| Official Name |
Nippon |
Japan |
| Capital City |
Tokyo |
Population, including suburbs: 28 million |
| Main Cities |
Osaka, Nagoya, Kobe, Yokohama, Fukuoka, Sapporo |
|
| Area |
143,660 square miles (372,079 sq.km.) |
Japan uses the metric system. |
| Climate |
Moist temperate |
|
| Currency |
Yen |
Paper: Yen 10,000, 5000, and 1000 Coins: Yen 500, 100, 50, 10, 5, and 1 |
| Population |
127 million |
|
| Ethnic Makeup |
(Just under) 99% Japanese; (just over) 1% others |
Other principal nationalities: Korean, Chinese, Brazilian |
| Family Makeup |
Average family size is 2.8 people. Birthrate: 1.3 |
In opinion polls, over 80% of Japanese perceive themselves as middle class. |
| Language |
Nihongo (Japanese) |
Principal other languages taught in schools: English, French, Spanish, and German |
| Religion |
No state religion. Most Japanese are both Shinto and Buddhist. |
1.5% are Christians. Increasing interest in new religious movements |
| Government |
Japan is a constitutional monarchy. It has universal adult suffrage (from age 20), a written Constitution, and is a parliamentary democracy with an upper and a lower chamber (Representatives in lower house with 511 seats, and Councillors in upper house with 252 seats, both elected). The parliament is known as the National Diet. According to the 1946 Constitution, the Emperor is “the symbol of the state and unity of the people.” Japan has 47 prefectures. Prefectural governors, as well as city, town, and village mayors are all elected. |
| Media |
NHK (Japan Broadcasting System) is Japan’s public broadcasting corporation. |
There are more than 100 daily newspapers, led by Yomiuri, Asahi, Mainichi, Nihon Keizai, and Sankei. |
| Media: English Language |
English-language newspapers include: Japan Times, International Herald Tribune/The Asahi Shimbun, Daily Yomiuri |
| Electricity |
100 & 200 volts (50 cycles in eastern Japan, incl. Tokyo; 60 cycles in the west, incl. Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka). |
Plugs are flat 2-pin. Adaptors required |
| Video TV |
NTSC 525-line system |
Compatible with US but not UK |
| Internet Domain |
.jp |
|
| Telephone |
Japan’s country code is 81. |
The dial-out code for international calls depends on the provider: 001 for KDD, 0041 for ITJ, or 0061 for IDC. |