readership.
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Life in Japan has changed dramatically after WWⅡ, becoming more westernized. It is a blending of Japanese and western elements, in the areas of food, clothing and housing. Taking food for example, people may eat tempura one day and a hamburger or Chinese noodles on the next day.
HOUSING
Most residences in pre-war Japan were wooden structures with tiled roofs, and virtually all the rooms had tatami mats on the floor. Residential structures today commonly have western-style rooms with wooden floors and, in urban areas, many people live in high-rise multiple-family dwellings.
FOOD
Rice is the staple food in Japan and chopsticks are commonly used. Well-known Japanese dishes include sushi, tempura and soba noodles. Japanese cuisine today offers a broad variety of dishes besides the more traditional fare, incorporating elements from Asia, Europe and North America into the daily diet.
EDUCATION
Every Japanese child receives 9 years of compulsory education - 6 years of elementary school and 3 years of middle school. 97.7% of all Japanese further go to high school (3 years). 49.4% of the high school graduates advance on to higher education at universities and junior colleges (2006)*. The school year begins in April.
SEASONAL PLEASURES
Japan has four clearly distinct seasons and a rich abundance of seasonal leisure activities. In spring, people gather for parties under cherry trees in full bloom while summer is a time for festivals and firework displays. People in yukata (informal Kimono) dance to bonodori songs while tasting a variety of snacks at outdoor food stalls. People go hiking in mountains in autumn to view multicolored autumn leaves. Winter brings bustling activity to ski resorts in the country’s snow belt.
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Popular sports in Japan include Judo, Kendo, Karate and other traditional martial arts as well as sports from abroad such as baseball and soccer. Surfing and yachting enjoy popularity in summertime as well as skiing and snowboarding in winter. In addition, professional baseball, sumo, professional golf and other spectator sports also have a strong following.
SUMO
Sumo is the national sport of Japan with a history of more than 1000 years. Wrestlers with samurai-like hairstyles give one a glimpse of how Japanese must have appeared in the old days. Foreign-born wrestlers have recently been gaining power.
BASEBALL
Baseball is one of the most popular spectator sports in Japan. There are 12 professional teams, 6 in the Central League and 6 in the Pacific League. More and more players are opting for a career in Major League Baseball, following the footsteps of Ichiro and Matsui. Little League Baseball also has an enthusiastic following.
SOCCER
Soccer has won an increasingly large number of fans since the establishment of the Japan Professional Football League, or J. League, in 1992 and, especially, since the FIFA World Cup Soccer games were cohosted by Japan and Korea in 2002.
BUDO (MARTIAL ARTS)
Many Japanese people devote themselves to martial arts such as Judo, Kendo, Karate and Aikido. Judo, literally "the gentle way" in which opponents are overcome by taking advantage of their strength, has gained worldwide popularity and has become well established as an official Olympic event. Following the same path as Judo, Kendo has also succeeded in enlisting aficionados overseas in recent years. Kendo uses bamboo swords and armor-like protective gear.
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Japan is an island country surrounded by the sea consisting of four main islands, Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, as well as thousands of other smaller islands. Mantled by forest cover for the most part, the country is blessed with beautiful scenery in each of the four seasons and a rich cultural heritage nurtured by history and tradition.
SHINKANSEN TRAINS
The Shinkansen trains are bullet trains that operate at speeds of over 200 km/h to a maximum of 300 km/h. First opened in 1964 between Tokyo and Osaka, the service now connects Tokyo with most of the major cities around the country and is favored both for business and sightseeing travel.
① Hokkaido SHIRETOKO
Shiretoko is geographically located in the temperate zone, it is the most southern (lowest latitude) ocean in the world as a seasonal sea ice area. Sea ice, as well as pristine forests and rivers, is the origin of living organisms in Shiretoko and supports its integrated ecosystems.
② Hokkaido SAPPORO SNOW FESTIVAL
About half a century after its inception, this festival attracts more than two million visitors every year from home and abroad. Snow statues and ice sculptures of various sizes and subjects fill the site in the central Sapporo during the seven-day festival in February.
③ Tohoku region NEBUTA (NEPUTA) FESTIVAL
The Nebuta Festival is held every summer in the cities of Aomori and Hirosaki. The festival features a parade of huge lanterns in the shape of historical figures and animals. Hundreds of male and female dancers known as haneto boisterously dance their way through the streets amidst shouts and bellows.
④ Tohoku region SHIRAKAMI MOUNTAINS
This is a mountainous area on the border between Aomori and Akita Prefectures that is the home of the world's most expansive virgin beech forest.
⑤ Kanto region SHRINES AND TEMPLES OF NIKKO
Toshogu Shrine is the mausoleum of Ieyasu Tokugawa, who united the country in the early 17th century and founded the Tokugawa Shogunate (1603-1867). Shrine pavilions splendidly decorated with ornate carvings are surrounded by forest.
⑥ Kanto region TOKYO
Tokyo is the capital as well as the political and economic center of Japan. It couples the features of a modern urban center, with its streets lined with skyscrapers and traditional elements reflecting 400 years of history. Its old name is Edo.
⑦ Chubu region Mt. FUJI
The loftiest mountain in Japan, Mt. Fuji (3776m/12,385ft) is also adorned by a number of beautiful lakes and woodlands. It is a well-proportioned cone-shaped strato-volcano with a long sloping base that has been quiet for about 300 years. The Japanese people have worshiped Mt. Fuji since ancient times as a holy mountain.
⑧ Chubu region HISTORIC VILLAGES OF SHIRAKAWAGO AND GOKAYAMA
Many residents of Shirakawa village in Gifu Prefecture and Kamitama and Taira villages in Toyama Prefecture still live in farmhouses and large homes with steeply-pitched thatched roofs (gassho style), where they maintain a unique traditional lifestyle in a severe climate marked by heavy snowfall.
⑨ Kinki region HISTORIC MONUMENTS OF ANCIENT KYOTO (KYOTO, UJI and OTSU CITIES)
Kyoto served as the center of the imperial court from the 8th century through the end of the 19th century. An area abounding in shrines, temples, gardens and streets representing old eras, it can be regarded as the home of the Japanese culture.
⑩ Kinki region HISTORIC MONUMENTS OF ANCIENT NARA
Nara was the capital of Japan in the 8th century. The city's historic monuments, temples and shrines (such as Todai-ji shown on the left), reflect an era of Buddhist culture. Horyu-ji, in the vicinity of Nara city, is a complex of some 40 temples dating from the 7th and 8th centuries, which includes what are considered to be the world's oldest extant wooden structures.
⑪ Kinki region OSAKA
Osaka originally developed as a commercial city and today ranks along with Tokyo as one of the most important economic centers of Japan. Known for its water and "808 bridges," numerous rivers and canals flow through the urban districts.
⑫ Kinki region KII MOUNTAIN RANGE
Yoshino and Omine, Kumano Sanzan, and Koyasan, the three sacred sites in the Kii Mountains, are linked by pilgrimage routs to the ancient capital cities of Nara and Kyoto. They reflect a unique fusion between Shinto, rooted in the ancient tradition of nature worship, and Buddhism.
⑬ Kinki region HIMEJI CASTLE
Himeji Castle is the finest example of the 17th century Japanese castle architecture equipped with a sophisticated defense system. Sometimes referred to as Shirasagi (White Heron) Castle, its perfectly shaped silhouette and white stucco walls call to mind a white heron about to take wing.
⑭ Shikoku SETO OHASHI BRIDGE
The Seto Ohashi Bridge, which spans between the islands of Honshu and Shikoku across the Seto Inland Sea connecting Okayama and Kagawa Prefectures, is the world's longest bridge combining both vehicle roadways and railway track. The bridge is divided into the six segments that make up the total distance of 9.4 kilometers.
⑮ Chugoku region HIROSHIMA PEACE MEMORIAL (GENBAKU DOME)
The first atomic bomb in human history was dropped in Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The Genbaku Dome, a building that was left standing near ground zero after the bombing, now serves as a reminder of the terrible devastation wrought by nuclear weaponry.
⑯ Chugoku region ITSUKUSHIMA SHINTO SHRINE
This shrine, built on the small island of Itsukushima, dates back to the 13th century. Widely known as one of the three most scenic spots in Japan, it presents a beautiful image of unity with the surrounding natural environment, facing out over the sea against mountains.
⑰ Kyushu Mt. ASO
Mt. Aso is an active composite volcano located almost at the center of Kyushu. The caldera, formed by repeated volcanic activity over the past 30,000 years, measures 20 kilometers in diameter. The area is rich in hot springs, spring water and grasslands.
⑱ Kyushu YAKUSHIMA
This mountainous island boasts of several towering peaks over 1,000 meters above sea level, thus providing a home for vegetation ranging from subtropical to subarctic climates. Most popular of them are the giant Yakushima cedars that are 1000 years of age or older.
⑲ Okinawa GUSUKU SITES AND RELATED PROPERTIES OF THE KINGDOM OF RYUKYU
The word gusuku, which means "castle," is a word dating from the time of the Ryukyu kingdom, which flourished between the 12th and 17th centuries in what is known today as Okinawa Prefecture. The ruins of the gusuku castles that are scattered around the islands of the Prefecture, are the reminiscent of the unique Ryukyuan culture shaped through the trade with Japan, China and Southeast Asia.
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