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Japan
Relevant information about Japan.Japan is located in East Asia. It is an archipelago of 6,852 islands, bordered by the Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Japan, North Korea, South Korea and Russia to the east, and Taiwan and the East China Sea to the north. Japan is called the “land of the rising sun” due to the meaning of its name: “sun-origin”. Its capital and largest city is Tokyo and its total area is of 377,944 km2. HonshÅ«, HokkaidÅ, KyÅ«shÅ« and Shikoku are the largest islands (97% of the land area). Japan is a parliamentary democracy with constitutional monarchy. In 1941, during the Second World War, the United States naval base in Pearl Harbor was bombarded by Japan, which led to the declaration of war to the Japanese country of the United States, the United Kingdom and Netherlands. The United States sank Japan’s possibilities of victory by attacking with atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Japan declared its unconditional surrender in August 15. Two years later, Japan agreed to a pacifist constitution and liberal democratic practices.
Japan has a population of 126,804,433 citizens, making it the world’s 10th largest population. Furthermore, Tokyo is the largest metropolitan area with 8,483,050 inhabitants. Other major cities are Yokohama with 3,579,133 citizens and Osaka with 2,628,776. Japan is divided into 47 prefectures, which are divided into cities, villages and towns. The minorities that live in Japan are Zainichi Koreans, Filipinos, Japanese Brazilians, Zainichi Chinese, and Japanese Peruvians. Due to the rapid aging of the population, the social problems have increased: there has been a decrease in the workforce population and a raise of the cost of social security benefits. Some of the solutions that are suggested are immigration and birth incentives. In addition, the Japanese country has a high suicide rate, and it is the main cause of death for citizens under the age of 30. The life expectancy at birth is, in women 85.66 years and in men, 78.87 years. The total fertility rate is of 1.2 children born per woman, estimated in 2010, whereas the infant mortality rate is of 2.79 deaths per 1,000 live births. In regards to religion, the majority believes in Buddhism (71.4) and Shintoism (83.9%) (Some of the adherents belong to both religions). Chinese religions have influenced in Japanese customs and traditions. Christianity represents 2% of the population, and there are also many religious sects (Tenrikyo and Aum Shinrikyo) which made their appearance in the 19th century. The Japanese language, which is spoken by more than 99% of the population, consists of a system of honorifics that reflect the hierarchical nature of Japanese society. In Okinawa, there is a minority that speaks the Ryukyuan language. English is taught in the schools and is mandatory to take courses in that language. Japan’s culture has been greatly influenced by Asia, North America and Europe and it has had a strong evolution over the centuries. Regarding art, Japanese techniques are a reflection of the ones used in Asia and the West; however the native Japanese techniques are currently used. The brush is the traditional instrument in order to paint. Sculptures primarily reflected the images of Buddhism: a vast number of Buddhist statues were built. The garden has the status of artwork in this country: it has the same level of importance as architecture. Concerning wardrobe, “kimono” (“something one wears”) are the traditional garments: they are worn by women, men and children. Therefore, these can be seen in a wide variety of sizes, colors and styles. There is a status aspect in the use of the kimono: married women wear kimonos that have patterns that do not go above the waistline and they are called Tomesode; however unmarried women, Furisode, wear kimonos with long sleeves that let men know they are single. Martial arts, such as Jujutsu, Sumo, Kenjutsu, KyÅ«dÅ, SÅjutsu were influenced by the methods of the samurai in the feudal period. Some martial arts evolved into modern sports: Gendai BudÅ and Judo. Other popular sports include baseball and soccer; volleyball, rugby and basketball are also practiced but to a lesser extent. Japanese gastronomy emphasizes the seasonality of food, its presentation and quality of ingredients. Currently, Japan’s national foods are rice, which is its prime crop and it means “meal”. Rice can be cooked and prepared in several ways: sushi, donbri, senbei, wagashi, among others; noodles, which are often included in soups; and bread, that isn’t a traditional Japanese food but it is very common. The popular culture is a reflection of the past and the present: the development of music, films, television and manga refer to older literary traditions but also to contemporary. Listening to the radio, reading magazines and newspapers and watching TV are the activities that the majority of Japanese do. Manga and Japanese video games have increased its popularity around the world, making Japan one of the “entertainment superpowers”, together with the UK and USA.
Japan is the third largest economy in the planet, preceded by the United States and China; however, according to exchange rates, it is the second largest economy after the United States. Japan is a member of the G8 and a non-permanent member of the United Nations, as well as the owner of one of the lowest infant mortality and the highest life expectancy in the world. Over the past decades, Japan has been growing non-stop: however, in 2008, due to the global financial crisis, Japan entered into recession, making a good recovery in 2009. The labor force by occupation is, in agriculture 4%, in services 68%, and in industries 28%. The unemployment rate, estimated in 2009, is of 5.9%. Approximately 20 million inhabitants are below the poverty line calculated in 2007. The industrial sector is mainly represented by motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, textiles, processed foods and ships. Rice, sugar beets, fruit, vegetables, poultry, pork, eggs, dairy products and fish are among Japan’s agricultural products. The country’s principal imports are fossil fuels, machinery, chemicals and textiles. In Japan, more than 320 companies exist: among the biggest enterprises, Toyota, Takeda Pharmaceutical, Sony, Nintendo, Mitsubishi, Canon, Honda, Tepco and Nippon Steel are included.
Tourism is an essential part of Japan’s economy. Japan attracts more than 8 million foreigners annually. There are a vast number of activities that one can do in the country, including sightseeing in Mount Fuji. With 3,776 meters high, Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan and is one of the “three Holy Mountains”, together with Mount Haku and Mount Tate. Tourists also visit Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Tower. In Japan there are 14 World Heritage Sites: each one is supported by the environment and climate of the country which makes each site very unique. Shiretoko, the historic villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayamaare and the Shirakami-sanchi Mountain Range are among the World Heritage Sites, along with the Himeji Castle, the monuments of Ancient Nara, the shrines and temples of Nikko and the Atomic Bomb Dome (the Hiroshima Peace Memorial). Tourists also visit the cities of Tokyo (the Imperial Palace and Akihabara), Nara, Osaka (Osaka Castle and Universal Studios Japan) and Kyoto, as well as the Itsukushima Shrine and the Kegon Falls.
Although Japan has some of the best hospitals in the planet, the country is slowly embracing medical tourism. Furthermore, the Japanese public medical system allows more than five thousand procedures. However, Japan’s costs aren’t cheap: in fact, the cost of drugs and treatments are among the highest in the world. This influences in the fact that tourists prefer countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore or India, where the prices are lower.
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