Japan
Nihon-koku/
a parliamentary government with a constitutional monarchy
Japan as the 2011 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 150 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
In 1603, after decades of civil warfare, the Tokugawa shogunate (a military-led, dynastic government) ushered in a long period of relative political stability and isolation from foreign influence. For more than two centuries this policy enabled Japan to enjoy a flowering of its indigenous culture. Japan opened its ports after signing the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854 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 an ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, elected politicians hold actual decision-making power. Following three decades of unprecedented growth, Japan's economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s, but the country remains a major economic power. In March 2011, Japan's strongest-ever earthquake, and an accompanying tsunami, devastated the northeast part of Honshu island, killing thousands and damaging several nuclear power plants. The catastrophe hobbled the country's economy and its energy infrastructure, and severely strained its capacity to deal with the humanitarian disaster.
Geography
Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
20 fieldsLand useshare of 377,915 sq km
Location
Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
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
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 88.43 cu km/yr (20%/18%/62%)
- per capita:
- 690 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards
- many dormant and some active volcanoes;
- about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors but occasional severe earthquakes) every year;
- tsunamis;
- typhoons
- volcanism:
- both Unzen (elev. 1,500 m) and Sakura-jima (elev. 1,117 m), which lies near the densely populated city of Kagoshima, have been deemed "Decade Volcanoes" by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations;
- other notable historically active volcanoes include
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
People and Society
31 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2011 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2004)
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)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.056 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 (2011 est.)
Government
A parliamentary government with a constitutional monarchy; Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989); Prime Minister Yoshihiko NODA (since 30 August 2011)
21 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
House of Councillors, 242 seats, elected 11 July 2010one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
House of Representatives, 480 seats, elected 30 August 2009seats by party
Percent of vote
Country name
- conventional long form:
- none
- conventional short form:
- Japan
- local long form:
- Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku
- local short form:
- Nihon/Nippon
Capital
- name:
- Tokyo
- geographic coordinates:
- 35 41 N, 139 45 E
- time difference:
- UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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
Independence
- 3 May 1947 (current constitution adopted as amendment to Meiji Constitution);
- notable earlier dates: 660 B.C. (traditional date of the founding of the nation by Emperor JIMMU);
- 29 November 1890 (Meiji Constitution provides for constitutional monarchy)
Legal system
- civil law system based on German model;
- system also reflects Anglo-American influence and Japanese traditions;
- judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Yoshihiko NODA (since 30 August 2011)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet is appointed by the prime minister; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- Diet designates the prime minister;
- constitution requires that the prime minister commands parliamentary majority;
- following legislative elections, the leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition in House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister;
- the monarchy is hereditary
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 on 11 July 2010 (next to be held in July 2013);
- House of Representatives - last held on 30 August 2009 (next to be held by August 2013)
- election results:
- ;
- House of Councillors - percent of vote by party - DPJ 31.6%, LDP 24.1%, YP 13.6%, NK 13.1%, JCP 6.1%, SDP 3.8%, others 7.7%;
- seats by party - DPJ 106, LDP 84, NK 19, YP 11, JCP 6, SDP 4, others 12
- House of Representatives - percent of vote by party (by proportional representation) - DPJ 42.4%, LDP 26.7%, NK 11.5%, JCP 7.0%, SDP 4.3%, others 8.1%;
- seats by party - DPJ 308, LDP 119, NK 21, JCP 9, SDP 7, others 16 (2009)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the cabinet)
Political parties and leaders
- Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Yoshihiko NODA];
- Japan Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII];
- Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Sadakazu TANIGAKI];
- New Komeito or NK [Natsuo YAMAGUCHI];
- People's New Party or PNP [Shizuka KAMEI];
- Social Democratic Party or SDP [Mizuho FUKUSHIMA];
- Your Party or YP [Yoshimi WATANABE]
International organization participation
ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SECI (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIT, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Ichiro FUJISAKI
- chancery:
- 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 238-6700
- 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
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador John 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
- FAX:
- [81] (03) 3505-1862
- consulate(s) general:
- Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo
- consulate(s):
- Fukuoka, Nagoya
National anthem
- name:
- "Kimigayo" (The Emperor"s Reign)
- lyrics/music:
- unknown/Hiromori HAYASHI
note: adopted 1999; in use as unofficial national anthem since 1883; oldest anthem lyrics in the world, dating to the 10th century or earlier; there is some opposition to the anthem because of its association with militarism and worship of the emperor
Economy
53 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2010 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
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 develop a technologically advanced economy. Two notable characteristics 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. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis that adjusts for price differences, Japan in 2010 stood as the third-largest economy in the world after China, which surpassed Japan in 2001.
The Japanese financial sector was not heavily exposed to sub-prime mortgages or their derivative instruments and weathered the initial effect of the recent global credit crunch, but a sharp downturn in business investment and global demand for Japan's exports in late 2008 pushed Japan further into recession.
Government stimulus spending helped the economy recover in late 2009 and 2010. Prime Minister KAN's government has proposed opening the agricultural and services sectors to greater foreign competition and boosting exports through free-trade agreements, but debate continues on restructuring the economy and funding new stimulus programs in the face of a tight fiscal situation.
Japan's huge government debt, which exceeds 200% of GDP, persistent deflation, reliance on exports to drive growth, and an aging and shrinking population are major long-term challenges for the economy. A 9.0-magnitude earthquake and an ensuing tsunami devastated the northeast coast of Honshu Island on 11 March 2011, washing away buildings and infrastructure as much as 6 miles inland, killing thousands, severely damaging several nuclear power plants, displacing and leaving homeless more than 320,000 people, and leaving a million households without running water.
Radiation leaks at the Fukushima Daiichai nuclear power plant prompted mass evacuations and the declaration of a no-fly zone - initially for people and planes within 12.5 miles of the plant but later expanded to 19 miles. Radioactive iodine-131 has been found as far as 100 miles from the plant in samples of water, milk, fish, beef, and certain vegetables, at levels that make these foods unfit for consumption and create uncertainty regarding possible long-term contamination of the area.
Energy-cutting efforts by electric companies and train lines slowed the pace of business throughout Honshu Island, and the stock market gyrated, dropping as much as 10% in a single day. In order to stabilize financial markets and retard appreciation of the yen, the Bank of Japan injected more than $325 billion in yen into the economy.
Estimates of the direct costs of the damage - rebuilding homes and factories - range from $235 billion to $310 billion. Some economic forecasters, who previously had anticipated slower growth for Japan in 2011, now believe GDP may decline as much as 1% for the year.
Population below poverty line
15.7% (2007) note: Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) press release, 20 October 2009
Distribution of family income - Gini index
37.6 (2008) · 24.9 (1993) country comparison to the world: 77
Central bank discount rate
0.3% (31 December 2009) · 0.3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 141
Commercial bank prime lending rate
1.475% (31 December 2010 est.) · 1.475% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 187
Stock of narrow money
$6.047 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) · $5.246 trillion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 1
Stock of broad money
$16.46 trillion (31 December 2010) · $15.43 trillion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 1
Stock of domestic credit
$16.39 trillion (31 December 2008 est.) · $13.32 trillion (31 December 2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 3
Agriculture - products
- rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit;
- pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs;
- fish
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
Natural gas - proved reserves
20.9 billion cu m (1 January 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 76
Current account balance
$166.5 billion (2010 est.) · $142.2 billion (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 3
Exports - commodities
transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical machinery, chemicals
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$1.063 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) · $1.024 trillion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2
Debt - external
$2.719 trillion (30 June 2011) · $2.441 trillion (30 September 2010) country comparison to the world: 6
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$199.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $199.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 21
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$795.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $738.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8
Exchange rates
yen (JPY) per US dollar - 87.78 (2010) · 93.57 (2009) · 103.58 (2008) · 117.99 (2007) · 116.18 (2006)
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone 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 - 7 Intelsat (Pacific and Indian Oceans), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region), 3 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions), and 8 SkyPerfect JSAT (2008)
Broadcast media
- a mixture of public and commercial broadcast TV and radio stations;
- 5 national terrestrial television networks including 1 public broadcaster;
- the large number of radio and TV stations available provide a wide range of choices;
- satellite and cable services provide access to international channels (2008)
Transportation
10 fieldsMerchant marine, 673 ships by type
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 26,435 km
country comparison to the world: 11
- standard gauge:
- 3,978 km 1.435-m gauge (3,978 km electrified)
- narrow gauge:
- 96 km 1.372-m gauge (96 km electrified);
- 22,313 km 1.067-m gauge (15,235 km electrified);
- 48 km 0.762-m gauge (48 km electrified) (2009)
Roadways
- total:
- 1,203,777 km
country comparison to the world: 5
- paved:
- 961,366 km (includes 7,560 km of expressways)
- unpaved:
- 242,411 km (2008)
Ports and terminals
Chiba, Kawasaki, Kobe, Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo, Tomakomai, Yokohama
Military
Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD): Ground Self-Defense Force (Rikujou Jietai, GSDF), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jietai, MSDF), Air Self-Defense Force (Koukuu Jieitai, ASDF) (2011)
6 fieldsMilitary branches
Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD): Ground Self-Defense Force (Rikujou Jietai, GSDF), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jietai, MSDF), Air Self-Defense Force (Koukuu Jieitai, ASDF) (2011)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; Maritime Self-Defense Force mandatory retirement at age 54 (2011)
Manpower available for military service
- males age 16-49:
- 27,301,443
- females age 16-49:
- 26,307,003 (2010 est.)
Transnational Issues
1 fieldDisputes - 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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Japan.” The World Factbook 2011. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/japan/2011.