Japan: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Island country in East Asia}} |
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{{Infobox Country or territory |
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{{redirect-several|Japan|Nihon|Nippon|JPN}} |
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|native_name = 日本(国)<br/>''Nippon'' / ''Nihon'' (koku) |
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{{Featured article}} |
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|conventional_long_name = Japan |
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{{pp-semi-indef}} |
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|common_name = Japan |
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{{Use American English|date=December 2020}} |
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|image_flag = Flag of Japan.svg |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}} |
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|image_coat = Imperial Seal of Japan.svg |
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{{bots|deny=Citation bot,OAbot}} |
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|symbol_type = Imperial Seal |
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{{Infobox country |
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|image_map = LocationMapJapan.png |
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| conventional_long_name = Japan |
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|national_anthem = ''[[Kimi Ga Yo]]'' (君が代)<br/>''Imperial Reign'' |
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| common_name = Japan |
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|official_languages = [[Japanese language|Japanese]] |
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| native_name = {{native name|ja|日本国|italics=off}}<br />{{resize|90%|{{transliteration|ja|Nihon-koku}} or {{transliteration|ja|Nippon-koku}}}} |
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|capital = [[Tokyo]] |
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| image_flag = Flag of Japan.svg |
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|latd=35 |latm=41 |latNS=N |longd=139 |longm=46 |longEW=E |
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| alt_flag = Centered deep red circle on a white rectangle |
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|largest_settlement_type = Most populous conurbation |
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| image_coat = Imperial Seal of Japan.svg |
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| alt_coat = Golden circle subdivided by golden wedges with rounded outer edges and thin black outlines |
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|government_type = [[Constitutional monarchy]] |
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| symbol_type = [[Imperial Seal of Japan|Imperial Seal]] |
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| other_symbol = {{lang|ja|大日本國璽}} ({{transliteration|ja|Dai Nihon Kokuji}})<br>"National Seal of Greater Japan"{{parabr}}[[File:Gyomei kokuji.svg|80px|Seal of the State of Japan]] |
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|leader_title2 = [[Prime Minister of Japan|Prime Minister]] |
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| other_symbol_type = [[State Seal of Japan|State Seal]]: |
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|leader_name1 = [[Akihito|HIM Emperor Akihito]] |
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| national_anthem = <br>{{lang|ja|君が代}} ("{{transliteration|ja|[[Kimigayo]]}}")<br />"His Imperial Majesty's Reign"{{parabr}}{{center|[[File:Kimi ga Yo instrumental.ogg]]}} |
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|leader_name2 = [[Shinzo Abe]] [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|(LDP)]] |
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| image_map = Japan (orthographic projection).svg |
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| alt_map = Projection of Asia with Japan's Area colored green |
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|area_magnitude = 1 E11 |
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| map_caption = {{Legend|#336830|Location of Japan}} |
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{{Legend|#61E760|[[Territorial disputes of Japan|Territory claimed but not controlled]]}} |
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|areami² = 145,883 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]--> |
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| capital = [[Tokyo]] |
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| coordinates = {{Coord|35|41|N|139|46|E|type:city}} |
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|population_estimate = 128,085,000 |
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| largest_city = capital |
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|population_estimate_year = 2005 |
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| national_languages = [[Japanese language|Japanese]] (''de facto'') |
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|population_estimate_rank = 10th |
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| regional_languages = [[Ainu language|Ainu]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lewallen |first1=Ann-Elise |title=Indigenous at last! Ainu Grassroots Organizing and the Indigenous Peoples Summit in Ainu Mosir |url=https://apjjf.org/-ann-elise-lewallen/2971/article.html |work=The Asia Pacific Journal (Japan Focus) |issue=11 |date=November 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231023122729/https://apjjf.org/-ann-elise-lewallen/2971/article.html |archivedate= October 23, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |
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|population_census = 127,333,002 |
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|last=Martin |first=Kylie |
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|population_census_year = 2004 |
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|date=2011 |
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|population_density = 337 |
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|title=Aynu itak: On the Road to Ainu Language Revitalization |
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|population_densitymi² = 873 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]--> |
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|journal=Media and Communication Studies |
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|population_density_rank = 20th |
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|script-journal=ja:メディア·コミュニケーション研究 |
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|GDP_PPP_year = 2006 |
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|volume=60 |
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|GDP_PPP = $4.167 [[trillion]] |
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|pages=57–93 |
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|GDP_PPP_rank = 3rd |
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|url=https://eprints.lib.hokudai.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2115/47031/1/MSC60_005.pdf |
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|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $32,640 |
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|url-status=live |
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|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 12th |
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|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150421225339/https://eprints.lib.hokudai.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2115/47031/1/MSC60_005.pdf |
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|GDP_nominal = $4,571 [[trillion]] |
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|archivedate=April 21, 2015 |
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|GDP_nominal_rank = 2nd |
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}}</ref> |
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|GDP_nominal_year = 2005 |
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| languages_type = Unrecognized regional languages |
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|GDP_nominal_per_capita = $35,757 |
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| languages = {{nowrap|[[Ryukyuan languages]]}}<br/>[[Hachijō language|Hachijō]] |
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|GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 14th |
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| languages_sub = yes |
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|sovereignty_type = [[History of Japan|Formation]] |
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| government_type = Unitary [[parliamentary constitutional monarchy]] |
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| leader_title1 = [[Emperor of Japan|Emperor]] |
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| leader_name1 = [[Naruhito]] |
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|established_event3 = [[Japanese Constitution|Current constitution]] |
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| leader_title2 = [[Prime Minister of Japan|Prime Minister]] |
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| leader_name2 = [[Shigeru Ishiba]] |
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|established_date1 = [[February 11|Feb 11]], 660 [[BCE]]<sup>2</sup> |
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| legislature = [[National Diet]] |
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| upper_house = [[House of Councillors (Japan)|House of Councillors]] |
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| lower_house = [[House of Representatives (Japan)|House of Representatives]] |
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|established_date4 = [[April 28]], [[1952]] |
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| sovereignty_type = [[History of Japan|Formation]]<!--if necessary, discuss on talk page to determine what events are relevant here before editing--> |
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|HDI_year = 2006 |
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| established_event1 = [[Meiji Constitution]] |
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|HDI = 0.949 |
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| established_date1 = November 29, 1890 |
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|HDI_rank = 7th |
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| established_event2 = {{nowrap|[[Constitution of Japan|Current constitution]]}} |
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|HDI_category = <font color="#009900">high</font> |
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| established_date2 = May 3, 1947 |
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|currency = [[Japanese yen|Yen]] (¥) |
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| area_km2 = 377,975 |
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| area_footnote = <ref name="area-2019">{{cite web|script-title=ja:令和元年全国都道府県市区町村別面積調 (10月1日時点)|url=https://www.gsi.go.jp/KOKUJYOHO/MENCHO201910-index.html|trans-title=Reiwa 1 nationwide area survey by prefectures and municipalities (as of October 1) |
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|country_code = JPN |
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|publisher=[[Geospatial Information Authority of Japan]]|language=ja|date=December 26, 2019|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200415123703/https://www.gsi.go.jp/KOKUJYOHO/MENCHO201910-index.html|archivedate=April 15, 2020|url-status=dead }}</ref> |
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|time_zone = [[Japan Standard Time|JST]] |
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| percent_water = 1.4<ref>{{cite web|title=Surface water and surface water change|accessdate=October 11, 2020|publisher=OECD|url=https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=SURFACE_WATER|archive-date=March 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324133453/https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=SURFACE_WATER|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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|utc_offset = +9 |
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| area_rank = 62nd<!-- Area rank should match [[List of countries and dependencies by area]] --> |
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|time_zone_DST = none |
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| population_census = {{DecreaseNeutral}} 126,146,099<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.e-stat.go.jp/en/dbview?sid=0003445154|title=2020 Population Census: population by sex, age (single years), month of birth and all nationality or Japanese|accessdate=July 7, 2024|publisher=[[Statistics Bureau (Japan)|Statistics Bureau of Japan]]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240707224705/https://www.e-stat.go.jp/en/dbview?sid=0003445154|archivedate=July 7, 2024|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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|utc_offset_DST = |
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| population_census_rank = |
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|cctld = [[.jp]] |
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| population_census_year = 2020 |
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|calling_code = 81 |
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| population_estimate = {{DecreaseNeutral}} 123,740,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Population estimates by age (five-year groups) and sex |url=https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/jinsui/tsuki/index.html |accessdate=February 20, 2024 |publisher=Statistics Bureau of Japan |archive-date=April 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180405030144/https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/jinsui/tsuki/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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|ISO_3166-1_alpha2 = JP |
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| population_estimate_year = December 1, 2024 |
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|ISO_3166-1_alpha3 = JPN |
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| population_estimate_rank = 11th |
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|ISO_3166-1_numeric = 392 |
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| population_density_km2 = 330<!-- Per [[WP:CALC]], 125,416,877 / 377,975 = 330.29 --> |
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|sport_code = JPN |
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| population_density_rank = 44th |
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|vehicle_code = J |
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| GDP_PPP = {{increase}} $6.572 trillion<ref name="IMFWEO.JP">{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2024/October/weo-report?c=158,&s=NGDPD,PPPGDP,NGDPDPC,PPPPC,&sy=2022&ey=2029&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=country&ds=.&br=1 |title=World Economic Outlook Database, October 2024 Edition. (Japan) |publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]] |website=www.imf.org |date=October 22, 2024 |access-date=October 22, 2024}}</ref> |
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|footnotes = <sup>1</sup> [[Yokohama]] is the largest incorporated city.<br/><sup>2</sup> Japan was founded on this date by the legendary [[Emperor Jimmu]], first emperor of Japan; it is seen as largely symbolic. |
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| GDP_PPP_year = 2024 |
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| GDP_PPP_rank = 5th |
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| GDP_PPP_per_capita = {{increase}} $53,059<ref name="IMFWEO.JP" /> |
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| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 34th |
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| GDP_nominal = {{decrease}} $4.070 trillion<ref name="IMFWEO.JP" /> |
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| GDP_nominal_year = 2024 |
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| GDP_nominal_rank = 4th |
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| GDP_nominal_per_capita = {{decrease}} $32,859<ref name="IMFWEO.JP" /> |
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| GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 30th |
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| Gini = 33.4<!-- Number only. --> |
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| Gini_year = 2018 |
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| Gini_change = decrease<!-- Increase/decrease/steady. --> |
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| Gini_ref = <ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.oecd.org/inequality/income-inequality.htm|title=Inequality – Income inequality |publisher=[[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD]]|accessdate=July 25, 2021|archive-date=July 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701171540/https://data.oecd.org/inequality/income-inequality.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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| HDI = 0.920<!-- Number only, between 0 and 1. --> |
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| HDI_year = 2022<!-- Please use the year to which the data refers, not the publication year. --> |
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| HDI_change = increase<!-- Increase/decrease/steady. --> |
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| HDI_ref = <ref name="HDI">{{Cite web |date=13 March 2024 |title=Human Development Report 2023/2024 |url=https://hdr.undp.org/system/files/documents/global-report-document/hdr2023-24reporten.pdf|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240313164319/https://hdr.undp.org/system/files/documents/global-report-document/hdr2023-24reporten.pdf |archive-date=13 March 2024 |access-date=13 March 2024 |publisher=[[United Nations Development Programme]] |language=en}}</ref> |
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| HDI_rank = 24th |
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| currency = [[Japanese yen]] ([[¥]]) |
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| time_zone = [[Japan Standard Time|JST]] |
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| utc_offset = +09:00 |
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| drives_on = left |
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| calling_code = [[Telephone numbers in Japan|+81]] |
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| cctld = [[.jp]] |
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| official_website = <!----- Do not add www.japan.go.jp – this article is about the country, not the government. -----> |
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| demonym = Japanese |
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| today = |
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}} |
}} |
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'''Japan'''{{efn|{{langx|ja|日本}}, {{transliteration|ja|Nihon}} {{IPA|ja|ɲihoꜜɴ||ja-nihon(日本).ogg}} or {{transliteration|ja|Nippon}} {{IPA|ja|ɲippoꜜɴ||ja-nippon(日本).ogg}}, formally {{lang|ja|日本国}}, ''{{transliteration|ja|Nihon-koku}}'' or ''{{transliteration|ja|Nippon-koku}}''. In Japanese, the name of the country as it appears on official documents, including [[Constitution of Japan|the country's constitution]], is {{lang|ja|日本国}}, meaning "State of Japan". The short name {{lang|ja|日本}} is also often used officially. In English, the official name of the country is simply "Japan".<ref>{{cite web|title=Official Names of Member States (UNTERM)|url=https://protocol.un.org/dgacm/pls/site.nsf/files/Country%20Names%20UNTERM3/$FILE/UNTERM%20-%20EFSRCA.pdf|publisher=UN Protocol and Liaison Service|accessdate=May 21, 2020|archivedate=June 5, 2020|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605193554/https://protocol.un.org/dgacm/pls/site.nsf/files/Country%20Names%20UNTERM3/$FILE/UNTERM%20-%20EFSRCA.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>|group=nb}} is an [[island country]] in [[East Asia]]. Located in the [[Pacific Ocean]] off the northeast coast of the [[Asia|Asian mainland]], it is bordered on the west by the [[Sea of Japan]] and extends from the [[Sea of Okhotsk]] in the north to the [[East China Sea]] in the south. The [[Japanese archipelago]] consists of four major islands—[[Hokkaido]], [[Honshu]], [[Shikoku]], and [[Kyushu]]—and [[List of islands of Japan|thousands of smaller islands]], covering {{convert|377,975|km2|mi2}}. Japan has a population of nearly 124 million as of 2024, making it the [[List of countries and dependencies by population|eleventh-most populous country]]. |
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{{otheruses1|the country in East Asia}} |
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{{nihongo|'''Japan'''|[[Japanese language|Japanese:]] 日本/日本国|''Nihon'' or ''Nippon'',<ref>The westernized pronunciation is believed to have arisen from that of a south Chinese dialect, in which it is pronounced /jāk-bəng/{{fact}}</ref> officially ''Nihon-koku'' or ''Nippon-koku''}} is an [[Island nation|island country]] in [[East Asia]]. Located in the [[Pacific Ocean]], it lies to the east of [[People's Republic of China|China]], [[Korea]], and [[Russia]], stretching from the [[Sea of Okhotsk]] in the north to the [[East China Sea]] in the south. The [[kanji|characters]] that make up [[Names of Japan|Japan's name]] literally means "the sun's origin", thus Japan is also sometimes known as the self-identified "''The Land of the Rising Sun''", a name that comes from the country's eastward position relative to mainland [[Asia]]. Its [[capital]] and largest city is [[Tokyo]]. |
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The [[capital of Japan]] and [[List of cities in Japan|its largest city]] is [[Tokyo]]; the [[Greater Tokyo Area]] is the [[List of largest cities|largest metropolitan area]] in the world, with more than 37 million inhabitants as of 2024. Japan is divided into 47 [[Prefectures of Japan|administrative prefectures]] and [[List of regions of Japan|eight traditional regions]]. About three-quarters of [[Geography of Japan|the country's terrain]] is mountainous and heavily forested, concentrating [[Agriculture in Japan|its agriculture]] and [[Urbanization by country|highly urbanized population]] along its eastern [[Coastal plain|coastal plains]]. The country sits on the Pacific [[Ring of Fire]], making its islands prone to destructive [[List of earthquakes in Japan|earthquakes]] and [[Tsunami|tsunamis]]. |
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At 377,872 [[square kilometer]]s (145,898 [[square mile|sq.mi]]), Japan is the sixty-second [[List of countries and outlying territories by area|largest country by area]]. It encompasses over 3,000 [[island|islands]], the largest of which are [[Honshū]], [[Hokkaidō]], [[Kyūshū]] and [[Shikoku]]. Most of Japan's islands are [[mountain|mountainous]], and many are [[volcano|volcanic]], including the highest peak, [[Mount Fuji]]. It has the world's [[List of countries by population|10th largest population]], with nearly 128 million people. The [[Greater Tokyo Area]], with over 30 million residents, is the [[Largest Metropolitan Area|largest metropolitan area]] in the world. |
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The first known habitation of the archipelago dates to the [[Upper Paleolithic]], with the beginning [[Japanese Paleolithic]] dating to {{Circa|36,000 BC}}. Between the fourth and sixth centuries, its kingdoms were united under [[Emperor of Japan|an emperor]] in [[Nara (city)|Nara]], and later [[Heian-kyō]]. From the 12th century, actual power was held by military dictators ({{transliteration|ja|[[Shogun|shōgun]]}}) and feudal lords ({{transliteration|ja|[[Daimyo|daimyō]]}}), and enforced by warrior nobility (''[[samurai]]''). After rule by the [[Kamakura period|Kamakura]] and [[Muromachi period|Ashikaga shogunates]] and [[Sengoku period|a century of warring states]], Japan was unified in 1600 by the [[Tokugawa shogunate]], which implemented [[Sakoku|an isolationist foreign policy]]. In 1853, [[Perry Expedition|a United States fleet]] forced Japan to [[Bakumatsu|open trade to the West]], which led to the [[Boshin War|end of the shogunate]] and the [[Meiji Restoration|restoration of imperial power]] in 1868. In the [[Meiji era|Meiji period]], the [[Empire of Japan]] pursued rapid [[Industrialisation|industrialization]] and [[Modernization theory|modernization]], as well as [[Japanese militarism|militarism]] and [[Japanese colonial empire|overseas colonization]]. In 1937, Japan [[Second Sino-Japanese War|invaded China]], and in 1941 [[Attack on Pearl Harbor|attacked the United States]] and European colonial powers, entering [[Japan during World War II|World War II]] as an [[Axis powers|Axis power]]. After suffering defeat in the [[Pacific War]] and [[Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki|two atomic bombings]], Japan [[Surrender of Japan|surrendered]] in 1945 and [[Occupation of Japan|came under Allied occupation]]. After the war, the country underwent [[Japanese economic miracle|rapid economic growth]] and became a [[major non-NATO ally]] of the United States. |
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[[Archaeology|Archaeological]] research indicates that people were living on the islands of Japan as early as the [[Upper Paleolithic|upper paleolithic]] period. The first written mention of Japan begins with brief appearances in [[History of China|Chinese history]] texts from the 1st century [[AD]]. Japanese history has been marked by alternating periods of long isolation and radical influence from the outside world. Its culture today is a mixture of outside influences and internal developments. Since it adopted its [[Constitution of Japan|constitution]] on [[May 3]], [[1947]], Japan has maintained a [[unitary state|unitary]] [[constitutional monarchy]] with an [[Emperor of Japan|emperor]] and an elected parliament, the [[Diet of Japan|Diet]], which is one of the oldest legislative bodies in [[Asia]]. |
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Japan is a [[constitutional monarchy]] with a [[Bicameralism|bicameral]] legislature, the [[National Diet]]. A [[great power]] and the only Asian member of the [[G7]], Japan has [[Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution|constitutionally renounced its right to declare war]], but maintains [[Japan Self-Defense Forces|one of the world's strongest militaries]]. A [[developed country]] with one of the world's [[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|largest economies by nominal GDP]], Japan is a global leader in the [[Automotive industry in Japan|automotive]], [[Japanese robotics|robotics]], and [[Electronics industry in Japan|electronics industries]], and [[History of science and technology in Japan|has made significant contributions to science and technology]]. It has one of the world's [[List of countries by life expectancy|highest life expectancies]], though it is undergoing [[Aging of Japan|a population decline]]. [[culture of Japan|Japan's culture]] is well known around the world, including [[Japanese art|its art]], [[Japanese cuisine|cuisine]], [[Japanese cinema|film]], [[Music of Japan|music]], and [[Japanese popular culture|popular culture]], which includes prominent [[anime|animation]], [[manga|comics]], and [[Video games in Japan|video game]] industries. |
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Japan is an economic [[world power]] with the world's [[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|second largest economy]] (by nominal [[GDP]]), world's largest international creditor and is the sixth largest [[export]]er and [[import]]er and is a member of the [[United Nations]], [[G8]], [[G4 nations|G4]], and [[APEC]]. |
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==Etymology== |
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{{Main|Names of Japan}} |
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The name for Japan in [[Japanese language|Japanese]] is written using the [[kanji]] {{nihongo2|日本}} and is pronounced {{transliteration|ja|Nihon}} or {{transliteration|ja|Nippon}}.<ref name="schreiber">{{cite web|last1=Schreiber|first1=Mark|title=You say 'Nihon', I say 'Nippon', or let's call the whole thing 'Japan'?|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2019/11/26/language/nihon-nippon-japan/|website=[[The Japan Times]]|date=November 26, 2019|archivedate=October 27, 2022|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221027120630/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2019/11/26/language/nihon-nippon-japan/|url-status=live}}</ref> Before {{nihongo2|日本}} was adopted in the early 8th century, the country was known in China as {{transliteration|zh|[[Wa (Japan)|Wa]]}} ({{lang|zh|倭}}, changed in Japan around 757 to {{Nihongo2|和}}) and in Japan by the [[endonym]] {{transliteration|ja|[[Names of Japan|Yamato]]}}.<ref name="carr">{{cite journal|last1=Carr|first1=Michael|title=Wa Wa Lexicography|journal=International Journal of Lexicography|date=March 1992|volume=5|issue=1|pages=1–31|doi=10.1093/ijl/5.1.1|url=https://academic.oup.com/ijl/article/5/1/1/950449|url-access=subscription}}</ref> {{transliteration|ja|Nippon}}, the original [[Sino-Japanese reading]] of the characters, is favored for official uses, including on [[Banknotes of the Japanese yen|Japanese banknotes]] and postage stamps.<ref name="schreiber" /> {{transliteration|ja|Nihon}} is typically used in everyday speech and reflects shifts in [[Japanese phonology]] during the [[Edo period]].<ref name="carr" /> The characters {{nihongo2|日本}} mean "sun origin",<ref name="schreiber" /> which is the source of the popular Western [[epithet]] "Land of the Rising Sun".<ref>{{cite book|title=The Emergence of Japanese Kingship|author1-link=Joan R. Piggott|first=Joan R.|last=Piggott|year=1997|publisher=Stanford University Press|isbn=978-0-8047-2832-4|pages=143–144|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BruaJSZmjHcC}}</ref> |
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The name "Japan" is based on [[Min Chinese|Min]] or [[Wu Chinese]] pronunciations of {{nihongo2|日本}} and was introduced to European languages through early trade.<ref name=Mancall /> In the 13th century, [[Marco Polo]] recorded the [[Early Mandarin]] Chinese pronunciation of the characters {{lang|zh|日本國}} as {{transliteration|cmn|Cipangu}}.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2008/07/27/general/cipangus-landlocked-isles/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180825151317/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2008/07/27/general/cipangus-landlocked-isles|archivedate=August 25, 2018|title=Cipangu's landlocked isles|newspaper=The Japan Times|date=July 27, 2008|last1=Hoffman|first1=Michael }}</ref> The old [[Malay language|Malay]] name for Japan, {{lang|ms|Japang}} or {{lang|ms|Japun}}, was borrowed from a southern coastal Chinese dialect and encountered by [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] traders in [[Southeast Asia]], who brought the word to Europe in the early 16th century.<ref>{{cite book|title=Asia in the Making of Europe|volume=I|page=157|year=2010|publisher=University of Chicago Press|last=Lach|first=Donald}}</ref> The first version of the name in English appears in a book published in 1577, which spelled the name as ''Giapan'' in a translation of a 1565 Portuguese letter.<ref>{{cite book|last=Mancall|first=Peter C.|title=Travel Narratives from the Age of Discovery: an anthology|year=2006|publisher=Oxford University Press|pages=156–157|chapter=Of the Ilande of Giapan, 1565}}</ref><ref name=Mancall>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=giZnAgAAQBAJ&pg=PAPA79|title=London: The Selden Map and the Making of a Global City, 1549–1689|first=Robert K.|last=Batchelor|pages=76, 79|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=978-0-226-08079-6|year=2014}}</ref> |
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==History== |
==History== |
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{{Main|History of Japan}} |
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<!--Please try to keep this section as general as possible. Specific information should be added to a more specific article. This section stresses the most important facts, and leaves analysis of cause and effect to the daughter articles. --> |
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{{For timeline|Timeline of Japanese history}} |
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{{main|History of Japan}} |
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=== |
===Prehistoric to classical history=== |
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[[File:Emperor Jimmu.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Legend]]ary {{Nihongo|[[Emperor Jimmu]]|神武天皇|Jinmu-tennō}}]] |
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[[Image:MiddleJomonVessel.JPG|thumb|left|125px|A Middle [[Jomon]] vessel (3000 to 2000 BC)]] |
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Modern humans arrived in Japan around 38,000 years ago (~36,000 BC), marking the beginning of the [[Japanese Paleolithic]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kondo |first=Y. |last2=Takeshita |first2=Y. |last3=Watanabe |first3=T. |last4=Seki |first4=M. |last5=Nojiri-ko Excavation Research Group |date=April 2018 |title=Geology and Quaternary environments of the Tategahana Paleolithic site in Nojiri-ko (Lake Nojiri), Nagano, central Japan |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1040618217300307 |journal=Quaternary International |language=en |volume=471 |pages=385–395 |doi=10.1016/j.quaint.2017.12.012}}</ref> This was followed from around 14,500 BC (the start of the [[Jōmon period]]) by a [[Mesolithic]] to [[Neolithic]] semi-sedentary [[hunter-gatherer]] culture characterized by [[Pit-house|pit dwelling]] and rudimentary agriculture.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Habu |first1=Junko |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vGnAbTyTynsC&pg=PA43 |title=Ancient Jomon of Japan |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-521-77670-7 |page=43}}</ref> [[Jōmon pottery|Clay vessels]] from the period are among the oldest surviving examples of pottery.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/jomo/hd_jomo.htm|publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art|title=Jōmon Culture (ca. 10,500–ca. 300 B.C.)|accessdate=August 28, 2020|archive-date=December 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211213222716/https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/jomo/hd_jomo.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Japonic languages|Japonic]]-speaking [[Yayoi people]] entered the archipelago from the Korean Peninsula,<ref>{{cite news |last=Wade |first=Nicholas |date=May 4, 2011 |title=Finding on Dialects Casts New Light on the Origins of the Japanese People |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/04/science/04language.html |url-access=limited |archivedate=March 31, 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180331175152/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/04/science/04language.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | surname = Vovin | given = Alexander | author-link = Alexander Vovin | chapter = Origins of the Japanese Language | doi = 10.1093/acrefore/9780199384655.013.277 | doi-access = free | title = Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Linguistics | publisher = Oxford University Press | year = 2017 | isbn = 978-0-19-938465-5}}</ref><ref name="Yayoi culture" /> intermingling with the [[Jōmon people|Jōmon]];<ref name="Yayoi culture">{{cite journal |last1= Watanabe |first1=Yusuke |last2=Naka |first2=Izumi |last3= Khor |first3=Seik-Soon |last4=Sawai |first4=Hiromi |last5=Hitomi |first5=Yuki |last6=Tokunaga |first6=Katsushi |last7=Ohashi |first7= Jun |title=Analysis of whole Y-chromosome sequences reveals the Japanese population history in the Jomon period |journal= Scientific Reports |date=June 17, 2019 |volume=9 |issue=1 |page =8556 |doi=10.1038/s41598-019-44473-z |doi-access=free }}</ref> the [[Yayoi period]] saw the introduction of practices including [[Paddy field|wet-rice farming]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Road of rice plant|url=http://www.kahaku.go.jp/special/past/japanese/ipix/5/5-25.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430010530/http://www.kahaku.go.jp/special/past/japanese/ipix/5/5-25.html|archivedate=April 30, 2011|publisher=[[National Science Museum of Japan]]|accessdate=January 15, 2011}}</ref> a new [[Yayoi pottery|style of pottery]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Kofun Period (ca. 300–710)|url=http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/kofu/hd_kofu.htm|publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art|accessdate=August 28, 2020|archive-date=February 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180221210151/https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/kofu/hd_kofu.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> and metallurgy from China and Korea.<ref>{{cite web|title=Yayoi Culture (ca. 300 B.C.–300 A.D.)|url=http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/yayo/hd_yayo.htm|publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art|accessdate=August 28, 2020|archive-date=January 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200104161858/https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/yayo/hd_yayo.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> According to legend, [[Emperor Jimmu]] (descendant of [[Amaterasu]]) founded [[Yamatai|a kingdom]] in central Japan in 660 BC, beginning [[Imperial House of Japan|a continuous imperial line]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Hendry |first=Joy |url=https://archive.org/details/understandingjap00hend |title=Understanding Japanese Society |publisher=Routledge |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-136-27918-8 |page=9 |url-access=registration}}</ref> |
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The first signs of civilization appeared around [[10th millennium BC|10,000 BC]] with the [[Jomon]] culture, characterized by a [[mesolithic]] to [[neolithic]] semi-sedentary [[hunter-gatherer]] lifestyle of pit dwelling and a rudimentary form of [[agriculture]].<ref>Many believe that the [[Ainu people|Ainu]], an indigenous people found mostly on the northern island of [[Hokkaidō]], are descended from the Jomon and thus represent descendants of the first inhabitants of Japan.</ref> The Jomon people made decorated clay vessels, often with plaited patterns. Some of the oldest surviving examples of [[pottery]] in the world may be found in Japan.<ref>Pottery in Japan: |
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*"The earliest known pottery comes from Japan, and is dated to about 10,500 BC. China and Indo-China follow shortly afterwards" ("Past Worlds" The Times Atlas of Archeology. p. 100, 1995). |
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*"That end of the Ice Age was accompanied by the first of the two most decisive changes in Japanese history: the invention of pottery. In the usual experience of archaeologists, inventions flow from mainlands to islands, and small peripheral societies aren't supposed to contribute revolutionary advances to the rest of the world. It therefore astonished archaeologists to discover that the world's oldest known pottery was made in Japan 12,700 years ago." Jared Diamond, [http://cwis.livjm.ac.uk/lng/teaching/japanese/japanroo.htm]. |
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*"Japan, however, was the seat of the earliest known development of ceramics" ("The History and Geography of Human Genes", p249, [[Cavalli-Sforza]] ISBN 0-691-08750-4. |
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*Alternatively, the [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]]'s Timeline of Art History [http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/splash.htm] notes "Carbon-14 testing of the earliest known shards has yielded a production date of about 10,500 B.C., but because this date falls outside the known chronology of pottery development elsewhere in the world, such an early date is not generally accepted". [http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/02/eaj/ht02eaj.htm]. |
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</ref> |
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Japan first appears in written history in the Chinese ''[[Book of Han]]'', completed in 111 AD. [[Buddhism]] was introduced to Japan from [[Baekje]] (a Korean kingdom) in 552, but the development of [[Buddhism in Japan|Japanese Buddhism]] was primarily influenced by China.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brown |first1=Delmer M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A3_6lp8IOK8C&pg=PA141 |title=The Cambridge History of Japan |last2=Hall |first2=John Whitney |last3=Jansen |first3=Marius B. |last4=Shively |first4=Donald H. |last5=Twitchett |first5=Denis |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |year=1988 |isbn=978-0-521-22352-2 |volume=1 |pages=140–149, 275}}</ref> Despite early resistance, Buddhism was promoted by the ruling class, including figures like [[Prince Shōtoku]], and gained widespread acceptance beginning in the [[Asuka period]] (592–710).<ref>{{cite book |last=Beasley |first=William Gerald |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9AivK7yMICgC&pg=PA42 |title=The Japanese Experience: A Short History of Japan |publisher=University of California Press |year=1999 |isbn=978-0-520-22560-2 |page=42}}</ref> |
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The [[Yayoi period]], starting around 300 BC, marked the influx of new practices such as [[rice]] farming and [[iron]] and [[bronze]]-making brought by migrants from continental [[East Asia]].<ref>"[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-23121 The Yayoi period (c. 250 BC–c. AD 250)]," ''Encyclopædia Britannica''; Jared Diamond, "[http://www2.gol.com/users/hsmr/Content/East%20Asia/Japan/History/roots.html Japanese Roots], " ''Discover'' 19:6 (June 1998); [http://www.eva.mpg.de/genetics/pdf/Japan.pdf Dual origins of the Japanese: common ground for hunter-gatherer and farmer Y chromosomes], Michael F. Hammer, 2005{{PDFlink}}. </ref> Japan first appears in written history in 57 AD, in China's [[Book of Later Han]], as "the people of [[Wa (Japan)|Wa]], formed from more than one hundred tribes." In the 3rd century, according to China's [[Book of Wei]], the most powerful kingdom in Japan was called [[Yamataikoku]], and was ruled by the legendary [[Himiko|Queen Himiko]]. |
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In 645, the government led by [[Emperor Tenji|Prince Naka no Ōe]] and [[Fujiwara no Kamatari]] devised and implemented the far-reaching [[Taika Reform]]s. The Reform began with land reform, based on Confucian ideas and [[Chinese philosophy|philosophies]] from [[China]].<ref name="Totman 2005">{{cite book|last=Totman|first=Conrad|title=A History of Japan|edition=2nd|year=2005|publisher=Blackwell|isbn=978-1-4051-2359-4|page=72|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z_a_QgAACAAJ}}</ref> It nationalized all land in Japan, to be [[Equal-field system|distributed equally]] among cultivators, and ordered the compilation of a household registry as the basis for a new system of taxation.<ref name="Sansom" /> The true aim of the reforms was to bring about greater centralization and to enhance the power of the imperial court, which was also based on the governmental structure of China. Envoys and students were dispatched to China to learn about Chinese writing, politics, art, and religion.<ref name = "Totman 2005"/> The [[Jinshin War]] of 672, a bloody conflict between [[Prince Ōama]] and his nephew [[Prince Ōtomo]], became a major catalyst for further administrative reforms.<ref name="ritsuryo" /> These reforms culminated with the promulgation of the [[Taihō Code]], which consolidated existing statutes and established the structure of the central and subordinate local governments.<ref name="Sansom">{{cite book|first=George|last=Sansom|year=1961|title=A History of Japan: 1334–1615|publisher=Stanford University Press|pages=57, 68|isbn=978-0-8047-0525-7|url={{Google books|0syC6L77dpAC|page=|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}} }}</ref> These legal reforms created the {{transliteration|ja|[[ritsuryō]]}} state, a system of Chinese-style centralized government that remained in place for half a millennium.<ref name="ritsuryo">{{cite book|first=Conrad|last=Totman|year=2002|title=A History of Japan|publisher=Blackwell|pages=107–108|isbn=978-1-4051-2359-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z_a_QgAACAAJ}}</ref> |
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===Classical era=== |
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[[Image:TodaijiDaibutsu0224.jpg|150px|thumb|right|The Great [[Buddha]] at [[Todaiji|Tōdaiji]], [[Nara, Nara|Nara]], originally cast in 752]] |
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The [[Kofun period]], from the 3rd century to the 7th century, saw the establishment of a dominant policy centered in the [[Yamato Province|Yamato]] area whence arose the [[Emperor of Japan|Japanese imperial]] lineage. |
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The [[Nara period]] (710–784) marked the emergence of a Japanese state centered on the Imperial Court in [[Heijō Palace|Heijō-kyō]] (modern [[Nara, Nara|Nara]]). The period is characterized by the appearance of a nascent [[Japanese literature|literary culture]] with the completion of the {{transliteration|ja|[[Kojiki]]}} (712) and {{transliteration|ja|[[Nihon Shoki]]}} (720), as well as the development of Buddhist-inspired artwork and [[Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara|architecture]].<ref>{{cite book|first=Conrad|last=Totman|year=2002|title=A History of Japan|publisher=Blackwell|pages=64–79|isbn=978-1-4051-2359-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z_a_QgAACAAJ}}</ref><ref name="Courtiers">{{cite book |author=Henshall, Kenneth |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p5OL-k7A4mAC&pg=PT40 |title=A History of Japan: From Stone Age to Superpower |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |year=2012 |isbn=978-0-230-36918-4 |pages=24–52 |chapter=Of Courtiers and Warriors: Early and Medieval History (710–1600)}}</ref> A [[735–737 Japanese smallpox epidemic|smallpox epidemic in 735–737]] is believed to have killed as much as one-third of Japan's population.<ref name="Courtiers" /><ref>{{cite book |last=Hays |first=J.N. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GyE8Qt-kS1kC&pg=PA31 |title=Epidemics and pandemics: their impacts on human history |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2005 |isbn=978-1-85109-658-9 |page=31}}</ref> In 784, [[Emperor Kanmu]] moved the capital, settling on [[Heian-kyō]] (modern-day [[Kyoto]]) in 794.<ref name="Courtiers" /> This marked the beginning of the [[Heian period]] (794–1185), during which a distinctly indigenous Japanese culture emerged. [[Murasaki Shikibu]]'s ''[[The Tale of Genji]]'' and the lyrics of Japan's national anthem {{transliteration|ja|"[[Kimigayo]]"}} were written during this time.<ref>{{cite book|first=Conrad|last=Totman|year=2002|title=A History of Japan|publisher=Blackwell|pages=79–87, 122–123|isbn=978-1-4051-2359-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z_a_QgAACAAJ}}</ref> |
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The kingdom of [[Baekje]] introduced [[Buddhism]] to Japan, and it was promoted by the Japanese ruling class. (Japan provided Baekje with military support.<Ref>See ''[[Nihon Shoki]]'', volumes 19, Story of Kinmei. [http://applepig.idv.tw/kuon/furu/text/syoki/syoki19_2.htm#sk19_11]"''[[Nihon Shoki]]''; {{cite book | editor = Delmer M. Brown (ed.) | year = 1993 | title = The Cambridge History of Japan | publisher = Cambridge University Press | pages = 140-149|url = http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0521223520&id=x5mwgfPXK1kC&pg=PA159&lpg=PA159&vq=buddhism&dq=Paekche+hostage+japan&sig=dwsfsmf80GCVdVXe90a5s9Tkq34}}; George Sansom, ''A History of Japan to 1334'', Stanford University Press, 1958. p. 47. ISBN 0804705232</Ref>) [[Prince Shotoku|Prince Shōtoku]] devoted his efforts to the spread of [[Buddhism]] and [[Chinese culture]] in Japan. He is credited with bringing relative peace to Japan through the proclamation of the [[Seventeen-article constitution]]. |
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===Feudal era=== |
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Starting with the [[Taika Reform Edicts]] of 645, the Yamato court intensified the adoption of Chinese cultural practices and reorganized the government and the penal code based on the Chinese administrative structure of the time.<ref>This is in reference to the [[Ritsuryo|Ritsuryō]]</ref> This paved the way for the dominance of [[Confucianism|Confucian]] philosophy in Japan till the 19th century. This period also saw the first use of the word {{nihongo|''Nihon''|日本}} as a name for the emerging state. |
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[[File:Mokoshuraiekotoba.jpg|thumb|Japanese [[samurai]] boarding a Mongol vessel during the [[Mongol invasions of Japan]], depicted in the {{transliteration|ja|[[Mōko Shūrai Ekotoba]]}}, 1293]] |
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[[File:The Three Unifiers of Japan.jpg|thumb|Three unifiers of Japan. Left to right: [[Oda Nobunaga]], [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] and [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]].]] |
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Japan's feudal era was characterized by the emergence and dominance of a ruling class of warriors, the [[samurai]].<ref name="Leibo2015">{{cite book|first=Steven A.|last=Leibo|title=East and Southeast Asia 2015–2016|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1yX-CQAAQBAJ&pg=PA99|year=2015|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers|isbn=978-1-4758-1875-8|pages=99–104}}</ref> In 1185, following the defeat of the [[Taira clan]] by the [[Minamoto clan]] in the [[Genpei War]], samurai [[Minamoto no Yoritomo]] established a [[military government]] at [[Kamakura]].<ref>{{cite book|title=World Monarchies and Dynasties|last=Middleton|first=John|year=2015|page=616|publisher=Routledge}}</ref> After Yoritomo's death, the [[Hōjō clan]] came to power as regents for the {{transliteration|ja|shōgun}}.<ref name="Courtiers" /> The [[Zen]] school of Buddhism was introduced from China in the [[Kamakura period]] (1185–1333) and became popular among the samurai class.<ref>{{cite book|last=Totman|first=Conrad|title=A History of Japan|edition=2nd|year=2005|publisher=Blackwell|isbn=978-1-4051-2359-4|pages=106–112|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z_a_QgAACAAJ}}</ref> The [[Kamakura shogunate]] repelled [[Mongol invasions of Japan|Mongol invasions]] in 1274 and 1281 but was eventually [[Kenmu Restoration|overthrown]] by [[Emperor Go-Daigo]].<ref name="Courtiers" /> Go-Daigo was defeated by [[Ashikaga Takauji]] in 1336, beginning the [[Muromachi period]] (1336–1573).<ref name="Shirane2012a">{{cite book|first=Haruo|last=Shirane|title=Traditional Japanese Literature: An Anthology, Beginnings to 1600|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E8qq6zhhM5kC&pg=PA409|year=2012|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0-231-15730-8|page=409}}</ref> The succeeding [[Ashikaga shogunate]] failed to control the feudal warlords ({{transliteration|ja|daimyō}}) and a [[Ōnin War|civil war began in 1467]], opening the century-long [[Sengoku period]] ("Warring States").<ref>{{cite book|first=George|last=Sansom|year=1961|title=A History of Japan: 1334–1615|publisher=Stanford University Press|pages=42, 217|isbn=978-0-8047-0525-7|url={{Google books|0syC6L77dpAC|page=|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}} }}</ref> |
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The [[Nara period]] of the 8th century marked the first emergence of a strong Japanese state, centered around an imperial court in the city of [[Heijō Palace|Heijō-kyō]]. The imperial court then moved briefly to [[Nagaoka]], and then to Heian-kyō (now [[Kyoto]]). |
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During the 16th century, Portuguese traders and [[Jesuit]] missionaries reached Japan for the first time, initiating direct [[Nanban trade|commercial]] and [[Nanban art|cultural]] exchange between Japan and the West.<ref name="Courtiers" /><ref>{{cite book|title=Tanegashima|year=2005|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=0-203-47957-2|last=Lidin|first=Olof}}</ref> [[Oda Nobunaga]] used European technology and firearms to conquer many other {{transliteration|ja|daimyō}};<ref>{{cite journal|title=The impact of firearms on Japanese warfare, 1543–98|last=Brown|first=Delmer|journal=The Far Eastern Quarterly|volume=7|issue=3|date=May 1948|doi=10.2307/2048846|pages=236–253}}</ref> his consolidation of power began what was known as the [[Azuchi–Momoyama period]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://collections.dma.org/essay/dAg2pDvx|publisher=Dallas Museum of Art|title=Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573–1603)|accessdate=October 3, 2020|archive-date=November 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106110854/https://collections.dma.org/essay/dAg2pDvx|url-status=live}}</ref> After [[Honnō-ji Incident|the death of Nobunaga]] in 1582, his successor, [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]], unified the nation in the early 1590s and launched [[Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–98)|two unsuccessful invasions of Korea in 1592 and 1597]].<ref name="Courtiers" /> |
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Historical writing in Japan culminated in the early 8th century with the epic chronicles, the ''[[Kojiki]]'' and the ''[[Nihon Shoki]]''. These two chronicles give a legendary account of Japan's beginnings. According to them Japan was founded in 660 BC by [[Emperor Jimmu]], a descendant of the [[Shinto]] deity [[Amaterasu]] (the Sun Goddess). Emperor Jimmu is said to be the ancestor of the [[List of Emperors of Japan|line of emperors]] that remains unbroken to this day. Historians, however, believe the first emperor who actually existed was [[Emperor Ojin|Emperor Ōjin]], though the date of his reign is uncertain.{{citeneeded}} |
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[[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] served as [[Council of Five Elders|regent]] for Hideyoshi's son [[Toyotomi Hideyori]] and used his position to gain political and military support.<ref name="Turnbull2011">{{cite book|last=Turnbull|first=Stephen|title=Toyotomi Hideyoshi|year=2011|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=978-1-84603-960-7|page=61|url={{Google books|x8govgAACAAJ|page=|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}}}</ref> When open war broke out, Ieyasu defeated rival clans in the [[Battle of Sekigahara]] in 1600. He was appointed {{transliteration|ja|shōgun}} by [[Emperor Go-Yōzei]] in 1603 and established the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] at [[Edo (Tokyo)|Edo]] (modern Tokyo).<ref name="Closed">{{cite book|chapter=The Closed Country: the Tokugawa Period (1600–1868)|pages=53–74|author=Henshall, Kenneth|title=A History of Japan: From Stone Age to Superpower|isbn=978-0-230-36918-4|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|year=2012}}</ref> The shogunate enacted measures including {{transliteration|ja|[[buke shohatto]]}}, as a code of conduct to control the autonomous {{transliteration|ja|daimyō}},<ref>{{cite book|last=Totman|first=Conrad|title=A History of Japan|edition=2nd|year=2005|publisher=Blackwell|isbn=978-1-4051-2359-4|pages=142–143|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z_a_QgAACAAJ}}</ref> and in 1639 the isolationist {{transliteration|ja|[[sakoku]]}} ("closed country") policy that spanned the two and a half centuries of tenuous political unity known as the [[Edo period]] (1603–1868).<ref name="Closed" /><ref>{{cite journal|last=Toby|first=Ronald P.|title=Reopening the Question of Sakoku: Diplomacy in the Legitimation of the Tokugawa Bakufu|journal=Journal of Japanese Studies|year=1977|volume=3|issue=2|pages=323–363|doi=10.2307/132115|jstor=132115}}</ref> Modern Japan's economic growth began in this period, resulting in [[Kaidō|roads]] and water transportation routes, as well as financial instruments such as [[futures contract]]s, banking and insurance of the [[Osaka rice brokers]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Origins of Japanese Trade Supremacy|author=Howe, Christopher|publisher=Hurst & Company|year=1996|isbn=978-1-85065-538-1|pages=58ff|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XkCRcv0iXn0C}}</ref> The study of Western sciences ({{transliteration|ja|[[rangaku]]}}) continued through contact with the Dutch enclave in [[Nagasaki]].<ref name="Closed" /> The Edo period gave rise to {{transliteration|ja|[[kokugaku]]}} ("national studies"), the study of Japan by the Japanese.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Ohtsu|first1=M.|last2=Imanari|first2=Tomio|title=Japanese National Values and Confucianism|journal=Japanese Economy|year=1999|volume=27|issue=2|pages=45–59|doi=10.2753/JES1097-203X270245}}</ref> |
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In the [[Heian period]], from 794 to 1185, a distinctly indigenous culture emerged, noted for its [[Japanese art|art]], especially [[Japanese poetry|poetry]] and [[Japanese literature|literature]]. In the early 11th century, [[Murasaki Shikibu|Lady Murasaki]] wrote the world's oldest surviving novel, ''[[The Tale of Genji]]''. The [[Fujiwara clan]]'s regency dominated politics during this period. |
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===Modern era=== |
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[[Image:Hasekura in Rome.JPG|thumb|left|150px|The samurai [[Hasekura Tsunenaga]], Japan's first official ambassador to the Americas and Europe, in 1615.]] |
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Japan's [[medieval]] era was characterized by the emergence of a ruling class of warriors, the [[samurai]]. In 1185, following the defeat of the rival [[Taira clan]], [[Minamoto no Yoritomo]] was appointed [[Shogun|Shōgun]] and established a base of power in [[Kamakura, Kanagawa|Kamakura]]. After Yoritomo's death, another warrior clan, the [[Hōjō clan|Hōjō]], came to rule as regents for the shoguns. The [[Kamakura shogunate]] managed to repel [[Mongol invasions of Japan|Mongol invasions]] in 1274 and 1281, with assistance from a storm that the Japanese interpreted as a [[Kamikaze (typhoon)|kamikaze]], or Divine Wind. The Kamakura shogunate lasted another fifty years and was eventually overthrown by [[Ashikaga Takauji]] in 1333. The succeeding [[Ashikaga shogunate]] failed to manage the feudal warlords — the [[daimyo]] — and a civil war erupted. The [[Ōnin War]] (1467 to 1477) is generally regarded as the onset of the "Warring States" or [[Sengoku period]]. |
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| image1 = Meiji tenno1.jpg |
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During the 16th century, traders and [[missionary|missionaries]] from [[Portugal]] reached Japan for the first time, initiating the ''[[Nanban trade period|Nanban]]'' ("southern barbarian") period of active commercial and cultural exchange between Japan and the West. [[Oda Nobunaga]] conquered numerous other ''daimyo'' by using European technology and [[firearms]], and had almost unified the nation when he was assassinated in the "[[Incident at Honnōji]]" in 1582. [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] succeeded Nobunaga and united the nation in 1590. Hideyoshi [[Hideyoshi's invasions of Korea|twice invaded Korea]], but was thwarted by [[Korea]]n and [[Ming Dynasty|Ming]] Chinese forces. Following several defeats and Hideyoshi's death, Japanese troops were withdrawn in 1597. |
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| alt1 = |
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| caption1 = {{nihongo|[[Emperor Meiji]]|明治天皇|Meiji-tennō}}; 1852–1912 |
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| image2 = Japanese Empire (orthographic projection).svg |
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===Edo era=== |
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[[Image:RedSealShip.JPG|right|thumb|200px|One of Japan's [[Red seal ship]]s (1634), which were used for trade throughout Asia.]] |
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| caption2 = The [[Japanese Empire]] and its influence, 1942 |
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After Hideyoshi's death, [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] utilized his position as the regent of Hideyoshi's son [[Toyotomi Hideyori]] as well as the conflicts among loyalists of the [[Toyotomi clan]], to gain the support of warlords from across Japan. When open war broke out, he defeated rival clans in the [[Battle of Sekigahara]] in 1600. Ieyasu was appointed [[shogun|shōgun]] in 1603 and established the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] at [[Edo]] (modern [[Tokyo]]). |
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}} |
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The [[United States Navy]] sent Commodore [[Matthew C. Perry]] to force the opening of Japan to the outside world. Arriving at [[Uraga, Kanagawa|Uraga]] with four "[[Black Ships]]" in July 1853, the [[Perry Expedition]] resulted in the March 1854 [[Convention of Kanagawa]].<ref name="Closed" /> Subsequent similar treaties with other Western countries brought economic and political crises.<ref name="Closed" /> The resignation of the {{transliteration|ja|shōgun}} led to the [[Boshin War]] and the establishment of a [[Abolition of the han system|centralized state]] nominally unified under the emperor (the [[Meiji Restoration]]).<ref>{{cite book|last=Totman|first=Conrad|title=A History of Japan|edition=2nd|year=2005|publisher=Blackwell|isbn=978-1-4051-2359-4|pages=289–296|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z_a_QgAACAAJ}}</ref> Adopting Western political, judicial, and military institutions, the [[Cabinet of Japan|Cabinet]] organized the [[Privy Council (Japan)|Privy Council]], introduced the [[Meiji Constitution]] (November 29, 1890), and assembled the [[National Diet|Imperial Diet]].<ref name=modernnation>{{cite book|chapter=Building a Modern Nation: the Meiji Period (1868–1912)|pages=75–107|author=Henshall, Kenneth|title=A History of Japan: From Stone Age to Superpower|isbn=978-0-230-36918-4|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|year=2012}}</ref> During the [[Meiji period]] (1868–1912), the [[Empire of Japan]] emerged as the most developed state in [[Asia]] and as an industrialized world power that pursued military conflict to expand its sphere of influence.<ref>{{cite book|last=McCargo|first=Duncan|title=Contemporary Japan|year=2000|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=978-0-333-71000-5|pages=18–19|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8au8QgAACAAJ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=The Political Economy of Growth|last=Baran|first=Paul|publisher=Monthly Review Press|year=1962|isbn=|page=160}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Totman|first=Conrad|title=A History of Japan|edition=2nd|year=2005|publisher=Blackwell|isbn=978-1-4051-2359-4|pages=312–314|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z_a_QgAACAAJ}}</ref> After victories in the [[First Sino-Japanese War]] (1894–1895) and the [[Russo-Japanese War]] (1904–1905), Japan gained control of Taiwan, Korea and the southern half of [[Sakhalin]],<ref>{{cite book|last=Matsusaka|first=Y. Tak|title=Companion to Japanese History|year=2009|publisher=Blackwell|isbn=978-1-4051-1690-9|pages=224–241|editor=Tsutsui, William M.|chapter=The Japanese Empire}}</ref><ref name=modernnation/> and annexed Korea in 1910.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=October 15, 2019 |title=Japanese Colonial Ideology In Korea (1905–1945)|journal=The Yale Review of International Studies |url=https://yris.yira.org/essays/japanese-colonial-ideology-in-korea-1905-1945/S|author=Yi Wei}}</ref> The Japanese population doubled from 35 million in 1873 to 70 million by 1935, with a significant shift to urbanization.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hiroshi|first=Shimizu|title=Japan and Singapore in the world economy: Japan's economic advance into Singapore, 1870–1965|year=1999|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-19236-1|author2=Hitoshi, Hirakawa|page=17|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7k0F8YoZ6P0C}}</ref><ref name=excesses>{{cite book|chapter=The Excesses of Ambition: the Pacific War and its Lead-Up|pages=108–141|author=Henshall, Kenneth|title=A History of Japan: From Stone Age to Superpower|isbn=978-0-230-36918-4|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|year=2012}}</ref> |
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The early 20th century saw a period of [[Taishō period|Taishō democracy]] (1912–1926) overshadowed by increasing [[expansionism]] and [[Japanese militarism|militarization]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Pursuit of Power in Modern Japan 1825–1995|chapter=Taisho Democracy and the First World War|doi=10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198205890.001.0001|last=Tsuzuki|first=Chushichi|year=2011|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-820589-0}}</ref><ref name=ramesh>{{cite book|chapter=The Taisho Period (1912–1926): Transition from Democracy to a Military Economy|title=China's Economic Rise|last=Ramesh|first=S|pages=173–209|isbn=978-3-030-49811-5|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|year=2020}}</ref> [[Japan during World War I|World War I]] allowed Japan, which joined the side of the victorious [[Allies of World War I|Allies]], to capture [[German colonial empire|German possessions]] in the [[Pacific]] and China in [[Treaty of Versailles|1920]].<ref name=ramesh/> The 1920s saw a political shift towards [[Statism in Shōwa Japan|statism]], a period of lawlessness following the 1923 [[Great Tokyo Earthquake]], the passing of [[Peace Preservation Law|laws against political dissent]], and a series of [[May 15 Incident|attempted coups]].<ref name=excesses/><ref>{{cite book|title=Nationalism Today: Extreme Political Movements around the World|page=20|editor=Burnett, M. Troy|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|page=268|title=Embracing 'Asia' in China and Japan|year=2018|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|last=Weber|first=Torsten}}</ref> This process accelerated during the 1930s, spawning several radical nationalist groups that shared a hostility to liberal democracy and a dedication to expansion in Asia.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Young |first=Louise |chapter=The Breakdown in Democracy in 1930s Japan |date=2024 |title=When Democracy Breaks |pages=108–141 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=0-19-776078-3}}</ref> In 1931, Japan [[Japanese invasion of Manchuria|invaded China and occupied Manchuria]], which led to the establishment of [[puppet state]] of [[Manchukuo]] in 1932; following [[Lytton Report|international condemnation of the occupation]], it resigned from the [[League of Nations]] in 1933.<ref name="Inc1945">{{cite magazine|title=The Japanese Nation: It has a history of feudalism, nationalism, war and now defeat|magazine=LIFE|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t0kEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA109|date=September 17, 1945|volume=19|issue=12|pages=109–111}}</ref> In 1936, Japan signed the [[Anti-Comintern Pact]] with [[Nazi Germany]]; the 1940 [[Tripartite Pact]] made it one of the [[Axis powers]].<ref name=excesses/> |
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After defeating Toyotomi clan, at the [[Siege of Osaka]] in 1614 and 1615, the Tokugawas became rulers of Japan, setting up a centralized feudal system with the Tokugawa shogunate at the head of the [[Han (Japan)|feudal domains]]. After Ieyasu, the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] enacted a variety of measures to control the [[daimyo]], among them the ''[[sankin-kotai|sankin-kōtai]]'' policy of enforced rotation between fiefs and attendance in Edo. In 1639, the shogunate began the isolationist ''[[sakoku]]'' ("closed country") policy that spanned the two and a half centuries of tenuous political unity known as the [[Edo period]]. This is often considered to be the height of Japan's medieval culture. The study of Western sciences, known as ''[[rangaku]]'', continued during this period through contacts with the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] enclave at [[Dejima]] in [[Nagasaki]]. The Edo period also gave rise to ''[[kokugaku]]''. Literally translated, this means "Japanese studies," though it more correctly is represented by the study of native Japan by the Japanese themselves.<ref>http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/GLOSSARY/KOKUGAKU.HTM</ref> [[Yamaga Soko]] is a [[military strategy|strategist]] who advocated ''[[Bushido]]''. His thought had a strong influence on [[Forty-seven Ronin]] and [[Sonnō jōi]]. |
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[[File:Mamoru Shigemitsu signs the Instrument of Surrender, officially ending the Second World War.jpg|thumb|Japan's imperial ambitions ended on September 2, 1945, with the country's surrender to the Allies.]] |
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The Empire of Japan invaded other parts of China in 1937, precipitating the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]] (1937–1945).<ref name="Paine2012">{{cite book|first=S. C. M.|last=Paine|title=The Wars for Asia, 1911–1949|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bAYgAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA123|year=2012|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-139-56087-0|pages=123–125}}</ref> In 1940, the Empire [[Japanese invasion of French Indochina|invaded French Indochina]], after which the United States placed an oil embargo on Japan.<ref name=excesses/><ref>{{cite book| first=Roland H. Jr. |last=Worth|title=No Choice But War: the United States Embargo Against Japan and the Eruption of War in the Pacific|publisher=McFarland|year=1995|pages=56, 86|isbn=978-0-7864-0141-3|url={{Google books|ezBnAAAAMAAJ|page=|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}} }}</ref> On December 7–8, 1941, Japanese forces carried out surprise [[Attack on Pearl Harbor|attacks on Pearl Harbor]], as well as on British forces in [[Battle of Malaya|Malaya]], [[Bombing of Singapore (1941)|Singapore]], and [[Battle of Hong Kong|Hong Kong]], among others, beginning [[Pacific War|World War II in the Pacific]].<ref>{{cite book|chapter=Introduction: December 7/8, 1941|last1=Bailey|first1=Beth|last2=Farber|first2=David|pages=1–8|title=Beyond Pearl Harbor: A Pacific History|year=2019|publisher=University Press of Kansas}}</ref> Throughout areas occupied by Japan during the war, numerous abuses were committed against local inhabitants, with many forced into [[Comfort women|sexual slavery]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Yōko|first=Hayashi|title=Issues Surrounding the Wartime "Comfort Women"|journal=Review of Japanese Culture and Society|year=1999–2000|volume=11/12|issue=Special Issue|pages=54–65|jstor=42800182}}</ref> After [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] victories during the next four years, which culminated in the [[Soviet invasion of Manchuria]] and the [[atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki]] in 1945, Japan agreed to [[Surrender of Japan|an unconditional surrender]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Pape|first=Robert A.|title=Why Japan Surrendered|journal=International Security|year=1993|volume=18|issue=2|pages=154–201|doi=10.2307/2539100}}</ref> The war cost Japan millions of lives and [[Territorial conquests of the Empire of Japan|its colonies]], including ''[[de jure]]'' parts of Japan such as [[Korea under Japanese rule|Korea]], [[Taiwan under Japanese rule|Taiwan]], [[Karafuto Prefecture|Karafuto]], and the [[Kuril Islands|Kurils]].<ref name=excesses/> The Allies (led by the United States) repatriated millions of [[Japanese diaspora|Japanese settlers]] from their former colonies and military camps throughout Asia, largely eliminating the [[Japanese Empire]] and its influence over the territories it conquered.<ref>{{cite book|last=Watt|first=Lori|title=When Empire Comes Home: Repatriation and Reintegration in Postwar Japan|publisher=Harvard University Press|year=2010|isbn=978-0-674-05598-8|pages=1–4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_F3AN6x6AQ8C}}</ref><ref name=phoenix/> The Allies convened the [[International Military Tribunal for the Far East]] to prosecute Japanese leaders except the Emperor<ref>{{Cite web |last=Frank|first=Richard|date=August 26, 2020 |title=The Fate of Emperor Hirohito |url=https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/what-happened-to-emperor-hirohito |publisher=The National WWII Museum |archivedate=May 9, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509105645/https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/what-happened-to-emperor-hirohito |url-status=live }}</ref> for [[Japanese war crimes]].<ref name=phoenix>{{cite book|chapter=A Phoenix from the Ashes: Postwar Successes and Beyond|pages=142–180|author=Henshall, Kenneth|title=A History of Japan: From Stone Age to Superpower|isbn=978-0-230-36918-4|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|year=2012}}</ref> |
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In 1947, Japan adopted [[Constitution of Japan|a new constitution]] emphasizing liberal democratic practices.<ref name=phoenix/> The [[Occupation of Japan|Allied occupation]] ended with the [[Treaty of San Francisco]] in 1952,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2007/03/06/national/52-coup-plot-bid-to-rearm-japan-cia/|title='52 coup plot bid to rearm Japan: CIA|first=Joseph|last=Coleman|date=March 6, 2007|newspaper=The Japan Times|archive-date=April 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411091335/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2007/03/06/national/52-coup-plot-bid-to-rearm-japan-cia/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and Japan was granted membership in the [[United Nations]] in 1956.<ref name=phoenix/> [[Japanese economic miracle|A period of record growth]] propelled Japan to become the world's [[List of countries by largest historical GDP|second-largest economy at that time]];<ref name=phoenix/> this ended in the mid-1990s after the popping of [[Japanese asset price bubble|an asset price bubble]], beginning the "[[Lost Decade (Japan)|Lost Decade]]".<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1111/1467-9701.00522|title=The bubble and the lost decade|last1=Saxonhouse|first1=Gary|last2=Stern|first2=Robert|journal=The World Economy|year=2003|pages=267–281|volume=26|issue=3|hdl=2027.42/71597|hdl-access=free}}</ref> In 2011, Japan suffered one of the largest earthquakes in its recorded history—the [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami|Tōhoku earthquake]]—triggering the [[Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster]].<ref name="nytimes-tsunami">{{cite news|last1=Fackler|first1=Martin|author1-link=Martin Fackler (journalist)|last2=Drew|first2= Kevin|title=Devastation as Tsunami Crashes Into Japan|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/12/world/asia/12japan.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220103/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/12/world/asia/12japan.html |archive-date=January 3, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 11, 2011}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On May 1, 2019, after the historic [[abdication of Emperor Akihito]], his son [[Naruhito]] became Emperor, beginning the {{Lang|ja-latn|[[Reiwa]]}} era.<ref>{{cite web|title=Japan's emperor thanks country, prays for peace before abdication|url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Japan-s-Reiwa-era/Japan-s-emperor-thanks-country-prays-for-peace-before-abdication|website=Nikkei Asian Review|date=April 30, 2019|archivedate=May 11, 2020|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511172939/https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Japan-s-Reiwa-era/Japan-s-emperor-thanks-country-prays-for-peace-before-abdication|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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===Modern Japan=== |
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[[Image:Satsuma-samurai-during-boshin-war-period.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Samurai of the [[Satsuma]] clan, during the [[Boshin War]] period, circa 1867. <small>Photograph by [[Felice Beato]].</small>]] |
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On [[March 31]], [[1854]], Commodore [[Matthew Perry (naval officer)|Matthew Perry]] and the "[[Black Ships]]" of the [[United States Navy]] forced the opening of Japan to the West with the [[Convention of Kanagawa]]. The [[Boshin War]] of 1867-1868 led to the resignation of the shogunate, and the [[Meiji Restoration]] established a government centered around the emperor. Japan adopted numerous Western institutions, including a modern government, legal system and military. Japan introduced a [[parliamentary system]] modeled after the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|British parliament]], with [[Ito Hirobumi]] as first Prime Minister in 1882. |
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==Geography== |
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The [[Meiji era]] reforms helped transform the [[Empire of Japan]] into a [[world power]] and embarked on a number of military conflicts to increase access to natural resources with victories in the [[First Sino-Japanese War]] (1894-1895) and the [[Russo-Japanese War]] (1904-1905). That was the first time that an Asian country had defeated a European imperial power. By 1910, Japan controlled [[Korea]] and the southern half of [[Sakhalin]]. Next year, the [[unequal treaties]] Japan had signed with western powers were cancelled. |
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{{Main|Geography of Japan|Geology of Japan}} |
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[[File:Japan topo en.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|A topographic map of Japan]] |
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Japan comprises [[List of islands of Japan|14,125 islands]] extending along the Pacific coast of Asia.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/16/japan-sees-its-number-of-islands-double-after-recount |title=Japan sees its number of islands double after recount |first=Justin |last=McCurry |date=February 16, 2023 |work=The Guardian |archivedate=March 1, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230301154105/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/16/japan-sees-its-number-of-islands-double-after-recount |url-status=live }}</ref> It stretches over {{convert|3000|km|mi|abbr=on|comma=5}} northeast–southwest from the [[Sea of Okhotsk]] to the [[East China Sea]].<ref name=water>{{cite web|title = Water Supply in Japan|url = https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/health/water_supply/1.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126130519/https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/health/water_supply/1.html|archivedate = January 26, 2018|publisher = Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare|accessdate = September 26, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=An Invitation to Japan's Borderlands: At the Geopolitical Edge of the Eurasian Continent|last=Iwashita|first=Akihiro|pages=279–282|doi=10.1080/08865655.2011.686969|year=2011|journal=Journal of Borderlands Studies|volume=26|issue=3}}</ref> The country's five main islands, from north to south, are [[Hokkaido]], [[Honshu]], [[Shikoku]], [[Kyushu]] and [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]].<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.imic.2012.04.004|title=The development of small islands in Japan: An historical perspective|last=Kuwahara|first=Sueo|year=2012|volume=1|issue=1|journal=Journal of Marine and Island Cultures|pages=38–45|doi-access=free}}</ref> The [[Ryukyu Islands]], which include Okinawa, are a chain to the south of Kyushu. The [[Nanpō Islands]] are south and east of the main islands of Japan. Together they are often known as the [[Japanese archipelago]].<ref>{{cite book|last=McCargo|first=Duncan|title=Contemporary Japan|year=2000|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=978-0-333-71000-5|pages=8–11|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8au8QgAACAAJ}}</ref> {{As of|2019}}, Japan's territory is {{convert|comma=5|377,975.24|km²|sqmi|abbr=on}}.<ref name="area-2019" /> Japan has the [[List of countries by length of coastline|sixth-longest coastline]] in the world at {{convert|comma=5|29751|km|mi|abbr=on}}. Because of its far-flung outlying islands, [[Exclusive economic zone of Japan|Japan's exclusive economic zone]] is the [[List of countries by length of exclusive economic zones|eighth-largest]] in the world, covering {{convert|comma=5|4470000|km²|sqmi|abbr=on}}.<ref name=cia/><ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1080/08865655.2011.686972|last=Yamada|first=Yoshihiko|title=Japan's New National Border Strategy and Maritime Security|pages=357–367|year=2011|volume=26|issue=3|journal=Journal of Borderlands Studies}}</ref> |
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The Japanese archipelago is 67% [[Forestry in Japan|forests]] and 14% [[Agriculture in Japan|agricultural]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.env.go.jp/en/nature/npr/ncj/section1.html|publisher=Ministry of the Environment|title=Natural environment of Japan: Japanese archipelago|accessdate=August 4, 2022|archive-date=August 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805032536/https://www.env.go.jp/en/nature/npr/ncj/section1.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The primarily rugged and mountainous terrain is restricted for habitation.<ref>{{cite journal|first1=Shouji|last1=Fujimoto|first2=Takayuki|last2=Mizuno|first3=Takaaki|last3= Ohnishi|first4=Chihiro|last4=Shimizu|first5=Tsutomu|last5=Watanabe|title=Relationship between population density and population movement in inhabitable lands|journal=Evolutionary and Institutional Economics Review|year=2017|volume=14|pages=117–130|doi=10.1007/s40844-016-0064-z|doi-access=free}}</ref> Thus the habitable zones, mainly in the coastal areas, have very high population densities: Japan is the 40th [[List of countries by population density|most densely populated country]] even without considering that local concentration.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://statisticstimes.com/demographics/countries-by-population-density.php|website=Statistics Times|title=List of countries by population density|accessdate=October 12, 2020|archive-date=September 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926222139/http://statisticstimes.com/demographics/countries-by-population-density.php|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite proceedings|title=Geographic Dependency of Population Distribution|conference=International Conference on Social Modeling and Simulation, plus Econophysics Colloquium 2014 |pages=151–162|first1=Shouji|last1=Fujimoto|first2=Takayuki|last2= Mizuno|first3=Takaaki|last3=Ohnishi|first4=Chihiro|last4=Shimizu|first5=Tsutomu|last5=Watanabe|series=Springer Proceedings in Complexity|year=2015|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-20591-5_14|isbn=978-3-319-20590-8|url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-20591-5_14}}</ref> Honshu has the highest population density at 450 persons/km<sup>2</sup> (1200/sq mi) {{as of|2010|lc=y}}, while Hokkaido has the lowest density of 64.5 persons/km<sup>2</sup> {{as of|2016|lc=y}}.<ref name="JPCensus">{{cite web|url=http://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/jichi_gyousei/c-gyousei/daityo/index.html|script-title=ja:総務省|住基ネット|trans-title=Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Resident Registration net|work=soumu.go.jp|accessdate=November 13, 2021|archive-date=February 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224144613/https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/jichi_gyousei/c-gyousei/daityo/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> {{As of|2014}}, approximately 0.5% of Japan's total area is [[land reclamation|reclaimed land]] ({{transliteration|ja|umetatechi}}).<ref>{{cite journal|first=Yang|last=Hua|title=Legal Regulation of Land Reclamation in China's Coastal Areas|journal=Coastal Management|volume=42|issue=1|year=2014|pages=59–79|doi=10.1080/08920753.2013.865008}}</ref> [[Lake Biwa]] is an [[ancient lake]] and the country's largest freshwater lake.<ref name=Tabata2016>{{Cite journal|doi = 10.1002/ece3.2070|title = Phylogeny and historical demography of endemic fishes in Lake Biwa: The ancient lake as a promoter of evolution and diversification of freshwater fishes in western Japan|year = 2016|last1 = Tabata|first1 = Ryoichi|last2 = Kakioka|first2 = Ryo|last3 = Tominaga|first3 = Koji|last4 = Komiya|first4 = Takefumi|last5 = Watanabe|first5 = Katsutoshi|journal = Ecology and Evolution|volume = 6|issue = 8|pages = 2601–2623|pmid = 27066244|pmc = 4798153}}</ref> |
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The early 20th century saw a brief period of "[[Taisho democracy]]" overshadowed by the rise of [[Japanese expansionism]] and [[militarization]]. [[World War I]] enabled Japan, which fought on the side of the victorious Allies, to expand its influence in Asia and its territorial holdings in the Pacific. In 1920 Japan joined the [[League of Nations]] and became a member of its security council. Japan continued its expansionist policy by occupying [[Manchuria]] in 1931. The ensuing criticism from the League prompted its withdrawal in 1933. In 1936, Japan signed the [[Anti-Comintern Pact]] with [[Nazi Germany|Germany]], later joining the [[Axis Powers]] alliance in 1941. |
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Japan is substantially prone to [[Earthquakes in Japan|earthquakes]], [[tsunami]] and [[Types of volcanic eruptions|volcanic eruptions]] because of its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire.<ref>{{cite web|last=Israel|first=Brett|date=March 14, 2011|title=Japan's Explosive Geology Explained|url=http://www.livescience.com/30226-japan-tectonics-explosive-geology-ring-of-fire-110314.html|website=Live Science|archivedate=August 5, 2019|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805085127/https://www.livescience.com/30226-japan-tectonics-explosive-geology-ring-of-fire-110314.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It has the [[List of countries by natural disaster risk|17th highest natural disaster risk]] as measured in the 2016 World Risk Index.<ref name=wri>{{Cite web|title=World Risk Report 2016|url=http://collections.unu.edu/view/UNU:5763#viewMetadata|publisher=UNU-EHS|accessdate=November 8, 2020|archive-date=September 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923203844/https://collections.unu.edu/view/UNU:5763#viewMetadata|url-status=live}}</ref> Japan has 111 active volcanoes.<ref>{{cite journal|title=A New Japan Volcanological Database|last1=Fujita|first1=Eisuke|last2=Ueda|first2=Hideki|last3=Nakada|first3=Setsuya|journal=Frontiers in Earth Science|date=July 2020|volume=8|page=205|doi=10.3389/feart.2020.00205|doi-access=free}}</ref> Destructive earthquakes, often resulting in tsunami, occur several times each century;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/north_asia/japan_tec.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070204064754/http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/north_asia/japan_tec.html|archivedate=February 4, 2007|title=Tectonics and Volcanoes of Japan|publisher=Oregon State University|accessdate=March 27, 2007}}</ref> the [[1923 Great Kantō earthquake|1923 Tokyo earthquake]] killed over 140,000 people.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-great-japan-earthquake-of-1923-1764539/|website=Smithsonian Magazine|last=Hammer|first=Joshua|date=May 2011|title=The Great Japan Earthquake of 1923|archive-date=March 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318031207/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-great-japan-earthquake-of-1923-1764539/|url-status=live}}</ref> More recent major quakes are the 1995 [[Great Hanshin earthquake]] and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, which triggered a large tsunami.<ref name="nytimes-tsunami" /> |
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Japan subsequently attacked the rest of China, starting the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]] (1937-1945), as well as many countries and islands in [[southeast Asia]] and the [[Pacific]]. As a result of Japan's actions, an oil embargo and other actions were put in place by the western nations, such as the [[United States]], the [[United Kingdom]] and the [[Netherlands]]. On December 7, 1941, Japan [[Attack on Pearl Harbor|attacked the United States naval base]] in [[Pearl Harbor]] and declared war on the [[United States]], the [[United Kingdom]] and the [[Netherlands]]. This brought the USA into the war, with [[Nazi Germany]] subsequently declaring war on the United States four days later. |
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===Climate=== |
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[[Image:nagasakibomb.jpg|150px|thumb|The 1945 [[atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki|atomic bomb]]ing of [[Nagasaki]].]] |
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{{Main|Geography of Japan#Climate}} |
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[[Pacific War|In a steady campaign]], Japan's forces in the occupied lands under its control were destroyed or neutralized. As American forces advanced toward Japan, it was able to employ its bomber forces more effectively against the Japanese. [[Strategic bombing]] of cities like [[Tokyo]] and [[Osaka]] commenced, which directly resulted in the [[atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki|1945 atomic bombing]]s of [[Hiroshima]] and [[Nagasaki]]. These attacks killed several hundred thousand Japanese, and brought about an early end to the war.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,165148,00.html |title=Nagasaki's Mayor Slams U.S. for Nuke Arsenal |accessdate=2006-06-17}}</ref><ref> |
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[[File:Series-N700a-Mt.Fuji.jpg|thumb|[[Mount Fuji]] and [[Shinkansen]]]] |
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Possibly the most extensive review and analysis of the various death toll estimates is in: |
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The climate of Japan is predominantly temperate but varies greatly from north to south. The northernmost region, Hokkaido, has a [[humid continental climate]] with long, cold winters and very warm to cool summers. [[Precipitation (meteorology)|Precipitation]] is not heavy, but the islands usually develop deep snowbanks in the winter.<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite book|last=Karan|first=Pradyumna Prasad|title=Japan in the 21st century|year=2005|publisher=University Press of Kentucky|isbn=978-0-8131-2342-4|pages=18–21, 41|author2=Gilbreath, Dick|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oze_mWihnU0C}}</ref> |
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{{cite book |author=Richard B. Frank |title=Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire |publisher=Penguin Publishing |year=2001 |id=ISBN 0-679-41424-X}}</ref> |
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After the atomic bombings, Imperial Japan agreed to an [[unconditional surrender]].<ref>http://library.educationworld.net/txt15/surrend1.html</ref> The [[Japanese Instrument of Surrender]] was signed on [[September 2]], [[1945]] ([[V-J Day]]). The [[International Military Tribunal for the Far East]] (on [[May 3]][[1946]]) was convened to prosecute Japanese leaders for [[Japanese war crimes|crimes against peace and humanity]] as well as war crimes such as the [[Nanking Massacre]]. Other war crimes were treated in the local tribunals held in the Asia-Pacific region. Emperor [[Hirohito]] received immunity from prosecution and retained his position as emperor. |
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In the [[Sea of Japan]] region on Honshu's west coast, northwest winter winds bring heavy snowfall during winter. In the summer, the region sometimes experiences extremely hot temperatures because of the [[Foehn wind|Foehn]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.data.jma.go.jp/gmd/cpd/longfcst/en/tourist/file/Hokuriku.html|publisher=Japan Meteorological Agency|title=Climate of Hokuriku district|accessdate=October 24, 2020|archive-date=November 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115152056/https://www.data.jma.go.jp/gmd/cpd/longfcst/en/tourist/file/Hokuriku.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Central Highland (Japan)|Central Highland]] has a typical inland humid continental climate, with large temperature differences between summer and winter. The mountains of the [[Chūgoku region|Chūgoku]] and Shikoku regions shelter the [[Seto Inland Sea]] from seasonal winds, bringing mild weather year-round.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> |
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The war cost Japan millions of lives and left much of the country's industry and infrastructure destroyed. In 1947, Japan adopted a new [[pacifism|pacifist]] [[Constitution of Japan|constitution]], seeking international cooperation and emphasizing human rights and democratic practices. Official [[Occupied Japan|American occupation]] lasted until 1952 and Japan was granted membership of the [[United Nations]] in 1956. After the American occupation, under a program of aggressive industrial development and with US assistance, Japan achieved [[Japanese post-war economic miracle|spectacular growth]] to become the second largest economy in the world, with a growth rate averaging 10% for four decades. This ended in the 1990s, when Japan suffered a major recession from which it has since been slowly recovering.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5178822.stm] |
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The Pacific coast features a [[humid subtropical]] climate that experiences milder winters with occasional snowfall and hot, humid summers because of the southeast seasonal wind. The Ryukyu and Nanpō Islands have a [[subtropics|subtropical climate]], with warm winters and hot summers. Precipitation is very heavy, especially during the rainy season.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> The main [[East Asian rainy season|rainy season]] begins in early May in Okinawa, and the rain front gradually moves north. In late summer and early autumn, [[typhoon]]s often bring heavy rain.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.data.jma.go.jp/gmd/cpd/longfcst/en/tourist_japan.html|publisher=Japan Meteorological Association|title=Overview of Japan's climate|accessdate=December 11, 2020|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112031532/https://www.data.jma.go.jp/gmd/cpd/longfcst/en/tourist_japan.html|url-status=live}}</ref> According to the Environment Ministry, heavy rainfall and increasing temperatures have caused problems in the agricultural industry and elsewhere.<ref name=climatechange>{{Cite web|title=Japan 2030: Tackling climate issues is key to the next decade|url=https://features.japantimes.co.jp/climate-crisis-2030/|website=The Japan Times|last=Ito|first=Masami|accessdate=September 24, 2020|archive-date=March 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309021632/https://features.japantimes.co.jp/climate-crisis-2030///|url-status=live}}</ref> The highest temperature ever measured in Japan, {{convert|comma=5|41.1|°C}}, was recorded on July 23, 2018,<ref>{{Cite web|agency=Associated Press|date=July 23, 2018|url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/07/23/world/asia/ap-as-asia-heat-wave.html|title=Record High in Japan as Heat Wave Grips the Region|website=The New York Times|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723124113/https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/07/23/world/asia/ap-as-asia-heat-wave.html|archivedate=July 23, 2018|url-status=dead }}</ref> and repeated on August 17, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/18/weather/japan-hottest-temperature-record-climate-intl-hnk/index.html|publisher=CNN|date=August 18, 2020|title=Japan's heat wave continues, as temperatures equal highest record|last1=Ogura|first1=Junko|last2=Regan|first2=Helen|archive-date=November 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120015703/https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/18/weather/japan-hottest-temperature-record-climate-intl-hnk/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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{{seealso|Heisei era|Empire of Japan|Military History of Japan}} |
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===Biodiversity=== |
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==Government and politics== |
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{{Main|Wildlife of Japan}} |
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[[Image:Japaneseroyalfamily.jpg|200px|thumb|right|The [[Japanese Imperial Family]].]] |
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Japan has nine forest [[Ecoregions in Japan|ecoregions]] which reflect the climate and geography of the islands. They range from [[Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests|subtropical moist broadleaf forests]] in the Ryūkyū and [[Bonin Islands]], to [[temperate broadleaf and mixed forests]] in the mild climate regions of the main islands, to [[temperate coniferous forest]]s in the cold, winter portions of the northern islands.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc/spotflora.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070213035135/http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc/spotflora.htm|archivedate=February 13, 2007|title=Flora and Fauna: Diversity and regional uniqueness|publisher=Embassy of Japan in the USA|accessdate=April 1, 2007}}</ref> Japan has over 90,000 species of wildlife {{as of|2019|lc=y}},<ref name="Sakurai2019">{{cite book|first=Ryo|last=Sakurai|title=Human Dimensions of Wildlife Management in Japan: From Asia to the World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=68OWDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA12|year=2019|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-981-13-6332-0|pages=12–13}}</ref> including the [[brown bear]], the [[Japanese macaque]], the [[Japanese raccoon dog]], the [[small Japanese field mouse]], and the [[Japanese giant salamander]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Wildlife in Japan|url=https://www.env.go.jp/nature/yasei/pamph/pamph01/WildlifePamphlet-EN_151126.pdf|publisher=[[Ministry of the Environment (Japan)|Ministry of the Environment]]|date=March 2015|archive-date=December 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221054522/http://www.env.go.jp/nature/yasei/pamph/pamph01/WildlifePamphlet-EN_151126.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> There are 53 [[Ramsar sites in Japan|Ramsar wetland sites]] in Japan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ramsar.org/wetland/japan|publisher=Ramsar|title=Japan|accessdate=December 11, 2020|archive-date=October 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021083523/https://ramsar.org/wetland/japan|url-status=live}}</ref> [[World Heritage Sites in Japan|Five sites]] have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for their outstanding natural value.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Japan|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/jp |accessdate=September 29, 2024 |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre }}</ref> |
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{{morepolitics|country=Japan}}<!--Please add new information into relevant articles of the series--> |
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In academic studies, Japan is generally considered a [[constitutional monarchy]], based largely upon the British system with strong influences from European continental [[Civil law (legal system)|civil law]] countries such as Germany and France. For example, in 1896 the Japanese government established ''Minpō'', the [[Civil Code]], on the French model. With post-World War II modifications, the code remains in effect in present-day Japan.<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9043364?hook=6804 "Japanese Civil Code"], ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Retrieved 14 May 2006.</ref> |
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===Environment=== |
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===The Emperor and the Imperial Family=== |
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{{ |
{{Main|Environmental issues in Japan|Climate change in Japan}} |
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[[File:Kongobuji Koyasan07n3200.jpg|thumb|Autumn [[Maple tree|maple leaves]] ({{transliteration|ja|[[momiji]]}}) at [[Kongōbu-ji]] on [[Mount Kōya]], a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]]] |
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The [[Emperor of Japan|Emperor]] (天皇 tennō, literally "heavenly sovereign") is defined by the Constitution as "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people" and is the head of the [[Imperial House of Japan|Imperial family]] and [[head of state]]. He is a ceremonial figurehead in a constitutional monarchy and does not wield even emergency [[reserve power]]s. Power is held chiefly by the Prime Minister, and other elected members of the [[Diet]]. Sovereignty is vested in the [[Japanese people]] by the constitution. Although his official status is disputed, on diplomatic occasions the emperor effectively acts as the [[head of state]]. [[Akihito]] is the current emperor and the only reigning emperor in the world. |
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In the period of rapid economic growth after World War II, environmental policies were downplayed by the government and industrial corporations; as a result, [[Four Big Pollution Diseases of Japan|environmental pollution]] was widespread in the 1950s and 1960s. Responding to rising concerns, the government introduced environmental protection laws in 1970.<ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:日本の大気汚染の歴史|trans-title=Historical Air Pollution in Japan|url=http://www.erca.go.jp/taiki/history/ko_syousyu.html|publisher=Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency|accessdate=March 2, 2014|language=Japanese|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501085231/http://www.erca.go.jp/taiki/history/ko_syousyu.html|archivedate=May 1, 2011}}</ref> The [[1973 oil crisis|oil crisis in 1973]] also encouraged the efficient use of energy because of Japan's lack of natural resources.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sekiyama|first=Takeshi|title=Japan's international cooperation for energy efficiency and conservation in Asian region|url=http://nice.erina.or.jp/en/pdf/C-SEKIYAMA.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216005103/http://nice.erina.or.jp/en/pdf/C-SEKIYAMA.pdf|archivedate=February 16, 2008|publisher=Energy Conservation Center|accessdate=January 16, 2011}}</ref> |
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Japan ranks 20th in the 2018 [[Environmental Performance Index]], which measures a country's commitment to environmental sustainability.<ref>{{cite web|title=Environmental Performance Index: Japan|url=https://epi.envirocenter.yale.edu/epi-country-report/JPN|publisher=Yale University|accessdate=February 26, 2018|archive-date=November 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119100506/https://epi.envirocenter.yale.edu/epi-country-report/JPN|url-status=dead}}</ref> Japan is the world's [[List of countries by carbon dioxide emissions|fifth-largest emitter]] of [[carbon dioxide]].<ref name=climatechange/> As the host and signatory of the 1997 [[Kyoto Protocol]], Japan is under treaty obligation to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions and to take other steps to curb climate change.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUST191967|title=Japan sees extra emission cuts to 2020 goal – minister|date=June 24, 2009|publisher=Reuters|archive-date=October 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012011542/https://www.reuters.com/article/idUST191967|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, the government of Japan announced a target of [[carbon neutrality|carbon-neutral]]ity by 2050.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Davidson|first1=Jordan|title=Japan Targets Carbon Neutrality by 2050|url=https://www.ecowatch.com/japan-carbon-neutral-2648499409.html|website=Ecowatch|date=October 26, 2020|archive-date=November 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101101328/https://www.ecowatch.com/japan-carbon-neutral-2648499409.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Environmental issues include urban air pollution ([[NOx]], suspended [[particulate matter]], and [[toxics]]), [[waste management]], water [[eutrophication]], [[nature conservation]], [[Climate change in Japan|climate change]], chemical management and international co-operation for conservation.<ref>{{cite web|title=Environmental Performance Review of Japan|url=http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/0/17/2110905.pdf|publisher=[[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD]]|accessdate=January 16, 2011|archive-date=February 15, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100215084051/http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/0/17/2110905.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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===Diet=== |
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[[Image:The Diet.jpg|200px|thumb|right|The [[Parliament]] sits in joint session]] |
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{{main|Diet of Japan}} |
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The [[Constitution of Japan]] states that the nation's "highest organ of state power" is its bicameral [[parliament]], the [[Diet of Japan|National Diet]] (''Kokkai''). The Diet consists of a [[House of Representatives of Japan|House of Representatives]] (Lower House or ''Shūgi-in'') containing 480 seats, elected by popular vote every 4 years or when dissolved, and a [[House of Councillors]] (Upper House or ''Sangi'in'') of 242 seats, whose popularly-elected members serve six-year terms. There is universal adult (over 20 years old) [[suffrage]], with a [[secret ballot]] for all elective offices. |
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The [[Liberal conservatism|liberal conservative]] [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic Party]] (LDP) has been in power since 1955, except for a short-lived [[coalition government]] formed from its opposition parties in 1993; the largest opposition party is the liberal-socialist [[Democratic Party of Japan]]. |
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==Government and politics== |
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===Prime Minister=== |
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{{Main|Emperor of Japan|Government of Japan|Politics of Japan|Law of Japan}} |
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[[Image:Abeshinzo.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Japan's [[Wikipedia:As of|current]] Prime Minister, [[Shinzo Abe]].]] |
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[[File:Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako cropped Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako 20191110 1.jpg|thumb|[[Emperor Naruhito]], current head of state, and [[Empress Masako]] participated in the [[:ja:祝賀御列の儀|Imperial Procession by motorcar after the Ceremony of the Enthronement]] in [[Tōkyō Metropolis|Tokyo]] on November 10, 2019.]] |
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{{main|Prime Minister of Japan}} |
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Japan is a [[unitary state]] and [[constitutional monarchy]] in which the power of the [[Emperor of Japan|Emperor]] is limited to a [[ceremonial head of state|ceremonial role]].<ref name=euparl>{{cite web|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI%282020%29651951|publisher=European Parliament|title=Japan's Parliament and other political institutions|date=June 9, 2020|archive-date=October 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019205439/https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2020)651951|url-status=live}}</ref> Executive power is instead wielded by the [[Prime Minister of Japan]] and his [[Cabinet of Japan|Cabinet]], whose sovereignty is vested in the Japanese people.<ref name="Constitution">{{cite web|url=http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/constitution_and_government_of_japan/constitution_e.html|title=The Constitution of Japan|publisher=Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet|date=November 3, 1946|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214104438/http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/constitution_and_government_of_japan/constitution_e.html|archivedate=December 14, 2013}}</ref> [[Naruhito]] is the Emperor of Japan, having succeeded his father [[Akihito]] upon his accession to the [[Chrysanthemum Throne]] in 2019.<ref name=euparl/> |
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[[Prime Minister of Japan|The Prime Minister]] is the [[head of government]] of Japan, although the literal translation of the title is "Prime Minister of the Cabinet". The Prime Minister is appointed by the [[Emperor of Japan]] after being designated by the [[Diet]] from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the [[House of Representatives]] to remain in office. The Prime Minister is the head of the [[Cabinet of Japan]] and appoints and dismisses the Ministers of State, a majority of whom must be Diet members. The current Prime Minister of Japan, since September 2006, is [[Shinzo Abe|Shinzō Abe]]. Although the Prime Minister of Japan is theoretically very powerful, his position is attenuated by the factional nature of Japanese politics and the tendency towards coalition government. |
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[[File:Diet of Japan Kokkai 2009.jpg|thumb|The [[National Diet Building]]]] |
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===Judiciary=== |
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Japan's legislative organ is the [[National Diet]], a [[Bicameralism|bicameral]] [[parliament]].<ref name=euparl/> It consists of a lower [[House of Representatives (Japan)|House of Representatives]] with 465 seats, elected by popular vote every four years or when dissolved, and an upper [[House of Councillors]] with 245 seats, whose popularly-elected members serve six-year terms.<ref name=sec>{{cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/837056/000119312520211213/d477441dex1.htm|publisher=US Securities and Exchange Commission|date=August 6, 2020|title=Japan|archive-date=November 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106133727/https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/837056/000119312520211213/d477441dex1.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> There is [[universal suffrage]] for adults over 18 years of age,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/youthenvoy/2016/07/japan-youth-can-make-difference-new-voting-rights-u-n-envoy/|publisher=UN Envoy on Youth|title=Japan Youth Can Make Difference with New Voting Rights: UN Envoy|date=July 2016|archive-date=October 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028222010/https://www.un.org/youthenvoy/2016/07/japan-youth-can-make-difference-new-voting-rights-u-n-envoy/|url-status=live}}</ref> with a [[secret ballot]] for all elected offices.<ref name="Constitution" /> The prime minister as the [[head of government]] has the power to appoint and dismiss [[Ministers of State]], and is [[Imperial Investiture|appointed]] by the emperor after being designated from among the members of the Diet.<ref name=sec/> [[Shigeru Ishiba]] is Japan's prime minister; he took office after winning the [[2024 Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) presidential election|2024 Liberal Democratic Party leadership election]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Ninivagi|first=Gabriele |title=Ishiba wins: An unusual result for an unusual election |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/09/27/japan/politics/ldp-presidential-election-analysis/|date=September 27, 2024 |work=The Japan Times|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240930195331/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/09/27/japan/politics/ldp-presidential-election-analysis/ |archivedate=September 30, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> The broadly conservative [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic Party]] has been the [[Dominant-party system|dominant party]] in the country since the 1950s, often called the [[1955 System]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Crespo|first=José Antonio|title=The Liberal Democratic Party in Japan: Conservative Domination|journal=[[International Political Science Review]]|volume=16|number=2|pages=199–209|date=April 1995|doi=10.1177/019251219501600206|jstor=1601459}}</ref> |
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{{main|Japanese law|Judicial system of Japan}} |
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Japanese law was historically heavily influenced by [[Chinese law]] and developed independently during the [[Edo period]] through texts such as ''[[Kujikata Osadamegaki]]'', but has been largely based on the [[civil law]] of [[Germany]] since the late 19th century. Statutory law originates in Japan's legislature, the National Diet of Japan, with the rubber-stamp approval of the Emperor. Under the current constitution, the Emperor may not veto or otherwise refuse to approve a law passed by the Diet. Japan's court system is divided into four basic tiers, 438 Summary Courts, one District Court in each prefecture, nine High Courts and the [[Supreme Court of Japan]]. There is also one Family Court tied to each District Court. The main body of Japanese statutory law is a collection called the Six Codes (六法 roppō). |
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Historically influenced by [[Chinese law]], the Japanese legal system developed independently during the Edo period through texts such as {{transliteration|ja|[[Kujikata Osadamegaki]]}}.<ref name=dean>{{cite book|last=Dean|first=Meryll|title=Japanese legal system: text, cases & materials|year=2002|publisher=Cavendish|isbn=978-1-85941-673-0|pages=55–58, 131|edition=2nd|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lt9jB5CjfRIC}}</ref> Since the late 19th century, [[judicial system of Japan|the judicial system]] has been largely based on the [[civil law (legal system)|civil law]] of Europe, notably Germany. In 1896, Japan established a [[civil code]] based on the German [[Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch]], which remains in effect with post–World War II modifications.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Kanamori|first=Shigenari|title=German influences on Japanese Pre-War Constitution and Civil Code|journal=European Journal of Law and Economics|date=January 1, 1999|volume=7|issue=1|pages=93–95|doi=10.1023/A:1008688209052}}</ref> The [[Constitution of Japan]], adopted in 1947, is the oldest unamended constitution in the world.<ref name="anomalous-constitution">{{cite news|last=McElwain|first=Kenneth Mori|title=The Anomalous Life of the Japanese Constitution|url=https://www.nippon.com/en/in-depth/a05602/the-anomalous-life-of-the-japanese-constitution.html|date=August 15, 2017|website=Nippon.com|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190811213143/https://www.nippon.com/en/in-depth/a05602/the-anomalous-life-of-the-japanese-constitution.html|url-status=live|archivedate=August 11, 2019}}</ref> Statutory law originates in the legislature, and the constitution requires that the emperor promulgate legislation passed by the Diet without giving him the power to oppose legislation. The main body of Japanese statutory law is called the [[Six Codes]].<ref name=dean/> Japan's court system is divided into four basic tiers: the [[Supreme Court of Japan|Supreme Court]] and three levels of lower courts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/judiciary/0620system.html|publisher=Office of the Prime Minister of Japan|title=The Japanese Judicial System|date=July 1999|archive-date=January 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116032711/http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/judiciary/0620system.html|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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===Administrative divisions=== |
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{{Main|Administrative divisions of Japan|Prefectures of Japan}} |
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Japan is divided into 47 prefectures, each overseen by an elected [[Governor (Japan)|governor]] and legislature.<ref name=euparl/> In the following table, the prefectures are grouped by [[List of regions of Japan|region]]:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://web-japan.org/factsheet/en/pdf/e02_regions.pdf|title=Regions of Japan|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan|accessdate=January 13, 2021|archive-date=January 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119041311/https://web-japan.org/factsheet/en/pdf/e02_regions.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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{| |
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|rowspan="2"|[[File:Regions and Prefectures of Japan 2.svg|thumb|center|upright=1.3|Prefectures of Japan with colored regions]] |
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|style="padding-right:1em; padding-left:2em; vertical-align:top;"| |
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<div class="center">{{color box|#EF7979}} '''[[Hokkaido]]'''</div> |
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---- |
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1. [[Hokkaido]]{{pb}} |
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|style="padding-right:1em; vertical-align:top;"| |
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<div class="center">'''{{color box|#EFE979}} [[Tōhoku region|Tōhoku]]'''</div> |
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---- |
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2. [[Aomori Prefecture|Aomori]]{{pb}} |
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3. [[Iwate Prefecture|Iwate]]{{pb}} |
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4. [[Miyagi Prefecture|Miyagi]]{{pb}} |
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5. [[Akita Prefecture|Akita]]{{pb}} |
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6. [[Yamagata Prefecture|Yamagata]]{{pb}} |
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7. [[Fukushima Prefecture|Fukushima]] |
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|style="padding-right:1em; vertical-align:top;"| |
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<div class="center">'''{{color box|#87EF79}} [[Kantō region|Kantō]]'''</div> |
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---- |
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8. [[Ibaraki Prefecture|Ibaraki]]{{pb}} |
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9. [[Tochigi Prefecture|Tochigi]]{{pb}} |
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10. [[Gunma Prefecture|Gunma]]{{pb}} |
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11. [[Saitama Prefecture|Saitama]]{{pb}} |
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12. [[Chiba Prefecture|Chiba]]{{pb}} |
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13. [[Tokyo]]{{pb}} |
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14. [[Kanagawa Prefecture|Kanagawa]] |
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|style="padding-right:1em; vertical-align:top;"| |
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<div class="center">'''{{color box|#79EFDB}} [[Chūbu region|Chūbu]]'''</div> |
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---- |
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15. [[Niigata Prefecture|Niigata]]{{pb}} |
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16. [[Toyama Prefecture|Toyama]]{{pb}} |
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17. [[Ishikawa Prefecture|Ishikawa]]{{pb}} |
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18. [[Fukui Prefecture|Fukui]]{{pb}} |
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19. [[Yamanashi Prefecture|Yamanashi]]{{pb}} |
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20. [[Nagano Prefecture|Nagano]]{{pb}} |
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21. [[Gifu Prefecture|Gifu]]{{pb}} |
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22. [[Shizuoka Prefecture|Shizuoka]]{{pb}} |
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23. [[Aichi Prefecture|Aichi]] |
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|- |
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|style="padding-right:1em; padding-left:2em; vertical-align:top;"| |
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<div class="center">'''{{color box|#9579EF}} [[Kansai]]'''</div> |
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---- |
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24. [[Mie Prefecture|Mie]]{{pb}} |
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25. [[Shiga Prefecture|Shiga]]{{pb}} |
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26. [[Kyoto Prefecture|Kyoto]]{{pb}} |
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27. [[Osaka Prefecture|Osaka]]{{pb}} |
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28. [[Hyōgo Prefecture|Hyōgo]]{{pb}} |
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29. [[Nara Prefecture|Nara]]{{pb}} |
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30. [[Wakayama Prefecture|Wakayama]] |
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|style="padding-right:1em; vertical-align:top;"| |
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<div class="center">'''{{color box|#EFB179}} [[Chūgoku region|Chūgoku]]'''</div> |
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---- |
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31. [[Tottori Prefecture|Tottori]]{{pb}} |
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32. [[Shimane Prefecture|Shimane]]{{pb}} |
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33. [[Okayama Prefecture|Okayama]]{{pb}} |
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34. [[Hiroshima Prefecture|Hiroshima]]{{pb}} |
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35. [[Yamaguchi Prefecture|Yamaguchi]] |
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|style="padding-right:1em; vertical-align:top;"| |
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<div class="center">'''{{color box|#CC79EF}} [[Shikoku]]'''</div> |
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---- |
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36. [[Tokushima Prefecture|Tokushima]]{{pb}} |
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37. [[Kagawa Prefecture|Kagawa]]{{pb}} |
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38. [[Ehime Prefecture|Ehime]]{{pb}} |
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39. [[Kōchi Prefecture|Kōchi]] |
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|style="padding-right:1em; vertical-align:top;"| |
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<div class="center">'''{{color box|#B4B4B4}} [[Kyūshū]]'''</div> |
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---- |
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40. [[Fukuoka Prefecture|Fukuoka]]{{pb}} |
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41. [[Saga Prefecture|Saga]]{{pb}} |
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42. [[Nagasaki Prefecture|Nagasaki]]{{pb}} |
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43. [[Kumamoto Prefecture|Kumamoto]]{{pb}} |
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44. [[Ōita Prefecture|Ōita]]{{pb}} |
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45. [[Miyazaki Prefecture|Miyazaki]]{{pb}} |
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46. [[Kagoshima Prefecture|Kagoshima]]{{pb}} |
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47. [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]] |
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|} |
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<!--{{Japan Regions and Prefectures Labelled Map}}--> |
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{{clear}} |
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===Foreign relations=== |
===Foreign relations=== |
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{{Main|Foreign relations of Japan}} |
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[[Image:Bushkoizumi1.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Former Prime Minister [[Junichiro Koizumi|Jun'ichirō Koizumi]] with [[President of the United States|US president]] [[George W. Bush]]. Japan is a close ally of the US in the Pacific area.]] |
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[[File:G7 in het Catshuis.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Japan is a member of both the [[G7]] and the [[G-20 major economies|G20]].]] |
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{{main|Foreign relations of Japan}} |
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A member state of the United Nations since 1956, Japan is one of the [[G4 nations|G4 countries]] seeking reform of the [[United Nations Security Council|Security Council]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/other/bluebook/2017/html/chapter3/c030105.html|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan|title=Japan's Efforts at the United Nations (UN)|work=Diplomatic Bluebook 2017|accessdate=December 11, 2020|archive-date=February 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214051435/https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/other/bluebook/2017/html/chapter3/c030105.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Japan is a member of the [[G7]], [[Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation|APEC]], and "[[ASEAN Free Trade Area#ASEAN Plus Three|ASEAN Plus Three]]", and is a participant in the [[East Asia Summit]].<ref name=terada>{{cite book|url=https://www.jcie.org/researchpdfs/PacificNation/Terada.pdf|last=Terada|first=Takashi|chapter=The United States and East Asian Regionalism|title=A Pacific Nation|editor1=Borthwick, Mark|editor2=Yamamoto, Tadashi|editor2-link=Tadashi Yamamoto|year=2011|isbn=978-4-88907-133-7|publisher=Japan Center for International Exchange|archive-date=November 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106123037/https://www.jcie.org/researchpdfs/PacificNation/Terada.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> It is the world's [[List of development aid sovereign state donors|fifth-largest donor]] of [[official development assistance]], donating US$9.2 billion in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=Statistics from the Development Co-operation Report 2015|url=http://www.oecd.org/dac/japan.htm|publisher=OECD|accessdate=November 15, 2015|archive-date=January 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123081241/http://www.oecd.org/dac/Japan.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2024, Japan had the [[List of countries by number of diplomatic missions|fourth-largest diplomatic network]] in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Global Diplomacy Index – Country Rank |url=https://globaldiplomacyindex.lowyinstitute.org/country_rank.html |accessdate=February 26, 2024 |publisher=[[Lowy Institute]] |archive-date=February 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201012801/http://globaldiplomacyindex.lowyinstitute.org/country_rank.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> |
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Japan maintains close economic and military relations with its key ally the [[United States]]; therefore the [[Japanese-American relations|US-Japan security alliance]] serves as the cornerstone of its [[foreign policy]]. For example Japan contributed non-combatant troops to the [[Iraq War]] with the United States and others. Japan is a member state of the [[United Nations]] and currently serving as a non-permanent [[United Nations Security Council|Security Council]] member. It is also one of the "[[G4 nations]]" seeking permanent membership in the Security Council. |
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Japan has close economic and military relations with the United States, with which it maintains a [[Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan|security alliance]].<ref name=us-relations>{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-japan/|publisher=US Department of State|title=US Relations with Japan|date=January 21, 2020|archive-date=May 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503135404/https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/4142.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The United States is a major market for Japanese exports and a major source of Japanese imports, and is committed to defending the country, with military bases in Japan.<ref name=us-relations/> In 2016, Japan announced the Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision, which frames its regional policies.<ref>{{Cite web |last2=Hosoya |first1=Nicholas |last1=Szechenyi |first2=Yuichi |title=Working Toward a Free and Open Indo-Pacific |url=https://carnegieendowment.org/2019/10/10/working-toward-free-and-open-indo-pacific-pub-80023 |accessdate=May 8, 2024 |publisher=Carnegie Endowment for International Peace |language=en |archive-date=October 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029041716/https://carnegieendowment.org/2019/10/10/working-toward-free-and-open-indo-pacific-pub-80023 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Achieving the 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)' Vision: Japan Ministry of Defense's Approach |url=https://www.mod.go.jp/en/d_act/exc/india_pacific/india_pacific-en.html |accessdate=May 8, 2024 |publisher=Japan Ministry of Defence |archive-date=May 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508095151/https://www.mod.go.jp/en/d_act/exc/india_pacific/india_pacific-en.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Japan is also a member of the [[Quadrilateral Security Dialogue]] ("the Quad"), a multilateral security dialogue reformed in 2017 aiming to limit Chinese influence in the [[Indo-Pacific]] region, along with the United States, Australia, and India.<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep17325 |title=Japan, the Indo-Pacific, and the "Quad" |last=Chanlett-Avery |first=Emma |date=2018 |publisher=Chicago Council on Global Affairs }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Quad in the Indo-Pacific: What to Know |first=Sheila A. |last=Smith |date=May 27, 2021 |url=https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/quad-indo-pacific-what-know |accessdate=January 26, 2022 |publisher=Council on Foreign Relations |archive-date=May 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230503162143/https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/quad-indo-pacific-what-know |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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Japan is a member of the [[G8]], the [[Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation|APEC]], the "[[ASEAN]] plus three", and a participant in the [[East Asia Summit]]. It is also the world's second-largest donor of [[official development assistance]], donating 0.19% of its [[Gross National Income|GNP]] in 2004.<ref>[http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/40/3/35389786.pdf Net Official Development Assistance In 2004], Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 11 April 2005. Retrieved 14 May 2006. {{PDFlink}}</ref> As member of the G8 Japan maintains cordial relations with most countries as a key trading partner. |
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Japan is engaged in several territorial disputes with its neighbors. Japan contests Russia's control of the [[Kuril Islands dispute|Southern Kuril Islands]], which were occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/europe/russia/territory/index.html|title=Japanese Territory, Northern Territories|date=April 4, 2014|publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]]|archive-date=June 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626202149/https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/europe/russia/territory/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> South Korea's control of the [[Liancourt Rocks]] is acknowledged but not accepted as they are claimed by Japan.<ref name="takeshima">{{cite web|url=https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/takeshima/index.html|title=Japanese Territory, Takeshima|date=July 30, 2014|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs|archive-date=June 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190613022420/https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/takeshima/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Japan has strained relations with China and Taiwan over the [[Senkaku Islands]] and the status of [[Okinotorishima]].<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1177/0920203X16665778|date=September 2016|title=The Senkaku Shoto/Diaoyu Islands and Okinotorishima disputes: Ideational and material influences|last=Fox|first=Senan|journal=China Information|volume=30|issue=3|pages=312–333}}</ref> |
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Japan has [[Foreign relations of Japan#Disputed territories|several territorial disputes]] with its neighbors concerning the control of certain outlying islands. These disputes are in part about the control of marine and natural resources, such as possible reserves of [[crude oil]] and [[natural gas]]. Japan also has an ongoing dispute with [[North Korea]] over its [[North Korean abductions of Japanese|abduction of Japanese citizens]] and its [[North Korea and weapons of mass destruction|nuclear weapons]] and missile programs. Japan has cooperated with the US to build a missile defense system after the North Korean 2006 missile tests. |
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===Military=== |
===Military=== |
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{{Main|Japan Self-Defense Forces}} |
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[[Image:japanese_sailors_jmsdf.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Sailors aboard the [[JMSDF]] training vessel JDS Kashima stand in ranks.]] |
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[[File:US Navy 051115-N-8492C-125 The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) destroyer JDS Kongou (DDG 173) sails in formation with other JMSDF ships and ships assigned to the USS Kitty Hawk Carrier Strike Group.jpg|thumb|[[Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force|JMSDF]] [[Kongō-class destroyer|{{transliteration|ja|Kongō}}-class destroyer]]]] |
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{{main articles|Japan Self-Defense Forces|Japan Defense Agency}} |
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Japan is the third highest-ranked Asian country in the 2024 [[Global Peace Index]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 Global Peace Index |url=https://www.economicsandpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GPI-2024-web.pdf|publisher=Institute for Economics & Peace|date=June 2024}}</ref> It spent 1.1% of its total GDP on [[Military budget of Japan|its defence budget]] in 2022,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS?locations=JP|title=Military expenditure (% of GDP) – Japan|publisher=[[World Bank]]|accessdate=August 11, 2022|archive-date=August 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811211411/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS?locations=JP|url-status=live}}</ref> and maintained the [[List of countries by military expenditures|tenth-largest military budget]] in the world in 2022.<ref name="SIPRI-2020">{{cite web |date=April 2023 |title=Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2022 |url=https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2023-04/2304_fs_milex_2022.pdf |publisher=[[Stockholm International Peace Research Institute]] |accessdate=May 22, 2023 |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423231601/https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2023-04/2304_fs_milex_2022.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The country's military (the Japan Self-Defense Forces) is restricted by [[Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution]], which renounces Japan's right to declare war or use military force in international disputes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/law/help/japan-constitution/article9.php|publisher=Library of Congress|title=Japan: Article 9 of the Constitution|date=February 2006|archive-date=November 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191113230055/https://www.loc.gov/law/help/japan-constitution/article9.php|url-status=live}}</ref> The military is governed by the [[Ministry of Defense (Japan)|Ministry of Defense]], and primarily consists of the [[Japan Ground Self-Defense Force]], the [[Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force]], and the [[Japan Air Self-Defense Force]]. The [[Japanese Iraq Reconstruction and Support Group|deployment of troops to Iraq]] and Afghanistan marked the first overseas use of Japan's military since World War II.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/japan-and-its-military|last=Teslik|first=Lee Hudson|date=April 13, 2006|publisher=Council on Foreign Relations|title=Japan and its military|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111193330/https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/japan-and-its-military|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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Japan's military is restricted by [[Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan|Article 9]] of the [[Constitution of Japan]] of 1946, which states that "Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes." Thus, Japan's current constitution prohibits the use of military force to wage war against other countries. |
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The [[Government of Japan]] has been making changes to its security policy which include the establishment of the [[National Security Council (Japan)|National Security Council]], the adoption of the National Security Strategy, and the development of the National Defense Program Guidelines.<ref name="Japan's Security Policy">{{cite news|title= Japan's Security Policy|publisher= Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan|url= http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/security/|date= April 6, 2016|archive-date= January 28, 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150128132310/http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/security/|url-status= live}}</ref> In May 2014, Prime Minister [[Shinzo Abe]] said Japan wanted to shed the passiveness it has maintained since the end of World War II and take more responsibility for regional security.<ref name="JapanAsia">{{cite news|title=Abe offers Japan's help in maintaining regional security|url=http://www.japanherald.com/index.php/sid/222467193/scat/c4f2dd8ca8c78044/ht/Abe-offers-Japans-help-in-maintaining-regional-security|date=May 30, 2014|newspaper=Japan Herald|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531184828/http://www.japanherald.com/index.php/sid/222467193/scat/c4f2dd8ca8c78044/ht/Abe-offers-Japans-help-in-maintaining-regional-security|archivedate=May 31, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> In December 2022, Prime Minister [[Fumio Kishida]] further confirmed this trend, instructing the government to increase spending by 65% until 2027.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Liff |first=Adam P. |date=May 22, 2023 |title=No, Japan is not planning to 'double its defense budget' |url=https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2023/05/22/no-japan-is-not-planning-to-double-its-defense-budget/ |publisher=[[Brookings Institution]]|archive-date=May 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523074432/https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2023/05/22/no-japan-is-not-planning-to-double-its-defense-budget/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Recent tensions, particularly with North Korea and China, have reignited the debate over the status of the JSDF and its relation to Japanese society.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thediplomat.com/2020/09/japan-dealing-with-north-koreas-growing-missile-threat/|work=The Diplomat|last=Yoji|first=Koda|date=September 18, 2020|title=Japan: Dealing with North Korea's Growing Missile Threat|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111164739/https://thediplomat.com/2020/09/japan-dealing-with-north-koreas-growing-missile-threat/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/japan-china-military-provocations-revival-disputed-islands-pacifism-11594735596|work=The Wall Street Journal|title=China Provocations Hasten Japan's Military Revival|last1=Gale|first1=Alastair|last2=Tsuneoka|first2=Chieko|date=July 14, 2020|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111145238/https://www.wsj.com/articles/japan-china-military-provocations-revival-disputed-islands-pacifism-11594735596|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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Japan's military is governed by the [[Japan Defense Agency]] (JDA) and primarily consists of the [[Japan Ground Self-Defense Force]], the [[Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force]], and the [[Japan Air Self-Defense Force]]. The military budget of Japan is less than one percent of its [[GDP]], though it is estimated to be the fourth largest in the world at $44.3 billion per year, as of 2005. The forces have been recently used in [[peacekeeping]] operations and the [[deployment of Japanese troops to Iraq]] marked the first overseas use of its military since [[World War II]]. |
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===Law enforcement=== |
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==Administrative Divisions== |
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{{Main|Law enforcement in Japan|Crime in Japan}} |
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[[Image:Japan prefectures.png|right|150px|thumb|The [[Prefectures of Japan#List in ISO Order|prefectures of Japan]]]] |
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[[File:警視庁 - panoramio.jpg|thumb|The headquarters of the [[Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department]]]] |
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{{main|Prefectures of Japan|Cities of Japan|Towns of Japan|Villages of Japan}} |
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Domestic security in Japan is provided mainly by the [[prefectural police department]]s, under the oversight of the [[National Police Agency (Japan)|National Police Agency]].<ref>{{Cite web|publisher=Supreme Court of Japan|year=2005|title=Who will conduct the investigation?|url=http://www.courts.go.jp/saiban/qa_keizi/qa_keizi_09/index.html|accessdate=November 1, 2018|archive-date=September 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160924211451/http://www.courts.go.jp/saiban/qa_keizi/qa_keizi_09/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> As the central coordinating body for the Prefectural Police Departments, the National Police Agency is administered by the [[National Public Safety Commission (Japan)|National Public Safety Commission]].<ref name="NPA1977-2">{{Cite book|editor=National Police Agency Police History Compilation Committee|year=1977|title=Japan post-war police history|publisher=[[:ja:警察協会|Japan Police Support Association]]|language=Japanese}}</ref> The [[Special Assault Team]] comprises national-level [[counter-terrorism]] tactical units that cooperate with territorial-level [[Riot Police Unit#Specialist squads|Anti-Firearms Squads and Counter-NBC Terrorism Squads]].<ref name="WP">{{cite web|url=http://www.npa.go.jp/english/kokusai9/White_Paper_2009_7.pdf|title=Chapter IV. Maintenance of Public Safety and Disaster Countermeasures|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110323151825/https://www.npa.go.jp/english/kokusai9/White_Paper_2009_7.pdf|accessdate=March 25, 2011|archivedate=March 23, 2011|publisher=[[National Police Agency (Japan)|Japanese National Police Agency]]|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[Japan Coast Guard]] guards territorial waters surrounding Japan and uses surveillance and control countermeasures against smuggling, marine [[environmental crime]], poaching, piracy, spy ships, unauthorized foreign fishing vessels, and illegal immigration.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kaiho.mlit.go.jp/e/image/15_b%20of%20jcg.pdf|title=Japan Coast Guard|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708235951/https://www.kaiho.mlit.go.jp/e/image/15_b%20of%20jcg.pdf|accessdate=July 8, 2019|archivedate=July 8, 2019|publisher=[[Japan Coast Guard]]|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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Japan has forty-seven [[Prefectures of Japan|prefectures]]. Each has an elected governor and legislature, and an administrative bureaucracy. While there exist eight commonly defined [[regions of Japan]], the prefecture is the largest administrative subdivision. The [[Tokyo City|former city of Tokyo]] is further divided into [[Special wards of Tokyo|twenty-three special wards]], which have the same powers as cities. |
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The [[Firearm and Sword Possession Control Law]] strictly regulates the civilian ownership of guns, swords, and other weaponry.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2008/11/29/national/diet-tightens-laws-on-knives-guns/#.XS9faShKi01|title=Diet tightens laws on knives, guns|date=November 29, 2008|work=The Japan Times|archive-date=April 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413233016/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2008/11/29/national/diet-tightens-laws-on-knives-guns/#.XS9faShKi01|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/07/a-land-without-guns-how-japan-has-virtually-eliminated-shooting-deaths/260189/|title=A Land Without Guns: How Japan Has Virtually Eliminated Shooting Deaths|date=July 23, 2012|first=Max|last=Fisher|work=[[The Atlantic]]|archive-date=December 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151216014947/http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/07/a-land-without-guns-how-japan-has-virtually-eliminated-shooting-deaths/260189/|url-status=live}}</ref> According to the [[United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime]], among the member states of the UN that report statistics {{as of|2018|lc=y}}, the incidence rates of violent crimes such as murder, abduction, sexual violence, and robbery are very low in Japan.<ref>{{Cite web|publisher=UNODC|title=Victims of intentional homicide, 1990–2018|url=https://dataunodc.un.org/content/data/homicide/homicide-rate|accessdate=November 11, 2020|archive-date=March 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328012947/https://dataunodc.un.org/content/data/homicide/homicide-rate|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|publisher=UNODC|url=https://dataunodc.un.org/data/crime/kidnapping|title=Kidnapping: 2018|accessdate=November 11, 2020|archive-date=October 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021235926/https://dataunodc.un.org/data/crime/kidnapping|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|publisher=UNODC|title=Sexual violence|url=https://dataunodc.un.org/data/crime/sexual-violence|accessdate=November 11, 2020|archive-date=November 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107001709/https://dataunodc.un.org/data/crime/sexual-violence|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|publisher=UNODC|title=Robbery: 2018|url=https://dataunodc.un.org/data/crime/Robbery|accessdate=November 11, 2020|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111163831/https://dataunodc.un.org/data/crime/Robbery|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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Japan nation is currently undergoing administrative [[Merger and dissolution of municipalities of Japan|reorganization by merging]] many of the cities, towns, and villages with each other. This process will reduce the number of sub-prefecture administrative regions, and is expected to cut administrative costs.<ref>http://siteresources.worldbank.org/WBI/Resources/wbi37175.pdf Mabuchi, Masaru, "Municipal Amalgamation in Japan," World Bank, 2001.</ref> |
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== |
=== Human rights === |
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{{Main|Human rights in Japan}} |
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[[Image:Satellite image of Japan in May 2003.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Japan from space, May 2003.]] |
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{{main|Geography of Japan}} |
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Japan is a country of islands which extends along the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] coast of Asia. The main islands, running from north to south, are [[Hokkaidō]], [[Honshū]] (the main island), [[Shikoku]] and [[Kyūshū]]. The [[Ryūkyū Islands]], in south-west Japan, lies in a chain between the [[PRC]] and Kyushū. In addition, about 3,000 smaller islands may be counted in the full extent of the Japanese [[archipelago]]. Japan also claims the southern [[Kuril Islands]] (controlled by [[Russia]]), which are located to the north-east of Hokkaidō. |
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Japanese society traditionally places a strong emphasis on [[Wa (Japanese culture)|collective harmony]] and [[Collectivism|conformity]], which has led to the suppression of [[individual rights]].<ref name="h191">{{cite journal | last=Matsui | first=Shigenori | title=Fundamental Human Rights and 'Traditional Japanese Values': Constitutional Amendment and Vision of the Japanese Society | journal=Asian Journal of Comparative Law | volume=13 | issue=1 | date=February 22, 2018 | doi=10.1017/asjcl.2017.25 | doi-access=free | pages=59–86}}</ref> [[Constitution of Japan|Japan's constitution]] prohibits racial and religious discrimination,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination started consideration of the initial and second periodic reports of Japan |url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2009/10/committee-elimination-racial-discrimination-started-consideration-initial |accessdate=May 8, 2024 |publisher=Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights |archive-date=May 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508101622/https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2009/10/committee-elimination-racial-discrimination-started-consideration-initial |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite wikisource|title=Constitution of Japan|wslanguage=en}}</ref> and the country is a signatory to numerous international human rights treaties.<ref name="q456">{{cite web |title=Japan Strengthening Its Presence in the International Community|work=Diplomatic Bluebook | publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan | url=https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/other/bluebook/2021/en_html/chapter4/c040207.html | year=2021}}</ref> However, it lacks any laws against discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity and does not have a national human rights institution.<ref name="p620">{{cite book | author=Human Rights Watch | title=World Report 2024: Events of 2023 | publisher=Seven Stories Press | year=2024 | isbn=978-1-64421-338-4 | url=https://books.google.ca/books?id=HjrBEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT425| page=425}}</ref> |
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Japan is the thirtieth [[list of countries by population density|most densely populated country]] in the world. About 70% to 80% of the country is forested, mountainous,<ref>http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761566679/Japan.html "Japan," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2006 |
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http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2006 Macrohard Corporation. All Rights Reserved.</ref><ref>http://www.worldinfozone.com/country.php?country=Japan "Japan Information", © 1997 - 2006 World InfoZone Ltd</ref> and unsuitable for agricultural, industrial, or residential use, due to the generally steep elevations, climate, and risk of landslides caused by earthquakes, soft ground, and heavy rain. This has resulted in an extremely high population density in the habitable zones that are mainly located in coastal areas. Its location on the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]], at the juncture of three tectonic plates, gives Japan frequent low-intensity tremors and occasional volcanic activity. Destructive [[earthquake]]s, often resulting in [[tsunami]]s, occur several times each century. The most recent major quakes are the [[2004 Chuetsu Earthquake|2004 Chūetsu Earthquake]] and the [[Great Hanshin earthquake|Great Hanshin Earthquake]] of 1995. [[Onsen|Hot springs]] are numerous, and have been developed as resorts. |
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Japan has faced criticism for [[Gender inequality in Japan|its gender inequality]],<ref name="p015">{{cite journal | last=Iida | first=Aki | title=Gender inequality in Japan: The status of women, and their promotion in the workplace | journal=Corvinus Journal of International Affairs | volume=3 | issue=3 | year=2018 | doi=10.14267/cojourn.2018v3n3a5 | doi-access=free | pages=43–52}}</ref> [[Same-sex marriage in Japan|not allowing same-sex marriages]],<ref name="h253">{{cite web | last=Shiraishi | first2=Frances|last2= Mao |first1=Sakiko | title=Japan same-sex marriage ban ruled unconstitutional again by courts | publisher=BBC | date=March 14, 2024 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68561968}}</ref> use of [[racial profiling]] by police,<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 17, 2022 |title=Racial profiling, discrimination in Japan far more serious than stats reported by police |url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20221217/p2a/00m/0na/010000c |work=Mainichi Daily News |archive-date=May 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508101627/https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20221217/p2a/00m/0na/010000c |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Japan |url=https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/japan/ |accessdate=May 8, 2024 |publisher=U.S. Department of State |archive-date=September 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230924171500/https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/japan/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Capital punishment in Japan|allowing capital punishment]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa22/006/2006/en/|title=Japan: 'Will this day be my last?' The death penalty in Japan|publisher=[[Amnesty International]]|date=July 6, 2006}}</ref> Other human rights issues include the treatment of marginalized groups, such as [[Racism in Japan|ethnic minorities]],<ref name="r037">{{cite web | title=Japan: Long-standing discrimination unchanged |publisher=Amnesty International | url=https://www.amnesty.org/es/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/ASA2257602022ENGLISH.pdf |year=2023}}</ref> [[Immigration to Japan#Refugees and asylum seekers|refugees and asylum seekers]].<ref name="v702">{{cite web | title=Japan's new deportation rule for asylum seekers raises rights concerns | website=Nikkei Asia | date=June 10, 2024 | url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Japan-immigration/Japan-s-new-deportation-rule-for-asylum-seekers-raises-rights-concerns}}</ref> |
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The climate of Japan is predominantly [[temperate]] but varies greatly from north to south. Japan's geographical features divide it into six principal climatic zones: |
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* [[Hokkaidō]]: The northernmost zone has a temperate climate with long, cold winters and cool summers. [[precipitation (meteorology)|Precipitation]] is not heavy, but the islands usually develop deep snow banks in the winter. |
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* [[Sea of Japan]]: On Honshū's west coast, the northwest wind in the wintertime brings heavy snowfall. In the summer, the region is cooler than the Pacific area, though it sometimes experiences extremely hot temperatures, due to the [[Föhn wind]] phenomenon. |
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* [[Central Highland (Japan)|Central Highland]]: A typical inland climate, with large temperature differences between summer and winter, and between day and night. Precipitation is light. |
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* [[Inland Sea|Seto Inland Sea]]: The mountains of the [[Chūgoku region|Chūgoku]] and [[Shikoku]] regions shelter the region from the seasonal winds, bringing mild weather throughout the year. |
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[[Image:Mountfujijapan.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Sakura]] with [[Mount Fuji]] and the [[Shinkansen]] high-speed train in the background]] |
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* [[Pacific Ocean]]: The east coast experiences cold winters with little snowfall and hot, humid summers due to the southeast seasonal wind. |
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* [[Ryūkyū Islands|Southwest Islands]]: The Ryūkyū Islands have a subtropical climate, with warm winters and hot summers. Precipitation is very heavy, especially during the rainy season. [[Tropical cyclone|Typhoons]] are common. |
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The main [[Monsoon|rainy season]] begins in early May in Okinawa, and the stationary rain front responsible for this gradually works its way north until it dissipates in northern Japan before reaching Hokkaidō in late July. In most of Honshū, the rainy season begins before the middle of June and lasts about six weeks. In late summer and early autumn, [[typhoon]]s often bring heavy rain. |
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Japan is home to nine forest [[Ecoregions of Japan|ecoregions]] which reflect the climate and geography of the islands. They range from [[Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests|subtropical moist broadleaf forests]] in the Ryūkyū and Bonin islands, to [[temperate broadleaf and mixed forests]] in the mild climate regions of the main islands, to [[temperate coniferous forests]] in the cold, winter portions of the northern islands. |
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==Economy== |
==Economy== |
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{{Main|Economy of Japan}} |
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[[Image:BoJ.jpg|thumb|200px|The [[Bank of Japan]] is the nation's [[central bank]]. Shown here is its Tokyo headquarters.]] |
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[[File:Nakanoshima Skyscrapers in 201504 001.jpg|thumb|Skyscrapers in [[Nakanoshima]], [[Osaka]]; a major [[financial center]] in Japan]] |
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{{main|Economy of Japan|Japan's Post War Economic Miracle}} |
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Japan has the world's [[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|fourth-largest economy by nominal GDP]], after that of the United States, China and Germany; and the [[List of countries by GDP (PPP)|fifth-largest economy by PPP-adjusted GDP]].<ref>{{cite web |date=October 10, 2023 |title=World Economic Outlook Database, October 2023 |url=https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2023/October/weo-report?c=512,914,612,171,614,311,213,911,314,193,122,912,313,419,513,316,913,124,339,638,514,218,963,616,223,516,918,748,618,624,522,622,156,626,628,228,924,233,632,636,634,238,662,960,423,935,128,611,321,243,248,469,253,642,643,939,734,644,819,172,132,646,648,915,134,652,174,328,258,656,654,336,263,268,532,944,176,534,536,429,433,178,436,136,343,158,439,916,664,826,542,967,443,917,544,941,446,666,668,672,946,137,546,674,676,548,556,678,181,867,682,684,273,868,921,948,943,686,688,518,728,836,558,138,196,278,692,694,962,142,449,564,565,283,853,288,293,566,964,182,359,453,968,922,714,862,135,716,456,722,942,718,724,576,936,961,813,726,199,733,184,524,361,362,364,732,366,144,146,463,528,923,738,578,537,742,866,369,744,186,925,869,746,926,466,112,111,298,927,846,299,582,487,474,754,698,&s=NGDPD,&sy=2021&ey=2028&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=country&ds=.&br=1 |publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]] |archive-date=October 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231029120100/https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2023/October/weo-report?c=512,914,612,171,614,311,213,911,314,193,122,912,313,419,513,316,913,124,339,638,514,218,963,616,223,516,918,748,618,624,522,622,156,626,628,228,924,233,632,636,634,238,662,960,423,935,128,611,321,243,248,469,253,642,643,939,734,644,819,172,132,646,648,915,134,652,174,328,258,656,654,336,263,268,532,944,176,534,536,429,433,178,436,136,343,158,439,916,664,826,542,967,443,917,544,941,446,666,668,672,946,137,546,674,676,548,556,678,181,867,682,684,273,868,921,948,943,686,688,518,728,836,558,138,196,278,692,694,962,142,449,564,565,283,853,288,293,566,964,182,359,453,968,922,714,862,135,716,456,722,942,718,724,576,936,961,813,726,199,733,184,524,361,362,364,732,366,144,146,463,528,923,738,578,537,742,866,369,744,186,925,869,746,926,466,112,111,298,927,846,299,582,487,474,754,698,&s=NGDPD,&sy=2021&ey=2028&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=country&ds=.&br=1 |url-status=live }}</ref> {{As of|2021}}, [[Labor market of Japan|Japan's labor force]] is the world's [[List of countries by labour force|eighth-largest]], consisting of over 68.6 million workers.<ref name="cia" /> {{As of|2022}}, Japan has a [[List of countries by unemployment rate|low unemployment rate]] of around 2.6%.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS?locations=JP|title=Unemployment, total (% of the total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate): Japan|publisher=[[World Bank]]|accessdate=July 31, 2022|archive-date=July 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731125918/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS?locations=JP|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Poverty in Japan|Its poverty rate]] is the second highest among the G7 countries,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Komiya|first1=Kantaro|last2=Kihara|first2=Leiha|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-confronts-rising-inequality-after-abenomics-2021-10-12/|title=Japan confronts rising inequality after Abenomics|publisher=[[Reuters]]|date=October 31, 2021|archive-date=July 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731125918/https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-confronts-rising-inequality-after-abenomics-2021-10-12/|url-status=live}}</ref> and exceeds 15.7% of the population.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/03/japans-middle-class-is-disappearing-as-poverty-rises-warns-economist.html|title=Japan's middle class is 'disappearing' as poverty rises, warns economist|date=July 2, 2020|publisher=[[CNBC]]|last=Huang|first=Eustance|archive-date=July 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731125917/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/03/japans-middle-class-is-disappearing-as-poverty-rises-warns-economist.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Japan has the highest ratio of public debt to GDP among advanced economies,<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Ímrohoroğlu|first1=Selahattin|last2=Kitao|first2=Sagiri|last3=Yamada|first3=Tomoaki|title=Achieving fiscal balance in Japan|volume=57|number=1|pages=117–154|journal=[[International Economic Review]]|date=February 2016|doi=10.1111/iere.12150|jstor=44075341}}</ref> with [[National debt of Japan|a national debt]] estimated at 248% relative to GDP {{as of|2022|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fitchratings.com/research/sovereigns/monetary-tightening-poses-medium-term-risks-to-japans-debt-dynamics-06-05-2022|publisher=[[Fitch Ratings]]|title=Monetary Tightening Poses Medium-Term Risks to Japan's Debt Dynamics|date=May 6, 2022|archive-date=May 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519084011/https://www.fitchratings.com/research/sovereigns/monetary-tightening-poses-medium-term-risks-to-japans-debt-dynamics-06-05-2022|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Japanese yen]] is the world's third-largest [[reserve currency]] after the US dollar and the euro.<ref>{{cite web|title=Currency Composition of Official Foreign Exchange Reserve|publisher=IMF|url=https://data.imf.org/regular.aspx?key=41175|accessdate=October 10, 2021|archive-date=May 12, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512202858/https://data.imf.org/regular.aspx?key=41175|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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Japan is the [[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|second largest]] economy in the world in terms of [[nominal GDP]] placed behind United States and third after the [[United States]] and [[People's Republic of China|China]] if [[purchasing power parity]] is used. It is the largest Asian economy by nominal GDP, the second largest after China using purchasing power parity. It's also the world's largest international creditor [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany#Economy]. |
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Japan was the world's [[List of countries by exports|fifth-largest exporter]] and [[List of countries by imports|fourth-largest importer]] in 2022.<ref>{{cite web |title=List of importing markets for the product exported by Japan in 2022 |url=https://www.trademap.org/Country_SelProductCountry.aspx?nvpm=1%7c392%7c%7c%7c%7cTOTAL%7c%7c%7c2%7c1%7c1%7c2%7c1%7c%7c2%7c1%7c1%7c1 |accessdate=August 11, 2023 |publisher=[[International Trade Centre]] |archive-date=April 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410225438/https://www.trademap.org/Country_SelProductCountry.aspx?nvpm=1%7C392%7C%7C%7C%7CTOTAL%7C%7C%7C2%7C1%7C1%7C2%7C1%7C%7C2%7C1%7C1%7C1 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=List of supplying markets for the product imported by Japan in 2022 |url=https://www.trademap.org/Country_SelProductCountry.aspx?nvpm=1%7c392%7c%7c%7c%7cTOTAL%7c%7c%7c2%7c1%7c1%7c1%7c1%7c%7c2%7c1%7c1%7c1 |accessdate=August 11, 2023 |publisher=[[International Trade Centre]] |archive-date=April 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410225448/https://www.trademap.org/Country_SelProductCountry.aspx?nvpm=1%7C392%7C%7C%7C%7CTOTAL%7C%7C%7C2%7C1%7C1%7C1%7C1%7C%7C2%7C1%7C1%7C1 |url-status=live }}</ref> Its exports amounted to 18.2% of its total GDP in 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NE.EXP.GNFS.ZS?locations=JP|publisher=World Bank|title=Exports of goods and services (% of GDP): Japan|accessdate=November 11, 2020|archive-date=November 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171130064945/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NE.EXP.GNFS.ZS?locations=JP|url-status=live}}</ref> {{As of|2022}}, [[List of the largest trading partners of Japan|Japan's main export markets]] were China (23.9 percent, including Hong Kong) and the United States (18.5 percent).<ref name="STATJETRO">{{cite web |title=Japanese Trade and Investment Statistics |url=https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/reports/statistics/ |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301094344/https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/reports/statistics/ |archivedate=March 1, 2021 |accessdate=March 3, 2021 |publisher=[[Japan External Trade Organization]]}}</ref> [[List of exports of Japan|Its main exports]] are motor vehicles, iron and steel products, semiconductors, and auto parts.<ref name="cia">{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/japan/|title=World Factbook: Japan|publisher=CIA|accessdate=September 24, 2022|archive-date=January 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105105736/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/japan/|url-status=live}}</ref> Japan's main import markets {{as of|2022||lc=y}} were China (21.1 percent), the United States (9.9 percent), and Australia (9.8 percent).<ref name="STATJETRO" /> Japan's main imports are machinery and equipment, fossil fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, and raw materials for its industries.<ref name="STATJETRO" /> |
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Close [[government]]-[[industry]] cooperation, a strong [[work ethic]], mastery of [[High tech|high technology]], and a comparatively small [[Defense budget of Japan|defense allocation]] have helped Japan advance with extraordinary speed to become the second largest economy in the world. From the 1960s to the 1980s, overall real economic growth [[Japanese post-war economic miracle|was spectacular]]: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s.<ref>http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-7176.html</ref> [[Image:TokyoStockExchange1144.jpg|thumb|left|150px|The [[Tokyo Stock Exchange]] is the second largest in the world with market capitalization of more than $4 trillion.]]Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s largely due to the after-effects of [[Japanese asset price bubble|over-investment during the late 1980s]] and domestic policies intended to wring speculative excesses from the stock and real estate markets. Government efforts to revive economic growth have met with little success and were further hampered in 2000 to 2001 by the slowing of the global economy.<ref>https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ja.html "Japan Economy", CIA World Factbook</ref> |
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The Japanese variant of capitalism has many distinct features: [[keiretsu]] enterprises are influential, and [[lifetime employment]] and seniority-based career advancement are common in the [[Japanese work environment]].<ref name="oecd2008">{{cite web|url=http://www.oecd.org/document/17/0,3343,en_2649_34111_40353553_1_1_1_1,00.html|title=Economic survey of Japan 2008|publisher=[[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD]]|accessdate=August 25, 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101109122744/http://www.oecd.org/document/17/0%2C3343%2Cen_2649_34111_40353553_1_1_1_1%2C00.html|archivedate=November 9, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.economist.com/node/7193984?story_id=7193984|title=Japan's Economy: Free at last|newspaper=The Economist|date=July 20, 2006|archive-date=April 30, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430001614/http://www.economist.com/node/7193984?story_id=7193984|url-status=live}}</ref> Japan has a large [[cooperative]] sector, with three of the world's ten largest cooperatives, including the largest [[consumer cooperative]] and the largest [[agricultural cooperative]] {{as of|2018|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ica.coop/sites/default/files/publication-files/wcm2018-printx50-227290600.pdf|title=The 2018 World Cooperative Monitor: Exploring the Cooperative Economy|date=October 2018|publisher=[[International Co-operative Alliance]]|archive-date=February 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202042643/https://www.ica.coop/sites/default/files/publication-files/wcm2018-printx50-227290600.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> It [[International rankings of Japan#Economy|ranks highly]] for [[Competition (companies)|competitiveness]] and [[economic freedom]]. Japan ranked sixth in the [[Global Competitiveness Report]] in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport2019.pdf|title=The Global Competitiveness Report|publisher=[[World Economic Forum]]|last=Schwab|first=Klaus|author-link=Klaus Schwab|year=2019|archive-date=July 30, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220730051309/https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport2019.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> It attracted 31.9 million international tourists in 2019,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://statistics.jnto.go.jp/en/graph/#graph--inbound--travelers--transition|title=Trends in the Visitor Arrivals to Japan by Year|publisher=Japan National Tourism Organization|accessdate=December 11, 2020|archive-date=November 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126123636/https://statistics.jnto.go.jp/en/graph/#graph--inbound--travelers--transition|url-status=live}}</ref> and was [[World Tourism rankings|ranked eleventh]] in the world in 2019 for [[Inbound tourism (Japan)|inbound tourism]].<ref name="WTOB">{{cite journal|date=August–September 2020|title=Statistical Annex|journal=UNWTO World Tourism Barometer|volume=18|issue=5|page=18|doi=10.18111/wtobarometereng.2020.18.1.5|doi-access=free}}</ref> The 2021 ''[[Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report]]'' ranked Japan first in the world out of 117 countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021|date=May 2022|publisher=[[World Economic Forum]]|url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Travel_Tourism_Development_2021.pdf|accessdate=July 31, 2022|archive-date=July 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703090138/https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Travel_Tourism_Development_2021.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Its international tourism receipts in 2019 amounted to $46.1 billion.<ref name="WTOB"/> |
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However, the economy saw signs of strong recovery in 2005. GDP growth for the year was 2.8%, with an annualized fourth quarter expansion of 5.5%, surpassing the growth rates of the US and [[European Union]] during the same period.<ref>http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/HC02Dh01.html</ref> Unlike previous recovery trends, domestic consumption has been the dominant factor in leading the growth. Hence, the Japanese government predicts that recovery will continue in 2006. |
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===Agriculture and fishery=== |
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Distinguishing characteristics of the Japanese economy include the cooperation of manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and banks in closely-knit groups called [[keiretsu]] (examples include [[Mitsubishi]], [[Sumitomo]], [[Fuyo]], [[Mitsui]], [[Dai-Ichi Kangyo]] and [[Sanwa]]); the powerful enterprise unions and ''[[shunto|shuntō]]''; cosy relations with government bureaucrats, and the guarantee of [[lifetime employment]] (''shushin koyo'') in big corporations and highly [[labour union|unionized]] [[blue-collar]] factories. Recently, Japanese companies have begun to abandon some of these norms in an attempt to increase profitability. |
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{{Main|Agriculture, forestry, and fishing in Japan}} |
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[[File:Rice Paddies In Aizu, Japan.JPG|thumb|A [[rice paddy]] in [[Aizu]], [[Fukushima Prefecture]]]] |
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The Japanese agricultural sector accounts for about 1.2% of the country's total GDP {{as of|2018|lc=yes}}.<ref name=sec/> Only 11.5% of Japan's land is suitable for cultivation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.ARBL.ZS|title=Arable land (% of land area)|publisher=World Bank|accessdate=November 11, 2020|archive-date=November 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107201125/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.ARBL.ZS|url-status=live}}</ref> Because of this lack of arable land, a system of [[Terrace (earthworks)|terraces]] is used to farm in small areas.<ref name="Urbanites Help Sustain Japan's Historic Rice Paddy Terraces">{{cite web|url=http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/the-people-who-sustain-japans-historic-terraced-rice-fields|title=Urbanites Help Sustain Japan's Historic Rice Paddy Terraces|website=Our World|date=May 22, 2012|author1=Nagata, Akira|author2=Chen, Bixia|archive-date=September 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160924164244/http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/the-people-who-sustain-japans-historic-terraced-rice-fields|url-status=live}}</ref> This results in one of the world's highest levels of crop yields per unit area, with an agricultural self-sufficiency rate of about 50% {{as of|2018|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The spatial patterns in long-term temporal trends of three major crops' yields in Japan|doi=10.1080/1343943X.2018.1459752|year=2018|volume=21|last=Chen|first=Hungyen|journal=Plant Production Science|issue=3|pages=177–185|doi-access=free}}</ref> Japan's small agricultural sector is highly subsidized and [[Agricultural Protectionism in Japan|protected]].<ref>{{cite web|work=Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation|title=Japan: Support to agriculture|year=2020|publisher=OECD|accessdate=November 11, 2020|url=https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/751935f0-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/751935f0-en|archive-date=June 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210620151745/https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/751935f0-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/751935f0-en|url-status=live}}</ref> There has been a growing concern about farming as farmers are aging with a difficult time finding successors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2019/12/31/grown-from-necessity-vertical-farming-takes-off-in-ageing-japan.html|title=Grown from necessity: Vertical farming takes off in aging Japan|last=Nishimura|first=Karyn|agency=Agence France-Presse|date=January 1, 2020|website=The Jakarta Post|archive-date=February 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205084025/https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2019/12/31/grown-from-necessity-vertical-farming-takes-off-in-ageing-japan.html|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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Japan ranked seventh in the world in [[fishing industry by country|tonnage of fish caught]] and captured 3,167,610 metric tons of fish in 2016, down from an annual average of 4,000,000 tons over the previous decade.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/3/i9540en/i9540en.pdf|title=The state of world fisheries and aquaculture|publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization|date=2018|accessdate=May 25, 2020|archive-date=February 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211011147/http://www.fao.org/3/I9540EN/i9540en.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch,<ref name=cia /> prompting critiques that Japan's fishing is leading to depletion in fish stocks such as [[tuna]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/24/japan-criticised-exceed-bluefin-tuna-fishing-quota|newspaper=The Guardian|last=McCurry|first=Justin|title=Japan to exceed bluefin tuna quota amid warnings of commercial extinction|date=April 24, 2017|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112024926/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/24/japan-criticised-exceed-bluefin-tuna-fishing-quota|url-status=live}}</ref> Japan has sparked controversy by supporting commercial [[whaling in Japan|whaling]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48821797|work=BBC News|title=Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years|date=July 1, 2019|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112020054/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48821797|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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The country has very limited [[natural resources]] to sustain economic development, since most of the islands are volcanic and mountainous. As a result it is dependent on other nations for most of its raw materials. |
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===Industry and services === |
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{{Main|Manufacturing in Japan|Trade and services in Japan|Electronics industry in Japan|Automotive industry in Japan}} |
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<!--Contents of "Industrial sector" were moved to the [[Manufacturing industries of Japan]] article. Please add new information there.--> |
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[[File:2018 Nissan GT-R Premium in Super Silver, Front Right, 10-11-2022.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|The [[Nissan GT-R]], a [[sports car]] manufactured by [[Nissan]]. Japan is the [[List of countries by motor vehicle production|third-largest producer of motor vehicles]] in the world.<ref name=":0" />]] |
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{{main|Manufacturing industries of Japan|Japanese consumer electronics industry|Japanese automobile industry}} |
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Japan |
Japan has a large industrial capacity and is home to some of the "largest and most technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, [[machine tool]]s, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, [[chemical substance]]s, textiles, and [[food processing|processed foods]]".<ref name="cia"/> Japan's industrial sector makes up approximately 27.5% of its GDP.<ref name=cia/> The country's manufacturing output is the [[List of countries by manufacturing output|fourth highest]] in the world {{as of|2023|lc=yes}}.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Manufacturing, value added (current US$)|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NV.IND.MANF.CD?most_recent_value_desc=true|accessdate=March 17, 2020|publisher=World Bank|archive-date=January 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200107135049/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NV.IND.MANF.CD?most_recent_value_desc=true|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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Japan is in the top three globally for both automobile production<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=2022 Production Statistics |url=https://www.oica.net/category/production-statistics/2022-statistics/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408125523/https://www.oica.net/category/production-statistics/2022-statistics/ |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |accessdate=May 22, 2023 |website= |publisher=OICA}}</ref> and export,<ref>{{cite web |last1=He |first1=Laura |last2=Semans |first2=Himari |date=February 2, 2024 |title=Is China now the world's top car exporter? It's complicated |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/02/cars/japan-china-top-car-exporter-data-intl-hnk/index.html |publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cars |url=https://oec.world/en/profile/hs/cars |accessdate=July 27, 2024 |website=[[The Observatory of Economic Complexity]]}}</ref> and is home to [[Toyota]], the world's [[List of manufacturers by motor vehicle production|largest automobile company by production]]. The Japanese shipbuilding industry faces increasing competition from its East Asian neighbors, South Korea and China; a 2020 government initiative identified this sector as a target for increasing exports.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://japan-forward.com/japan-targets-to-export-more-ships-revive-global-market-share/|website=Japan Forward|title=Japan Targets to Export More Ships, Revive Global Market Share|last=Okada|first=Mizuki|date=September 5, 2020|archive-date=January 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123140851/https://japan-forward.com/japan-targets-to-export-more-ships-revive-global-market-share/|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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Japan holds large and commanding world market share in industries such as [[electronics]], [[automobile]], industrial chemicals, machine tools, [[electronic media]] and in recent years [[Aerospace engineering|aerospace]] along with the [[United States]]. [[Construction]] has long been one of Japan's largest industries, with the help of multi-billion dollar government contracts in the civil sector. |
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Once considered the strongest in the world, the [[Japanese consumer electronics industry]] is in a state of decline as regional competition arises in neighboring East Asian countries such as South Korea and China.<ref>{{cite web |last=Pham |first=Sherisse |date=May 4, 2017 |title=How things got ugly for some of Japan's biggest brands |url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/05/04/technology/japanese-companies-fall-toshiba-olympus-sanyo-sharp/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204154837/https://money.cnn.com/2017/05/04/technology/japanese-companies-fall-toshiba-olympus-sanyo-sharp/index.html |archive-date=December 4, 2020 |website=CNN Money}}</ref> However, [[Video games in Japan|Japan's video game sector]] remains a major industry. In 2014, Japan's consumer video game market grossed $9.6 billion, with $5.8 billion coming from mobile gaming.<ref>{{cite web |last=Nutt |first=Christian |date=June 19, 2015 |title=Japan's game market hits record high as consoles decline and mobile grows |url=http://gamasutra.com/view/news/246644/Japans_game_market_hits_record_high_as_consoles_decline_and_mobile_grows.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922173536/http://gamasutra.com/view/news/246644/Japans_game_market_hits_record_high_as_consoles_decline_and_mobile_grows.php |archive-date=September 22, 2018 |website=Gamasutra}}</ref> By 2015, Japan had become the world's [[List of video games markets by country|fourth-largest]] [[PC game]] market by revenue, behind only [[Video games in China|China]], the [[Video games in the United States|United States]], and [[Video games in South Korea|South Korea]].<ref>{{cite web |date=August 2, 2016 |title=PC games revenue to hit $42 billion in 2020 – DFC |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2016-08-02-pc-games-revenue-to-hit-usd42-billion-in-2020-dfc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220210180401/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2016-08-02-pc-games-revenue-to-hit-usd42-billion-in-2020-dfc |archive-date=February 10, 2022 |website=[[GamesIndustry.biz]]}}</ref> |
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===Financial services sector=== |
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{{main|Japanese financial sector}} |
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Japanese financial sector is one of the largest in the world, and it is home to some of the largest [[financial services]] companies, [[business group]]s and [[bank]]s. The large [[keiretsu]]s (business groups), the multinational companies such as [[Sony]], [[Sumitomo]], [[Mitsubishi]], [[Toyota]] own billion and trillion [[US dollar]] operating [[bank]]s, [[investment|investment group]]s and/or financial services such as [[Sumitomo Bank]], [[Fuji Bank]], [[Mitsubishi Bank]], [[Toyota Financial Services]], [[Sony Financial Holdings]], etc. (see also [[banks of Japan]]). For instance Japan is home to the world's largest [[financial services]] company the [[Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group]] that has an [[asset]] of around $1.7 [[trillion]]. It's also home to the second largest [[stock exchange]] in the world, the [[Tokyo Stock Exchange]]. The [[central bank]] of Japan is the [[Bank of Japan]]. The government ministry of finance is the [[Ministry of Finance]] who operates the [[Financial Services Agency]] who overseas and regulates as necessary the finance of Japan. Its main [[stock market index]]es are the [[Nikkei 225]] and [[Topix]]. |
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Japan's service sector accounts for about 69.5% of its total economic output {{as of|2021|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=Services, value added (% of GDP) |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NV.SRV.TOTL.ZS?locations=JP |accessdate=November 11, 2020 |publisher=World Bank |archive-date=May 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516063109/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NV.SRV.TOTL.ZS?locations=JP |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Banking in Japan|Banking]], retail, [[transportation in Japan|transportation]], and [[Telecommunications in Japan|telecommunications]] are all major industries, with companies such as Toyota, [[Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group|Mitsubishi UFJ]], -[[Nippon Telegraph and Telephone|NTT]], [[Aeon (company)|Aeon]], [[SoftBank Group|SoftBank]], [[Hitachi]], and [[Itochu]] listed as among the largest in the world.<ref name="Fortune Global 500 ">{{cite news|url=https://fortune.com/global500/2020/search/?fg500_country=Japan&non-us-cos-y-n=true|title=Fortune Global 500|accessdate=November 11, 2020|website=Fortune|archive-date=November 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117130030/https://fortune.com/global500/2020/search/?fg500_country=Japan&non-us-cos-y-n=true|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/global2000/#2cb352db335d|title=The World's Largest Public Companies|work=Forbes|accessdate=November 11, 2020|archive-date=December 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121221222151/http://www.forbes.com/global2000/#2cb352db335d|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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===Service sector=== |
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Japan's service sector accounts for about three-quarters of its total economic output. [[Bank|Banking]], [[insurance]], [[real estate]], [[Retailer|retail]]ing, [[transportation in Japan|transportation]], and [[telecommunication]]s are all major industries. One of the largest for instance is [[Japan Post]]. |
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===Science and technology=== |
===Science and technology=== |
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{{Main|Science and technology in Japan|History of science and technology in Japan|Research and development in Japan|List of Japanese inventions and discoveries}} |
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[[Image:Asimohonda.jpg|thumb|150px|The [[ASIMO]] [[humanoid robot]] running.]] |
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[[File:Kibo PM and ELM-PS.jpg|thumb|The [[Japanese Experiment Module]] (Kibō) at the [[International Space Station]]]] |
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Japan is a leading nation in the fields of [[scientific research]], [[high tech|high technology]] products, [[medicine]] and [[medical research]]. Some of its more important technological contributions include [[electronics]], [[robotics]], [[machinery]], [[industrial robots|industrial robotics]], [[optics]], [[chemical]]s, [[semiconductors]] and [[metal]]s. For instance Japan leads the world in [[robotics]], having produced [[QRIO]], [[ASIMO]], and [[Aibo]], and possesses more than half (402,200 of 742,500) of the world's industrial robots used for manufacturing.[http://www.unece.org/press/pr2000/00stat10e.htm] |
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Relative to gross domestic product, Japan's [[research and development]] budget is the [[List of sovereign states by research and development spending|second highest]] in the world,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uis.unesco.org/apps/visualisations/research-and-development-spending/|publisher=UNESCO|title=How much does your country invest in R&D?|accessdate=November 11, 2020|archive-date=January 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123180417/http://uis.unesco.org/apps/visualisations/research-and-development-spending/|url-status=live}}</ref> with 867,000 researchers sharing a 19-trillion-yen research and development budget {{as of|2017|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h00388/japan%E2%80%99s-science-and-technology-research-spending-at-new-high.html|website=Nippon.com|date=February 19, 2019|title=Japan's Science and Technology Research Spending at New High|archive-date=March 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303221423/https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h00388/japan%E2%80%99s-science-and-technology-research-spending-at-new-high.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Japan has the second highest number of researchers in science and technology per capita in the world with 14 per 1000 employees.<ref>{{cite web |title=Science, technology, and innovation: Researchers by sex, per million inhabitants, per thousand labour force, per thousand total employment (FTE and HC) |url=http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx?queryid=64 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205173957/http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx?queryid=64 |archive-date=December 5, 2020 |accessdate=November 11, 2020 |publisher=UNESCO}}</ref> The country has produced twenty-two [[Nobel Prize|Nobel laureates]] in either physics, chemistry or medicine,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/lists/all-nobel-prizes/|publisher=Nobel Foundation|title=All Nobel Prizes|accessdate=November 11, 2020|archive-date=August 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813202249/https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/all/|url-status=live}}</ref> and three [[Fields Medal|Fields medalists]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mathunion.org/imu-awards/fields-medal|publisher=International Mathematical Union|title=Fields Medal|accessdate=November 11, 2020|archive-date=December 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226015744/https://www.mathunion.org/imu-awards/fields-medal|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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Japan also made headway into [[aerospace]] research and [[space exploration]]. It founded the [[Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency]] (JAXA) in [[October 1]], [[2003]] and is involved in many missions and projects, as well as a possible independent [[manned mission]] to the [[moon]]{{cn}}, having, from 2005, shifted some of its focus away from [[international]] efforts. It is also a major contributor to the [[International Space Station]] project, the most significant contribution being the [[Japanese Experiment Module]] that will complete installation in 2007. |
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Japan leads the world in [[Japanese robotics|robotics]] production and use, supplying 45% of the world's 2020 total;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wessling |first=Brianna |date=December 15, 2021 |title=10 most automated countries worldwide |url=https://www.therobotreport.com/10-most-automated-countries-wordlwide-in-2020/ |website=The Robot Report|archive-date=August 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230818213733/https://www.therobotreport.com/10-most-automated-countries-wordlwide-in-2020/ |url-status=live }}</ref> down from 55% in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ifr.org/post/why-japan-leads-industrial-robot-production|title=Why Japan leads industrial robot production|publisher=International Federation of Robotics|date=December 17, 2018|last=Fujiwara|first=Hiroshi|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112002714/https://ifr.org/post/why-japan-leads-industrial-robot-production|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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===Agriculture and fishing=== |
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{{main|Agriculture, forestry, and fishing in Japan}} |
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Because only 29% of Japan's land is suitable for cultivation, a system of terrace farming is used to build in small areas. This results in one of the world's highest levels of crop yields per unit area. However, Japan's small [[agriculture|agricultural]] sector is also highly subsidized and protected. Japan must import about 50%<ref>"http://www.skillclear.co.uk/japan/default.asp"</ref> of its requirements of [[grain]] and fodder crops other than rice, and relies on imports for most of its supply of [[meat]]. |
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The [[Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency]] is Japan's national [[space agency]]; it conducts space, planetary, and aviation research, and leads development of rockets and satellites.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.space.com/22672-japan-aerospace-exploration-agency.html|website=Space|first=Elizabeth|last=Howell|date=May 19, 2016|title=JAXA: Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111105102/https://www.space.com/22672-japan-aerospace-exploration-agency.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It is a participant in the [[International Space Station]]: the [[Japanese Experiment Module]] (Kibō) was added to the station during [[Space Shuttle]] assembly flights in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|title=Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Homepage|publisher=Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency|date=August 3, 2006|url=http://www.jaxa.jp/index_e.html|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070321160909/http://www.jaxa.jp/index_e.html|archivedate=March 21, 2007}}</ref> The [[space probe]] ''[[Akatsuki (spacecraft)|Akatsuki]]'' was launched in 2010 and achieved orbit around Venus in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/akatsuki/in-depth/|publisher=NASA|title=Akatsuki|accessdate=November 11, 2020|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112195838/https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/akatsuki/in-depth/|url-status=live}}</ref> Japan's plans in [[space exploration]] include building a [[colonization of the Moon|Moon base]] and landing astronauts by 2030.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.space.com/japan-robots-build-moon-base.html|first=Elizabeth|last=Howell|date=April 7, 2019|website=Space|title=Can Robots Build a Moon Base for Astronauts? Japan Hopes to Find Out|archive-date=November 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107232039/https://www.space.com/japan-robots-build-moon-base.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2007, it launched lunar explorer [[SELENE]] (Selenological and Engineering Explorer) from [[Tanegashima Space Center]]. The largest lunar mission since the [[Apollo program]], its purpose was to gather data on the [[Moon#Formation|Moon's origin and evolution]]. The explorer entered a lunar orbit on October 4, 2007,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.japancorp.net/Article.Asp?Art_ID=15429|title=Japan Successfully Launches Lunar Explorer 'Kaguya'|publisher=Japan Corporate News Network|date=September 14, 2007|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430010519/http://www.japancorp.net/Article.Asp?Art_ID=15429|archivedate=April 30, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6994272.stm|title=Japan launches first lunar probe|work=BBC News|date=September 14, 2007|archive-date=May 11, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511101523/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6994272.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> and was deliberately crashed into the Moon on June 11, 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8094863.stm|title=Japanese probe crashes into Moon|work=BBC News|date=June 11, 2009|archive-date=September 30, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090930160652/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8094863.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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In fishing, Japan is ranked second in the world behind [[PRC|China]] in tonnage of fish caught. Japan maintains one of the world's largest [[fishing]] fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch.<ref>"https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ja.html#Econ"</ref> |
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==Infrastructure== |
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===Transportation=== |
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[[Image:Twinshin.JPG|thumb|200px|right|300 (Left) and 700 Series [[Shinkansen]] at Tokyo Station.]] |
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{{ |
{{Main|Transport in Japan}} |
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[[File:Japan Airlines, Boeing 787-9 JA861J NRT (19455285040).jpg|thumb|[[Japan Airlines]], the [[flag carrier]] of Japan]] |
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Japan is unique in that its [[electric power transmission]] runs at different [[frequency|frequencies]] in different parts of the country — 50 [[Hertz|Hz]] in Tokyo and elsewhere east of the [[Fuji River]], 60 Hz in Osaka and other parts west. The division was due to different technology imports for the initial plant construction; the eastern region imported [[Siemens AG]] technology (German) and the western region imported [[GE]] technology (US). The household power line voltage is constant 100 [[V]] throughout the nation. |
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Japan has invested heavily in transportation infrastructure since the 1990s.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-19893379|work=BBC News|last=Wingfield-Hayes|first=Rupert|title=Japan's high-spending legacy|date=October 10, 2012|archive-date=August 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210809172340/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-19893379|url-status=live}}</ref> The country has approximately {{convert|comma=5|1200000|km|abbr=off|sp=us}} of roads made up of {{convert|comma=5|1000000|km|abbr=off|sp=us}} of city, town and village roads, {{convert|comma=5|130000|km|abbr=off|sp=us}} of prefectural roads, {{convert|comma=5|54736|km|abbr=off|sp=us}} of general national highways and {{convert|comma=5|7641|km|abbr=off|sp=us}} of [[Expressways of Japan|national expressways]] {{as of|2017|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1007/s12544-017-0255-7|title=Japan's transport planning at the national level, natural disasters, and their interplays|year=2017|journal=European Transport Research Review|last=Shibayama|first=Takeru|volume=9|issue=3|doi-access=free}}</ref> |
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Since privatization in 1987,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2017/04/04/editorials/privatization-jnr-30-years/|website=The Japan Times|date=April 4, 2017|title=Privatization of JNR, 30 years on|archive-date=April 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404110226/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2017/04/04/editorials/privatization-jnr-30-years/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[List of railway companies in Japan|dozens of Japanese railway companies]] compete in regional and local passenger transportation markets; major companies include seven [[Japan Railways Group|JR]] enterprises, [[Kintetsu Railway|Kintetsu]], [[Seibu Railway]] and [[Keio Corporation]]. The high-speed [[Shinkansen]] (bullet trains) that connect major cities are known for their safety and punctuality.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-10-07/can-japan-s-bullet-trains-get-back-up-to-speed|publisher=Bloomberg|date=October 7, 2020|last=Sieloff|first=Sarah|title=Japan's Bullet Trains Are Hitting a Speed Bump|archive-date=October 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201008005117/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-10-07/can-japan-s-bullet-trains-get-back-up-to-speed|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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Japan has 1,177,278 [[km]] of paved roadways, 173 [[airport]]s, and 23,577 [[km]] of [[railway]]s as of 2004. Transportation is highly developed. Air transport is mostly operated by [[All Nippon Airways]] (ANA) and [[Japan Airlines]] (JAL). Railways are operated by [[Japan Railways]] among others. There is extensive international flights from many cities and countries to and from Japan. |
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There are [[List of airports in Japan|175 airports in Japan]] {{as of|2021|lc=y}}.<ref name="cia" /> The largest domestic airport, [[Haneda Airport]] in Tokyo, was Asia's [[List of busiest airports by passenger traffic|second-busiest airport]] in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/asia-busiest-airports-2019/index.html|publisher=CNN|date=April 22, 2019|last=Falcus|first=Matt|title=Asia's 9 busiest airports in 2019|archive-date=April 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422235856/https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/asia-busiest-airports-2019/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Keihin and Hanshin superport hubs are among the largest in the world, at 7.98 and 5.22 million [[twenty-foot equivalent unit|TEU]] respectively {{as of|2017|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.worldshipping.org/about-the-industry/global-trade/top-50-world-container-ports|publisher=World Shipping Council|title=Top 50 World Container Ports|accessdate=November 16, 2020|archive-date=November 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119000412/https://www.worldshipping.org/about-the-industry/global-trade/top-50-world-container-ports|url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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===International trade=== |
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Export and import is an essential part of the Japanese economy. Its main export partners are the [[United States|US]] 22.7%, [[China]] 13.1%, [[South Korea]] 7.8%, [[Taiwan]] 7.4%,[[Hong Kong]] 6.3% and [[Pakistan]] 4.3%. |
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Japan's main exports are transport equipment, [[motor vehicles]], [[electronics]], electrical machinery and [[chemical]]s. |
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===Energy=== |
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As a nation that relies heavily on [[international trade]], Japan also imports a wide variety of goods. Its main import partners are [[China]] 20.7%, [[United States|US]] 14%, [[South Korea]] 4.9%, [[Australia]] 4.3%, [[Indonesia]] 4.1%, [[Saudi Arabia]] 4.1%, [[UAE]] 4% (as of 2004). Japan's main imports are machinery and equipment, [[fossil fuels]], [[foodstuff]]s (in particular [[beef]]), [[chemicals]], [[textile]]s and raw materials for its industries. |
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{{Main|Energy in Japan}} |
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[[File:Setokazenooka-park01.jpg|thumb|right |Part of the [[Seto Windhill|Seto Hill Windfarm]]]] |
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{{seealso|Energy production in Japan}} |
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{{As of|2019}}, 37.1% of energy in Japan was produced from petroleum, 25.1% from coal, 22.4% from natural gas, 3.5% from [[hydropower]] and 2.8% from [[Nuclear power in Japan|nuclear power]], among other sources. Nuclear power was down from 11.2 percent in 2010.<ref>{{cite report|title=Statistical Handbook of Japan 2021|url=https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/handbook/index.html|section=Chapter 7: Energy – 1. Supply and Demand|section-url=http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/handbook/pdf/2021all.pdf#page=93|pp=77, 79|publisher=Statistics Bureau of Japan|accessdate=January 8, 2021|archive-date=January 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120232017/http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/handbook/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> By May 2012 all of [[List of nuclear power plants in Japan|the country's nuclear power plants]] had been taken offline because of ongoing public opposition following the [[Fukushima nuclear disaster|Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster]] in March 2011, though government officials continued to try to sway public opinion in favor of returning at least some to service.<ref>{{cite news|last=Tsukimori|first=Osamu|title=Japan nuclear power-free as last reactor shuts|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nuclear-japan-idUSBRE84405820120505|publisher=Reuters|date=May 5, 2012|archivedate=September 24, 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924163821/http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/05/us-nuclear-japan-idUSBRE84405820120505|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Sendai Nuclear Power Plant]] restarted in 2015,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-33858628/nuclear-power-back-in-japan-for-first-time-since-fukushima|title=Nuclear power back in Japan for the first time since Fukushima|work=BBC News|date=August 11, 2015|archive-date=August 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801113235/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-33858628/nuclear-power-back-in-japan-for-first-time-since-fukushima|url-status=live}}</ref> and since then several other nuclear power plants have been restarted.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newsmixed-progress-for-japans-nuclear-plant-restarts-7887062|work=Nuclear Engineering International|date=April 23, 2020|title=Mixed progress for Japan's nuclear plant restarts|archive-date=June 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609023614/https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newsmixed-progress-for-japans-nuclear-plant-restarts-7887062|url-status=live}}</ref> Japan lacks significant domestic reserves and has a heavy dependence on [[List of countries by oil imports|imported energy]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oxfordenergy.org/wpcms/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/A-Review-of-the-Evolution-of-the-Japanese-Oil-Industry-Oil-Policy-and-its-Relationship-with-the-Middle-East-WPM-76.pdf|pages=5–12|title=A Review of the Evolution of the Japanese Oil Industry, Oil Policy and its Relationship with the Middle East|date=April 2018|publisher=Oxford Institute for Energy Studies|last=Thorarinsson|first=Loftur|archive-date=April 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180410013607/https://www.oxfordenergy.org/wpcms/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/A-Review-of-the-Evolution-of-the-Japanese-Oil-Industry-Oil-Policy-and-its-Relationship-with-the-Middle-East-WPM-76.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> The country has therefore aimed to diversify its sources and maintain high levels of energy efficiency.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Japan's 2014 Strategic Energy Plan: A Planned Energy System Transition|doi=10.1155/2017/4107614|last1=Kucharski|first1=Jeffrey|last2=Unesaki|first2=Hironobu|year=2017|journal=Journal of Energy|volume=2017|pages=1–13|doi-access=free}}</ref> |
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==Demographics== |
==Demographics== |
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{{ |
{{Main|Demographics of Japan|Japanese people|Ethnic groups of Japan|List of metropolitan areas in Japan|List of cities in Japan}} |
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[[File:Tokyo from the top of the SkyTree.JPG|thumb|upright=1.2|View of Tokyo from the top of the [[Tokyo Skytree]]. The [[Greater Tokyo Area]] is ranked as the [[List of metropolitan areas by population|most populous metropolitan area]] in the world.]] |
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===Population=== |
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Japan has a population of almost 125 million, of whom nearly 122 million are Japanese nationals (2022 estimates).<ref name="November 2020 population estimate">{{cite web|url=https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/jinsui/tsuki/index.html|title=Population Estimates Monthly Report November 2020|date=June 20, 2019|publisher=Statistics Bureau of Japan|accessdate=April 29, 2021|archive-date=April 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180405030144/https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/jinsui/tsuki/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> A small population of foreign residents makes up the remainder.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190710/p2g/00m/0dm/075000c|title=Japan population drops by record number to 124.8 mil.: gov't|last=|first=|date=July 10, 2019|website=The Mainichi|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711174837/https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190710/p2g/00m/0dm/075000c|archivedate= July 11, 2019}}</ref> |
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[[Image:Shibuya tokyo.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Shibuya]] crossing is one of the largest pedestrian crossings and shopping areas.]] |
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Japan is the world's [[Aging of Japan|fastest aging country]] and has the highest proportion of [[Elderly people in Japan|elderly citizens]] of any country, comprising [[List of countries by age structure|one-third of its total population]];<ref name="EUAgeing">{{cite web|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2020/659419/EPRS_BRI(2020)659419_EN.pdf|title=Japan's ageing society|publisher=[[European Parliament]]|last=D'Ambrogio|first=Enrico|date=December 2020|archive-date=December 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216060510/https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2020/659419/EPRS_BRI(2020)659419_EN.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> this is the result of a [[post–World War II baby boom]], which was followed by an increase in life expectancy and a decrease in [[birth rate]]s.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/01/05/national/numbers-tell-tale-japans-postwar-rise-fall/|website=The Japan Times|title=Numbers tell tale of Japan's postwar rise and fall|last=Yoshida|first=Reiji|date=January 5, 2015|archive-date=January 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107180452/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/01/05/national/numbers-tell-tale-japans-postwar-rise-fall/|url-status=live}}</ref> Japan has a [[total fertility rate]] of 1.4, which is below the [[Sub-replacement fertility|replacement rate]] of 2.1, and is among the world's [[List of countries by total fertility rate|lowest]];<ref>{{cite report|last=Noriko|first=Tsuya|title=Low fertility in Japan—no end in sight|pages=1–4|volume=131|date=June 2017|publisher=[[East–West Center]]|url=https://www.eastwestcenter.org/system/tdf/private/api131.pdf?file=1&type=node&id=36147|archive-date=July 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702014801/https://www.eastwestcenter.org/system/tdf/private/api131.pdf?file=1&type=node&id=36147|url-status=dead}}</ref> it has a [[median age]] of 48.4, the [[List of countries by median age|highest]] in the world.<ref name="IMFAgeing">{{cite web|url=https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2020/02/10/na021020-japan-demographic-shift-opens-door-to-reforms|title=Japan: Demographic Shift Opens Door to Reforms|publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]]|date=February 10, 2020|archive-date=February 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212164106/https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2020/02/10/na021020-japan-demographic-shift-opens-door-to-reforms|url-status=live}}</ref> {{as of|2020}}, over 28.7 percent of the population is over 65, or more than one in four out of the Japanese population.<ref name="EUAgeing"/> As a growing number of younger Japanese are not marrying or remaining childless,<ref name="Walia">{{cite news|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2019/11/19/commentary/japan-commentary/economic-challenge-japans-aging-crisis/|website=The Japan Times|title=The economic challenge of Japan's aging crisis|last=Walia|first=Simran|date=November 19, 2019|archive-date=November 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119155159/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2019/11/19/commentary/japan-commentary/economic-challenge-japans-aging-crisis/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/07/japan-mystery-low-birth-rate/534291/|website=The Atlantic|title=The Mystery of Why Japanese People Are Having So Few Babies|last=Semuels|first=Alana|date=July 20, 2017|archive-date=July 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720214203/https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/07/japan-mystery-low-birth-rate/534291/|url-status=live}}</ref> Japan's population is expected to drop to around 88 million by 2065.<ref name="EUAgeing"/> |
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Japan's population is estimated at around 127,463,611. For the most part, Japanese society is [[Linguistics|linguistically]] and culturally homogeneous with only small populations of foreign workers, [[Zainichi Korean]] and others. Japan has indigenous minority groups such as the [[Ainu people|Ainu]] and [[Ryūkyūans]], and social minority groups like the ''[[burakumin]]''. |
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The changes in demographic structure have created several social issues, particularly a decline in the workforce population and an increase in the cost of social security benefits.<ref name=Walia/> The Government of Japan projects that there will be almost one elderly person for each person of working age by 2060.<ref name="IMFAgeing"/> [[Immigration to Japan|Immigration]] and birth incentives are sometimes suggested as a solution to provide younger workers to support the nation's aging population.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/07/health/japan-child-population-record-low-intl/index.html|publisher=CNN|last1=Wakatsuki|first1=Yoko|last2=Griffiths|first2=James|date=May 7, 2018|title=Number of children in Japan shrinks to new record low|archive-date=May 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180507083400/https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/07/health/japan-child-population-record-low-intl/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20181210-more-seniors-more-foreigners-how-japan-is-rapidly-changing|publisher=BBC|title=More seniors, more foreigners: How Japan is changing|last=Lufkin|first=Bryan|date=December 10, 2018|archive-date=July 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727073218/https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20181210-more-seniors-more-foreigners-how-japan-is-rapidly-changing|url-status=live}}</ref> On April 1, 2019, Japan's revised immigration law was enacted, protecting the rights of foreign workers to help reduce labor shortages in certain sectors.<ref>{{cite web|title=New immigration rules to stir up Japan's regional rentals scene — if they work|url=https://www.rethinktokyo.com/2019/03/27/new-immigration-visa-rules-japan-foreign-workers|website= REthink Tokyo|date=March 27, 2019|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190702124120/https://www.rethinktokyo.com/2019/03/27/new-immigration-visa-rules-japan-foreign-workers|archivedate=July 2, 2019}}</ref> |
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Japan has one of the highest [[life expectancy]] in the world, at 81.25 years of age as of 2006.<ref>"https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2102rank.html"</ref> However, the Japanese population is rapidly aging, the effect of [[Post-WW2 baby boom|a postwar baby boom]] followed by a decrease in births in the latter part of the 20th century. In 2004, about 19.5% of the population was over the age of 65.<ref>"http://www.stat.go.jp/English/data/handbook/c02cont.htm"</ref> The changes in the demographic structure have created a number of social issues, particularly a potential decline in the workforce population and increases in the cost of social security benefits such as the [[pension|public pension plan]]. |
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If its birth and death rates remain at the current levels, Japan's population has passed its peak and its population will continue to decline. It is expected to drop to 100 million by 2050, and to 64 million by 2100.<ref>"http://www.stat.go.jp/English/data/handbook/c02cont.htm"</ref> Demographers and government planners are currently in a heated debate over how to cope with this problem.<ref>"[http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/japan/socsec/ogawa.html Demographic Trends and Their Implications for Japan's Future]", The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, 7 March 1997. Retrieved 14 May 2006.</ref> [[Immigration]] and birth incentives are sometimes suggested as a solution to provide younger workers to support the nation's aging population. Immigration, however, is not popular as recent increased [[crime]] rates are often attributed to foreigners living in Japan both by the National Police Agency and in popular Japanese media. But despite public views on foreigners, the Japanese in general do not mind foreigners in their country, and this is pointed out when comparing the increasingly common inter-marriage between Japanese and foreigners, but opinions on "rebellious" foreigners are still strong. Ethnic issues are improving, so there is a narrow but strong chance that if more foreigners enter Japan, and decide to marry another foreigner or Japanese resident, this may increase the chance of the population growing again. It is also noted that many Japanese youth are increasingly preferring not to [[marry]] or have families as adults.<ref>"[http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/japan/socsec/ogawa.html Demographic Trends and Their Implications for Japan's Future]", The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, 7 March 1997. Retrieved 14 May 2006.</ref> |
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In 2022, 92% of the total Japanese population lived in cities.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS?locations=JP|publisher=World Bank|title=Urban population (% of total population)|accessdate=November 19, 2020|archive-date=January 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121222411/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS?locations=JP|url-status=live}}</ref> The capital city, Tokyo, has a population of 13.9 million (2022).<ref name="toukei-metro">{{cite web|url=http://www.toukei.metro.tokyo.jp/jsuikei/js-index.htm|script-title=ja:東京都の人口(推計)|trans-title=Population of Tokyo (estimate)|publisher=Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Statistics Department|accessdate=October 22, 2018|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002162446/http://www.toukei.metro.tokyo.jp/jsuikei/js-index.htm|archivedate=October 2, 2018}}</ref> It is part of the [[Greater Tokyo Area]], the [[List of metropolitan areas by population|biggest metropolitan area]] in the world with 37.4 million people (2024).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cutmore |first=James |date=2024-12-05 |title=Top 14 largest cities in the world |url=https://www.sciencefocus.com/planet-earth/in-pictures-the-largest-cities-in-the-world |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=[[BBC Science Focus]] |language=en}}</ref> Japan is an ethnically and culturally [[List of countries ranked by ethnic and cultural diversity level|homogeneous society]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://apjjf.org/-Chris-Burgess/2389/article.html|last=Burgess|first=Chris|title=Multicultural Japan? Discourse and the 'Myth' of Homogeneity|date=March 1, 2007|volume=5|issue=3|journal=The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus|archive-date=November 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124154805/https://apjjf.org/-Chris-Burgess/2389/article.html|url-status=live}}</ref> with the [[Japanese people]] forming 97.4% of the country's population.<ref>{{cite web|title=Population Estimates by Age (Five-Year Groups) and Sex|url=https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/jinsui/tsuki/index.html|publisher=[[Statistics Bureau of Japan]]|accessdate=September 10, 2024}}</ref> Minority ethnic groups in the country include the indigenous [[Ainu people|Ainu]] and [[Ryukyuan people]].<ref>{{cite journal|author=Japanese Archipelago Human Population Genetics Consortium|title=The history of human populations in the Japanese Archipelago inferred from genome-wide SNP data with a special reference to the Ainu and the Ryukyuan populations|journal=Journal of Human Genetics|volume=57|pages=787–795|year=2012|issue=12|doi=10.1038/jhg.2012.114|pmid=23135232|doi-access=free}}</ref> [[Koreans in Japan|Zainichi Koreans]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2018/06/13/zainichi-being-korean-in-japan/|publisher=Al Jazeera|title=Zainichi: Being Korean in Japan|last1=Ambrose|first1=Drew|last2=Armont|first2=Rhiona-Jade|date=June 13, 2018|archive-date=November 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128055446/https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2018/06/13/zainichi-being-korean-in-japan/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Chinese people in Japan|Chinese]],<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|doi=10.1007/978-0-387-29904-4_70|title=Chinese in Japan|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Diasporas|last=Chen|first=Lara Tien-shi|year=2005|pages=680–688|isbn=978-0-306-48321-9}}</ref> [[Filipinos in Japan|Filipinos]],<ref>{{cite journal|title='Mixed' Japanese-Filipino identities under Japanese multiculturalism|journal=Social Identities|last=Seiger|first=Fiona-Katharina|pages=392–407|doi=10.1080/13504630.2018.1499225|volume=25|issue=3|year=2019|doi-access=free}}</ref> Brazilians mostly [[Japanese Brazilian|of Japanese descent]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-33114120|work=BBC News|title=The Brazilians winning in Japan|date=July 17, 2015|last=Tobace|first=Ewerthon|archive-date=August 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814090917/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-33114120|url-status=live}}</ref> and Peruvians mostly [[Japanese Peruvian|of Japanese descent]] are also among Japan's small minority groups.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nippon.com/en/people/e00054/|last=Escala|first=Elard|website=Nippon.com|title=Peruvians Struggling to Find a Place in Japanese Society|date=February 13, 2014|archive-date=February 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140213181022/https://www.nippon.com/en/people/e00054/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Burakumin]]'' make up a social minority group.<ref>{{cite news|title=Japan's hidden caste of untouchables|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34615972|work=BBC News|date=October 23, 2015|archive-date=September 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902111214/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34615972|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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{{seealso|Ethnic issues in Japan}} |
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{{Largest cities of Japan}} |
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{{main|List of Japanese cities by population}} |
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[[Image:03-05-JPN192.jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Tokyo]]]] |
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[[Image:Yokohama MinatoMirai21.jpg|right|thumb|150px|[[Yokohama]]]] |
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[[Image:OsakaFromOsakaCastleM0742.jpg|thumb|150px|right|[[Osaka]]]] |
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Japan has dozens of [[List of Japanese cities by population|major cities]], which play an important role in Japan culture, heritage, and economy. Those in the list of the ten most populous below are all prefecture capitals and [[City designated by government ordinance (Japan)|Government Ordinance Cities]] except those indicated: |
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===Languages=== |
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{| class="wikitable" |
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{{Main|Languages of Japan}} |
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! No. !! City !! Prefecture !! Population |
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[[File:豚骨らーめん 博多天神 いらっしゃい 2010 (5023366778).jpg|thumb|''[[Kanji]]'' and ''[[hiragana]]'' signs]] |
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|- |
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The [[Japanese language]] is Japan's ''de facto'' national language and the primary written and spoken language of most people in the country.<ref name="LangPolicy">{{Cite book |last=Fujita-Round |first=Sachiyo |title=Language Policy and Political Issues in Education |last2=Maher |first2=John C. |date=2017 |publisher=Springer International Publishing |isbn=978-3-319-02343-4 |editor-last=McCarty |editor-first=Teresa L. |edition=3rd |series=Encyclopedia of Language and Education |pages=491–505 |chapter=Language Policy and Education in Japan |doi=10.1007/978-3-319-02344-1_36 |editor-last2=May |editor-first2=Stephen |chapter-url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-319-02344-1_36}}</ref> [[Japanese writing system|Japanese writing]] uses [[kanji]] ([[Chinese character]]s) and two sets of [[kana]] ([[syllabary|syllabaries]] based on [[Cursive script (East Asia)|cursive script]] and [[Radical (Chinese characters)|radicals]] used by kanji), as well as the [[Latin alphabet]] and [[Arabic numerals]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Miyagawa|first=Shigeru|title=The Japanese Language|url=http://web.mit.edu/jpnet/articles/JapaneseLanguage.html|publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology|accessdate=January 16, 2011|archive-date=April 13, 2000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000413210711/http://web.mit.edu/jpnet/articles/JapaneseLanguage.html|url-status=live}}</ref> English has taken a major role in Japan as a business and international [[link language]], and is a compulsory subject at the junior and senior high school levels.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://education.jnto.go.jp/en/school-in-japan/japanese-education-system/|title=Japanese Educational System|accessdate=November 4, 2024|publisher=Japan National Tourism Organization}}</ref> [[Japanese Sign Language]] is the primary [[sign language]] used in Japan and has gained some official recognition, but its usage has been historically hindered by discriminatory policies and a lack of educational support.<ref name="LangPolicy"/> |
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| 1 || '''[[Special wards of Tokyo|Tokyo's special wards]]'''<sup>a</sup> || [[Tokyo]] || 8,390,967 |
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| 2 || '''[[Yokohama]]''' || [[Kanagawa Prefecture|Kanagawa]] || 3,579,133 |
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| 3 || '''[[Osaka]]''' || [[Osaka Prefecture|Osaka]] || 2,640,097 |
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| 4 || '''[[Nagoya]]''' || [[Aichi Prefecture|Aichi]] || 2,214,958 |
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|- |
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| 5 || '''[[Sapporo]]''' || [[Hokkaidō]] || 1,882,424 |
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|- |
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| 6 || '''[[Kobe]]''' || [[Hyōgo Prefecture|Hyōgo]] || 1,525,389 |
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|- |
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| 7 || '''[[Kyoto]]''' || [[Kyoto Prefecture|Kyoto]] || 1,474,764 |
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| 8 || '''[[Fukuoka, Fukuoka|Fukuoka]]''' || [[Fukuoka Prefecture|Fukuoka]] || 1,400,621 |
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|- |
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| 9 || '''[[Kawasaki, Kanagawa|Kawasaki]]'''<sup>b</sup> || [[Kanagawa Prefecture|Kanagawa]] || 1,317,862 |
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|- |
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| 10 || '''[[Saitama, Saitama|Saitama]]''' || [[Saitama Prefecture|Saitama]]|| 1,185,030 |
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|} |
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{{small|<sup>a</sup> 23 municipalities. Also capital of Japan.<br/><sup>b</sup> Government Ordinance City only.}} |
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Besides Japanese, the [[Ryukyuan languages]] ([[Amami Ōshima language|Amami]], [[Kunigami language|Kunigami]], [[Okinawan language|Okinawan]], [[Miyakoan language|Miyako]], [[Yaeyama language|Yaeyama]], [[Yonaguni language|Yonaguni]]), part of the [[Japonic languages|Japonic language family]], are spoken in the Ryukyu Islands chain.<ref>{{cite book|last=Anderson|first=Mark|chapter=Language shift in the Ryukyu Islands|pages=370–388|title=Routledge Handbook of Japanese Sociolinguistics|editor=Heinrich, Patrick|editor2=Ohara, Yumiko|year=2019|isbn=978-1-315-21337-8|publisher=Routledge}}</ref> Few children learn these languages,<ref>{{cite book|last1=Fujita-Round|first1=Sachiyo|last2=Maher|first2=John|chapter=Language Policy and Education in Japan|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-02320-5_36-2|editor-last1=McCarty|editor-first1=T|editor-last2=May|editor-first2=S|title=Language Policy and Political Issues in Education|year=2017|publisher=Springer|pages=1–15|isbn=978-3-319-02320-5}}</ref> but local governments have sought to increase awareness of the traditional languages.<ref>{{cite book|chapter=Language Revitalization Efforts in the Ryukyus|last=Ishihara|first=Masahide|pages=67–82|year=2016|title=Self-determinable Development of Small Islands|publisher=Springer|editor=Ishihara, Masahide|editor2=Hoshino, Eiichi|editor3=Fujita, Yoko|isbn=978-981-10-0132-1}}</ref> The [[Ainu language]], which is a [[language isolate]], is [[moribund language|moribund]], with only a few native speakers remaining {{as of|2014|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite book|page=1058|chapter=The ethnohistory and anthropology of 'modern' hunter-gatherers: north Japan (Ainu)|last=Hudson|first=Mark|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2014|isbn=978-0-19-955122-4|title=The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology and Anthropology of Hunter-Gatherers|editor=Cummings, Vicki|editor2=Jordan, Peter|editor3=Zvelebil, Marek}}</ref> Additionally, a number of other languages are taught and used by ethnic minorities, immigrant communities, and a growing number of foreign-language students, such as [[Korean language|Korean]] (including a distinct [[Zainichi Korean language|Zainichi Korean dialect]]), [[Chinese language|Chinese]] and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]].<ref name="LangPolicy"/> |
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===Language=== |
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{{main|Japanese language}} |
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Japan does not legally recognize an [[official language]]; however, [[Japanese language|Japanese]] is the ''de facto'' official language. Japanese courts are the sole location that define language use: Judicial Code Article 74 states "Japanese will be used in courts". |
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===Religion=== |
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About 99% of the population speaks Japanese as their first language. The [[Ryūkyūan languages]], also part of the [[Japonic languages|Japonic language family]] to which Japanese belongs, are spoken in [[Okinawa]], but few children learn these languages. [[Ainu language|Ainu]], the language of the indigenous minority in northern Japan, is moribund, with only a few elderly [[First language|native speakers]] remaining in [[Hokkaidō]]. Most public and private schools require students to take courses in both Japanese and English. |
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{{Main|Religion in Japan}} |
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[[File:Itsukushima Shrine Torii Gate (13890465459).jpg|thumb|The [[torii]] of [[Itsukushima Shrine|Itsukushima Shinto Shrine]] near [[Hiroshima]]]] |
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Japan's constitution guarantees full religious freedom.<ref name="Inoue2007">{{cite book|first=Kyoko|last=Inoue|title=MacArthur's Japanese Constitution|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ffeE989AWrAC&pg=PA132|year=2007|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=978-0-226-38391-0|pages=132–133|edition=2nd}}</ref> Upper estimates suggest that 84–96 percent of the Japanese population subscribe to [[Shinto]] as its indigenous religion.<ref>{{cite web|title=A View of Religion in Japan|url=https://www.japansociety.org/a_view_of_religion_in_japan|accessdate=January 29, 2017|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123023617/http://www.japansociety.org/a_view_of_religion_in_japan|archivedate=January 23, 2016|last=McQuaid|first=John|publisher=Japan Society}}</ref> However, these estimates are based on people [[Danka system|affiliated]] with a temple, rather than the number of true believers. Many Japanese people practice both Shinto and [[Buddhism in Japan|Buddhism]]; they can identify with both religions or describe themselves as non-religious or spiritual.<ref>{{cite web|title=How religious are Japanese people?|url=https://japantoday.com/category/features/opinions/how-religious-are-japanese-people|date=October 27, 2013|website=Japan Today|archive-date=December 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223021631/https://japantoday.com/category/features/opinions/how-religious-are-japanese-people|url-status=live}}</ref> The level of participation in religious ceremonies as a cultural tradition remains high, especially during [[Japanese festivals|festivals]] and occasions such as the [[Hatsumōde|first shrine visit]] of the [[Japanese New Year|New Year]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=Women between Religion and Spirituality: Observing Religious Experience in Everyday Japanese Life|last=Cavaliere|first=Paola|journal=Religions|year=2019|volume=10|issue=6|page=377|doi=10.3390/rel10060377|doi-access=free}}</ref> [[Taoism in Japan|Taoism]] and [[Confucianism in Japan|Confucianism]] from China have also influenced Japanese beliefs and customs.<ref name="Totman 2005"/> |
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Today, 1%<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2018/may/japan-unesco-hidden-christian-persecution-world-heritage.html|website=Christianity Today|title=Why Japan Wants Its Past Persecution of Christians to Be World Renowned|last=Shellnutt|first=Kate|date=May 29, 2018|archive-date=May 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503143743/https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2018/may/japan-unesco-hidden-christian-persecution-world-heritage.html|url-status=live}}</ref> to 1.5% of the population are [[Christianity in Japan|Christians]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.bunka.go.jp/tokei_hakusho_shuppan/hakusho_nenjihokokusho/shukyo_nenkan/pdf/r01nenkan.pdf#page=49|title=Shūkyō nenkan reiwa gan'nen-ban|publisher=[[Agency for Cultural Affairs]]|year=2019|page=35|language=ja|script-title=ja:宗教年鑑 令和元年版|trans-title=Religious Yearbook 2019|archive-date=December 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201225124108/https://www.bunka.go.jp/tokei_hakusho_shuppan/hakusho_nenjihokokusho/shukyo_nenkan/pdf/r01nenkan.pdf#page=49|url-status=live}}</ref> Throughout the latest century, Western customs originally related to Christianity (including [[marriage in Japan|Western style weddings]], [[Valentine's Day]] and [[Christmas]]) have become popular as secular customs among many Japanese.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kato|first=Mariko|title=Christianity's long history in the margins|newspaper=The Japan Times|date=February 24, 2009}}</ref> |
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The [[Japanese language]] is an [[agglutinative language]] distinguished by a system of [[Japanese honorifics|honorifics]] reflecting the [[Hierarchy|hierarchical]] nature of Japanese society, with verb forms and particular vocabulary which indicate the relative status of speaker and listener. There is no consensus on what, if any, linguistic relationship Japanese has with other languages, but scholars continue to [[Japanese language classification|research]] the issue. |
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About 90% of those practicing [[Islam in Japan]] are foreign-born migrants {{as of|2016|lc=y}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2016/07/13/issues/shadow-surveillance-looms-japans-muslims/|website=The Japan Times|title=Shadow of surveillance looms over Japan's Muslims|last=Blakkarly|first=Jarni|date=July 13, 2016|archive-date=December 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205035509/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2016/07/13/issues/shadow-surveillance-looms-japans-muslims/|url-status=live}}</ref> {{As of|2018}} there were an estimated 105 [[mosque]]s and 200,000 Muslims in Japan, 43,000 of which were Japanese nationals.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20191128/p2a/00m/0fe/014000c|website=The Mainichi|date=November 29, 2019|title=No. of Muslims, mosques on the rise in Japan amid some misconceptions, prejudice|archive-date=February 10, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240210235636/https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20191128/p2a/00m/0fe/014000c|url-status=live}}</ref> Other minority religions include [[Hinduism in Japan|Hinduism]], [[Judaism in Japan|Judaism]], and [[Baháʼí Faith in Japan|Baháʼí Faith]], as well as the [[animist]] beliefs of the Ainu.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/JAPAN-2018-INTERNATIONAL-RELIGIOUS-FREEDOM-REPORT.pdf|publisher=US Department of State|title=Japan 2018 International Religious Freedom Report|accessdate=November 20, 2020|archive-date=January 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128074718/https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/JAPAN-2018-INTERNATIONAL-RELIGIOUS-FREEDOM-REPORT.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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Japanese incorporates many foreign elements. Japanese has borrowed or derived large amounts of vocabulary from [[Chinese language|Chinese]]. When non-Chinese foreign words are written in Japanese, they are usually done so in a separate alphabet called [[katakana]]. Since the end of World War II, Japanese has also extensively borrowed from [[English language|English]]. The [[Japanese writing system|writing system]] uses [[kanji]] ([[Chinese character]]s) and two sets of [[kana]] ([[syllabary|syllabaries]] based on simplified forms of Chinese characters), as well as the [[Roman alphabet]] and [[Hindu-Arabic numerals]]. |
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===Religion=== |
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[[Image:Itsukushima torii angle.jpg|thumb|200px|The "floating" [[torii]] at [[Itsukushima Shrine]].]] |
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{{main|Religion in Japan}} |
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84% of Japanese people profess to believe both [[Shinto]] (the indigenous religion of Japan) and [[Buddhism]].<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ja.html#People]</ref> Buddhism, [[Taoism]] and [[Confucianism]] from China have significantly influenced Japanese beliefs and mythology. Religion in Japan tends to be [[syncretic]] in nature, and this results in a variety of practices such as parents and children celebrating [[Shinto]] rituals, students praying before exams, couples holding a wedding at a [[Christian]] [[church]] and funerals being held at [[Buddhist]] temples. A minority (0.7%) profess to [[Christianity]] and other religions (4.7%) like [[shamanism]], [[Islam]], and [[Hinduism in Japan|Hinduism]]. Since the mid-19th century, numerous religious sects (''[[Shinshūkyō]]'') have emerged. |
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{{seealso|Japanese mythology}} |
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===Education=== |
===Education=== |
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{{ |
{{Main|Education in Japan}} |
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[[File:Tokyo University Entrance Exam Results 6.JPG|thumb|Students celebrating after the announcement of the results of the [[Higher education in Japan#University entrance|entrance examinations]] to the [[University of Tokyo]]]] |
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Compulsory education was introduced into Japan in 1872 as a result of the [[Meiji Restoration]]. Since 1947, compulsory education consists of [[elementary school]] and [[middle school]], which lasts for 9 years (from age 6 to age 15). Almost all children continue their education at a three-year senior [[high school]], and, according to basic statics of [[Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan)|MEXT]], 67.5% of high school graduates attend a [[university]], [[junior college]], trade school, or other post-secondary institution in [[2006]]. Japan's education is very competitive especially at the college level and it has prestigious and large universities such as [[University of Tokyo]], [[Tohoku University|University of Tohoku]], [[Keio University]], [[Waseda University]], [[Kyoto University]], [[Hitotsubashi University]], and [[Doshisha University]]. |
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Since the 1947 [[Fundamental Law of Education]], compulsory education in Japan comprises [[Elementary schools in Japan|elementary]] and [[Secondary education in Japan#Junior high school|junior high school]], which together last for nine years.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.jica.go.jp/jica-ri/IFIC_and_JBICI-Studies/english/publications/reports/study/topical/educational/pdf/educational_02.pdf|page=23|chapter=The Modernization and Development of Education in Japan|publisher=Japan International Cooperation Agency Research Institute|date=March 2004|title=The History of Japan's Educational Development|archive-date=November 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105093000/https://www.jica.go.jp/jica-ri/IFIC_and_JBICI-Studies/english/publications/reports/study/topical/educational/pdf/educational_02.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Almost all children continue their education at a three-year [[Secondary education in Japan|senior high school]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ncee.org/what-we-do/center-on-international-education-benchmarking/top-performing-countries/japan-overview/japan-instructional-systems/|publisher=Center on International Education Benchmarking|title=Japan: Learning Systems|accessdate=November 22, 2020|archive-date=November 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127083408/https://ncee.org/what-we-do/center-on-international-education-benchmarking/top-performing-countries/japan-overview/japan-instructional-systems/|url-status=live}}</ref> The top-ranking university in the country is the [[University of Tokyo]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.topuniversities.com/world-university-rankings?countries=jp | title=QS World University Rankings – 2025 | publisher=QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited | access-date=7 June 2024}}</ref> Starting in April 2016, various schools began the academic year with elementary school and junior high school integrated into one nine-year compulsory schooling program; [[Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology|MEXT]] plans for this approach to be adopted nationwide.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/06/10/national/compulsory-nine-year-school-system-kicks-off-japan/|title=Compulsory nine-year school system kicks off in Japan|date=June 10, 2016|newspaper=The Japan Times|archive-date=October 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021063018/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/06/10/national/compulsory-nine-year-school-system-kicks-off-japan|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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The [[Programme for International Student Assessment]] (PISA) coordinated by the OECD ranks the knowledge and skills of Japanese 15-year-olds as the third best in the world.<ref name="OECD Student performance">{{cite web|title=Japan – Student performance (PISA 2015)|publisher=OECD|url=http://gpseducation.oecd.org/CountryProfile?plotter=h5&primaryCountry=JPN&treshold=10&topic=PI|accessdate=December 6, 2020|archive-date=September 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922235259/https://gpseducation.oecd.org/CountryProfile?plotter=h5&primaryCountry=JPN&treshold=10&topic=PI|url-status=live}}</ref> Japan is one of the top-performing [[OECD]] countries in reading literacy, math, and sciences with the average student scoring 520 and has one of the world's highest-educated labor forces among OECD countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nier.go.jp/kokusai/pisa/pdf/2018/01_point-eng.pdf|title=Key Features of OECD Programme for International Student Assessment 2018 (PISA 2018)|page=2|publisher=[[National Institute for Educational Policy Research]]|accessdate=September 1, 2022|archive-date=May 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200509072224/https://www.nier.go.jp/kokusai/pisa/pdf/2018/01_point-eng.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="OECD Student performance" /><ref>{{cite web|title=PISA – Results in Focus – Japan|publisher=OECD|url=https://www.oecd.org/pisa/publications/PISA2018_CN_JPN.pdf|page=1|accessdate=December 6, 2020|year=2018|archive-date=December 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191203151025/https://www.oecd.org/pisa/publications/PISA2018_CN_JPN.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> It spent 7.4% of its total GDP on education {{as of|2021|lc=yes}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.XPD.TOTL.GB.ZS?locations=JP|title=Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) – Japan|publisher=World Bank|accessdate=September 7, 2022|archive-date=December 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202163842/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.XPD.TOTL.GB.ZS?locations=JP|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2021, the country ranked third for the percentage of 25- to 64-year-olds that have attained tertiary education with 55.6%.<ref name="OECD GPS Education">{{cite web|url=https://gpseducation.oecd.org/CountryProfile?plotter=h5&primaryCountry=JPN&treshold=10&topic=EO|title=Japan|publisher=OECD|accessdate=January 29, 2023|archive-date=August 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815110716/https://gpseducation.oecd.org/CountryProfile?plotter=h5&primaryCountry=JPN&treshold=10&topic=EO|url-status=live}}</ref> Approximately 65% of Japanese aged 25 to 34 have some form of tertiary education qualification, with bachelor's degrees being held by 34.2% of Japanese aged 25 to 64, the second most in the OECD after [[Education in South Korea|South Korea]].<ref name="OECD GPS Education" /> Japanese women are more highly educated than the men: 59 percent of women possess a university degree, compared to 52 percent of men.<ref>{{cite web|title=Womenomics, Will women help solve Japan's economic problems?|publisher=[[Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada]]|url=https://asiapacificcurriculum.ca/sites/default/files/2019-10/Japan%20-%20Womenomics%20-V3-October%202019.pdf|page=4|year=2019|archive-date=October 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027141529/https://asiapacificcurriculum.ca/sites/default/files/2019-10/Japan%20-%20Womenomics%20-V3-October%202019.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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===Health=== |
===Health=== |
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{{ |
{{Main|Health in Japan|Health care system in Japan}} |
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[[File:University of Tokyo Hospital.JPG|thumb|upright=1.2|[[University of Tokyo Hospital]]]] |
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In Japan, healthcare services are provided by national and local governments. Payment for personal medical services is offered through a universal health care insurance system that provides relative equality of access, with fees set by a government committee. People without insurance through employers can participate in a national health insurance program administered by local governments. Since 1973, all elderly persons have been covered by government-sponsored insurance. Patients are free to select physicians or facilities of their choice. |
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Health care in Japan is provided by national and local governments. Payment for personal medical services is offered through a universal health insurance system that provides relative equality of access, with fees set by a government committee. People without insurance through employers can participate in a national health insurance program administered by local governments.<ref name="Ikegami2014">{{cite book|first=Naoki|last=Ikegami|title=Universal Health Coverage for Inclusive and Sustainable Development: Lessons from Japan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q6m1BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA16|date=October 14, 2014|publisher=World Bank Publications|isbn=978-1-4648-0408-3|pages=16–17}}</ref> Since 1973, all elderly persons have been covered by government-sponsored insurance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nyu.edu/projects/rodwin/lessons.html|first=Victor|last=Rodwin|title=Health Care in Japan|publisher=New York University|accessdate=March 10, 2007|archive-date=June 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619212526/https://www.nyu.edu/projects/rodwin/lessons.html|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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Japan spent 10.82% of its total GDP on healthcare in 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS?locations=JP|title=Current healthcare expenditure (% of GDP): Japan|publisher=World Bank|accessdate=July 25, 2022|archive-date=July 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725125322/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS?locations=JP|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, the overall life expectancy in Japan at birth was 85 years (82 years for men and 88 years for women),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.MA.IN?end=2020&locations=JP|title=Life expectancy at birth, male (years)|publisher=World Bank|accessdate=August 21, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.FE.IN?end=2020&locations=JP|title=Life expectancy at birth, female (years)|publisher=World Bank|accessdate=August 21, 2024}}</ref> the [[List of countries by life expectancy|highest]] in the world;<ref>{{cite web|title=Life expectancy at birth, total|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN?end=2020&locations=JP|publisher=World Bank|accessdate=July 25, 2022|archive-date=May 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220501205550/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN?end=2020|url-status=live}}</ref> while it had a very low [[infant mortality|infant mortality rate]] (2 per 1,000 [[live birth (human)|live births]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.IMRT.IN?Locations=RU&locations=JP|title=Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births): Japan|publisher=World Bank|accessdate=July 25, 2022|archive-date=July 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725125128/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.IMRT.IN?Locations=RU&locations=JP|url-status=live}}</ref> Since 1981, the principal cause of death in Japan is [[cancer]], which accounted for 27% of the total deaths in 2018—followed by [[cardiovascular disease]]s, which led to 15% of the deaths.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Tsugane|first=Shoichiro|title=Why has Japan become the world's most long-lived country: insights from a food and nutrition perspective|date=July 2020|volume=75|pages=921–928|doi=10.1038/s41430-020-0677-5|journal=[[European Journal of Clinical Nutrition]]|doi-access=free}}</ref> Japan has one of the world's [[Suicide in Japan|highest suicide rates]], which is considered a major social issue.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Cultural influences on suicide in Japan|last1=Russell|first1=Roxanne|last2=Metraux|first2=Daniel|last3=Tohen|first3=Mauricio|journal=Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences|doi=10.1111/pcn.12428|volume=71|year=2017|issue=1|pages=2–5|pmid=27487762|doi-access=free}}</ref> Another significant public health issue is [[smoking in Japan|smoking among Japanese men]].<ref>{{cite journal|doi= 10.1016/j.je.2016.12.017|last1=Akter|first1=Shamima|last2=Goto|first2=Atsushi|last3=Mizoue|first3=Tetsuya|title=Smoking and the risk of type 2 diabetes in Japan: A systematic review and meta-analysis|journal=Journal of Epidemiology|year=2017|volume=27|issue=12|pages=553–561|doi-access=free}}</ref> Japan has the lowest rate of heart disease in the OECD, and the lowest level of [[dementia]] among developed countries.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Britnell|first1=Mark|title=In Search of the Perfect Health System|date=2015|publisher=Palgrave|isbn=978-1-137-49661-4|page=18}}</ref> |
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==Culture== |
==Culture== |
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{{Main|Culture of Japan}} |
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{{See also|Japanese popular culture}} |
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Contemporary Japanese culture combines influences from Asia, Europe, and North America.<ref name="Haffner">{{Cite book|title=Japan's Open Future: An Agenda for Global Citizenship|last1=Haffner|first1=John|last2=Klett|first2=Tomas|last3=Lehmann|first3=Jean-Pierre|publisher=Anthem Press|year=2009|isbn=978-1-84331-311-3|page=17}}</ref> Traditional Japanese arts include [[Japanese handicrafts|crafts]] such as [[Japanese pottery and porcelain|ceramics]], [[Kimono|textiles]], [[Japanese lacquerware|lacquerware]], [[Japanese sword|swords]] and [[Japanese traditional dolls|dolls]]; performances of [[bunraku]], [[kabuki]], [[noh]], [[Japanese traditional dance|dance]], and [[rakugo]]; and other practices, the [[Japanese tea ceremony|tea ceremony]], [[ikebana]], [[Japanese martial arts|martial arts]], [[Japanese calligraphy|calligraphy]], [[origami]], [[onsen]], [[Geisha]] and [[List of Japanese games|games]]. Japan has a developed system for the protection and promotion of both tangible and intangible [[Cultural Properties of Japan|Cultural Properties]] and [[National Treasures of Japan|National Treasures]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bunka.go.jp/english/index.html|title=Administration of Cultural Affairs in Japan|publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs|accessdate=May 11, 2011|archive-date=October 31, 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021031062304/http://www.bunka.go.jp/english/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[List of World Heritage Sites in Japan|Twenty-two sites]] have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, eighteen of which are of cultural significance.<ref name="unesco1">{{cite web |title=Japan |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/jp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805220232/http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/JP/ |archive-date=August 5, 2020 |accessdate=December 11, 2020 |publisher=UNESCO}}</ref> Japan is considered a [[cultural superpower]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2002/jun/01/artsfeatures.features|title=The other superpower|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=June 1, 2001|archive-date=November 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221121170416/https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2002/jun/01/artsfeatures.features|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spectator.co.uk/2015/01/how-japan-became-a-pop-culture-superpower/|title=How Japan became a pop culture superpower|date=January 31, 2015|website=The Spectator|last=Hoskin|first=Peter|archive-date=December 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210190111/https://www.spectator.co.uk/2015/01/how-japan-became-a-pop-culture-superpower/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title='Pure Invention': How Japan's pop culture became the 'lingua franca' of the internet|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2020/07/18/books/pure-invention-jpop-culture/|work=[[The Japan Times]]|date=July 18, 2020|last=Schley|first=Matt|archive-date=December 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214054619/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2020/07/18/books/pure-invention-jpop-culture/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=How Japan's global image morphed from military empire to eccentric pop-culture superpower|url=https://qz.com/1806376/japans-image-has-changed-from-fierce-to-lovable-over-the-decades/amp/|work=[[Quartz (publication)|Quartz]]|date=May 27, 2020|last=Bain|first=Marc|archive-date=October 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021121139/https://qz.com/1806376/japans-image-has-changed-from-fierce-to-lovable-over-the-decades/amp/|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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===Art and architecture=== |
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{{main|Culture of Japan}} |
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{{Main|Japanese art}} |
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{{Further|Japanese architecture|Japanese garden|Japanese esthetics|Japanese painting|Japanese sculpture}} |
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[[Image:Japanese traditional dancer cropped.jpg|right|150px|thumb|A traditional Japanese dancer.]] |
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{{multiple image |
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Japanese [[culture]] has evolved greatly over the years, from the country's original [[Jomon]] culture to its contemporary hybrid culture, which combines influences from [[Asia]], [[Europe]], and [[North America]]. |
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Traditional [[Japanese art]]s include [[Japanese crafts|crafts]] ([[ikebana]], [[origami]], [[ukiyo-e]], [[Japanese traditional dolls|dolls]], [[Lacquer|lacquerware]], [[Japanese pottery|pottery]]), performances ([[bunraku]], [[Japanese traditional dance|dance]], [[kabuki]], [[noh]], [[rakugo]]), traditions ([[List of Japanese games|games]], [[Japanese tea ceremony|tea ceremony]], [[budo|budō]], [[Japanese architecture|architecture]], [[Japanese garden|gardens]], [[Katana|swords]]), and [[Cuisine of Japan|cuisine]]. |
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|caption1 = [[Hokusai]]'s 19th-century [[ukiyo-e]] [[Woodblock printing in Japan|woodblock print]] ''[[The Great Wave off Kanagawa]]'' |
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|caption2 = [[Ritsurin Garden]], one of the most famous strolling gardens in Japan |
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|direction = horizontal |
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|image1 = The Great Wave off Kanagawa.jpg |
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|image2 = 150504 Ritsurin Park Takamatsu Kagawa pref Japan01s3.jpg |
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}} |
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The history of Japanese painting exhibits synthesis and competition between native Japanese esthetics and imported ideas.<ref name=autogenerated3>{{cite book|last=Arrowsmith|first=Rupert Richard|title=Modernism and the Museum: Asian, African, and Pacific Art and the London Avant-Garde|year=2010|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-959369-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MIBNXScRj3QC}}</ref> The interaction between Japanese and European art has been significant: for example [[ukiyo-e]] prints, which began to be exported in the 19th century in the movement known as [[Japonism]], had a significant influence on the development of modern art in the West, most notably on [[post-Impressionism]].<ref name=autogenerated3 /> |
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Japanese architecture is a combination of local and other influences. It has traditionally been typified by wooden or mud plaster structures, elevated slightly off the ground, with tiled or thatched roofs.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=njnRAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT26|pages=26–27|title=Traditional Japanese Architecture: An Exploration of Elements and Forms|last=Locher|first=Mira|publisher=Tuttle Publishing|year=2012|isbn=978-1-4629-0606-2}}</ref> [[Minka|Traditional housing]] and many [[Japanese Buddhist architecture|temple buildings]] see the use of [[tatami]] mats and [[Shōji|sliding doors]] that break down the distinction between rooms and indoor and outdoor space.<ref>{{cite book|title=What is Japanese Architecture?: A Survey of Traditional Japanese Architecture with a List of Sites and a Map|author1=Kazuo, Nishi|author2=Kazuo, Hozumi|year=1995|publisher=Kodansha|isbn=978-4-7700-1992-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oZl_yEJGtUYC}}</ref> Since the 19th century, Japan has incorporated much of Western [[modern architecture]] into construction and design.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Early Western Architecture in Japan|last=Abe|first=K|volume=13|issue=2|journal=Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians|pages=13–18|date=May 1954|doi=10.2307/987685|jstor=987685}}</ref> It was not until after World War II that Japanese architects made an impression on the international scene, firstly with the work of architects like [[Kenzō Tange]] and then with movements like [[Metabolist Movement|Metabolism]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last=Inagaki|first=Eizo|title=Japan: Architecture after 1868 (Meiji and after)|doi=10.1093/oao/9781884446054.013.90000369666|year=2003|encyclopedia=Oxford Art Online}}</ref> |
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Post-war Japan has been heavily influenced by American and European culture which has led to the evolution of popular band music (called [[J-Pop]]). The fusion of traditional [[woodblock printing]] and Western art led to the creation of [[manga]], a typically Japanese [[comic book]] format that is now popular in and even outside Japan. Manga-influenced [[animation]] for television and film is called [[anime]]. [[Video game consoles]] have prospered since the 1980s. The mascot of [[Nintendo]], "[[Mario]]", is the most popular. |
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===Cuisine=== |
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{{main|Japanese cuisine}} |
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A basic, traditional Japanese meal consists of white [[Japanese rice]] with accompanying [[tsukemono]] pickles as appetizers; a bowl of [[miso soup]];selected or combined [[seafood]], [[meat]], [[egg]], and [[vegetable]] dishes known as ''okazu''; and [[green tea]]. In a traditional Japanese breakfast, for example, the ''okazu'' may be a grilled fish. Culturally, people start and finish meals with phrases of gratitude as ''[[itadakimasu]]'' and ''gochisōsama'', respectively. Foods, beverages, and condiments from Japan, such as [[sushi]], [[sashimi]], [[ramen]], [[sake]], [[wasabi]], [[sukiyaki]] and [[teriyaki]] are recognized worldwide. |
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===Literature and philosophy=== |
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===Music=== |
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{{Main|Japanese literature|Japanese poetry|Japanese philosophy}} |
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{{main|Music of Japan}} |
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[[File:Genji emaki 01003 001.jpg|thumb|12th-century [[Genji Monogatari Emaki|illustrated handscroll]] of ''[[The Tale of Genji]]'', a [[National Treasures of Japan|National Treasure]]]] |
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Japanese music is eclectic, having borrowed instruments, scales and styles from neighboring cultures. Many instruments, such as the [[koto]], were introduced in the ninth and tenth centuries. The accompanied [[recitative]] of the [[Noh]] drama dates from the fourteenth century and the popular folk music, with the guitarlike [[shamisen]], from the 16th.<ref>The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia 1983 edition [[ISBN]]:0-380-63396-5 © Columbia University Press</ref> |
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The earliest works of Japanese literature include the {{Lang|ja-latn|[[Kojiki]]}} and {{Lang|ja-latn|[[Nihon Shoki]]}} chronicles and the {{lang|ja-latn|[[Man'yōshū]]}} [[List of Japanese poetry anthologies|poetry anthology]], all from the 8th century and written in Chinese characters.<ref>{{cite book|title=Seeds in the Heart: Japanese Literature from Earliest Times to the Late Sixteenth Century|author=Keene, Donald|publisher=Columbia University Press|year=2000|isbn=978-0-231-11441-7|url={{Google books|_DEwTJq3TbcC|page=|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}} }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.meijigakuin.ac.jp/~ascj/2000/200015.htm|title=Asian Studies Conference, Japan (2000)|publisher=Meiji Gakuin University|accessdate=April 1, 2007|archive-date=January 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116015033/http://www.meijigakuin.ac.jp/~ascj/2000/200015.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the early Heian period, the system of [[Phonogram (linguistics)|phonograms]] known as ''kana'' ([[hiragana]] and [[katakana]]) was developed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/heia/hd_heia.htm|publisher=The Met|title=Heian Period (794–1185)|date=October 2002}}</ref> ''[[The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter]]'' is considered the oldest extant Japanese narrative.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://calisphere.org/item/35b0ea2b3cd767b5ae9e0df7b07f43db/|website=Calisphere|title=Tale of the bamboo cutter|accessdate=November 23, 2020}}</ref> An account of court life is given in ''[[The Pillow Book]]'' by [[Sei Shōnagon]], while ''[[The Tale of Genji]]'' by [[Murasaki Shikibu]] is often described as the world's first novel.<ref>{{cite book|last=Totman|first=Conrad|title=A History of Japan|edition=2nd|year=2005|publisher=Blackwell|isbn=978-1-4051-2359-4|pages=126–127|url={{Google books|Z_a_QgAACAAJ|page=|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=The Tale of Genji|editor=Royall, Tyler|publisher=Penguin Classics|year=2003|isbn=978-0-14-243714-8|pages=i–ii, xii|url={{Google books|AIUvc9FnZ5AC|page=|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}}}</ref> |
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During the Edo period, the [[chōnin]] ("townspeople") overtook the samurai aristocracy as producers and consumers of literature. The popularity of the works of [[Saikaku]], for example, reveals this change in readership and authorship, while [[Matsuo Bashō|Bashō]] revivified the poetic tradition of the [[Kokinshū]] with his [[haikai]] ([[haiku]]) and wrote the poetic travelogue ''[[Oku no Hosomichi]]''.<ref>{{cite book|title=World Within Walls: Japanese Literature of the Pre-Modern Era, 1600–1867|author=Keene, Donald|publisher=Columbia University Press|year=1999|isbn=978-0-231-11467-7|url={{Google books|gwQTF-9axqoC|page=|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}} }}</ref> The Meiji era saw the decline of traditional literary forms as Japanese literature integrated Western influences. [[Natsume Sōseki]] and [[Mori Ōgai]] were significant novelists in the early 20th century, followed by [[Ryūnosuke Akutagawa]], [[Jun'ichirō Tanizaki]], [[Kafū Nagai]] and, more recently, [[Haruki Murakami]] and [[Kenji Nakagami]]. Japan has two [[Nobel Prize in Literature|Nobel Prize-winning]] authors – [[Yasunari Kawabata]] (1968) and [[Kenzaburō Ōe]] (1994).<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Japanese literature|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Britannica|last=Keene|first=Donald|url=https://www.britannica.com/art/Japanese-literature|accessdate=July 7, 2024}}</ref> |
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[[Western music]], introduced in the late nineteenth century, now forms an integral part of the culture, as evident from the profusion of [[J-Pop]] artists. Modern Japanese music uses western instruments, scales and style. |
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Japanese philosophy has historically been a [[Information fusion|fusion]] of both foreign, particularly [[Chinese philosophy|Chinese]] and [[Western philosophy|Western]], and uniquely Japanese elements. In its literary forms, Japanese philosophy began about fourteen centuries ago. Confucian ideals remain evident in the [[Japanese society|Japanese concept of society]] and the self, and in the organization of the government and the structure of society.<ref name="Japanese Confucian Philosophy">{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/japanese-confucian/|title=Japanese Confucian Philosophy|date=May 20, 2008|encyclopedia=[[Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]]}}</ref> Buddhism has profoundly impacted Japanese psychology, metaphysics, and esthetics.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2011/entries/japanese-aesthetics/|title=Japanese aesthetics|first=Graham|last=Parkes|editor-first=Edward N.|editor-last=Zalta|date=January 1, 2011|encyclopedia=Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy}}</ref> |
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===Literature=== |
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{{main|Japanese literature}} |
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The earliest works include two history books the ''[[Kojiki]]'' and the ''[[Nihon Shoki]]'', and a poetry book ''[[Manyoshu|Man'yōshū]]'' in the eighth century, all written in Chinese characters. |
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In the early days of the [[Heian period]], the system of transcription known as ''kana'' ([[Hiragana]] and [[Katakana]]) was created as phonograms. ''[[The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter]]'' is considered the oldest Japanese narrative.<ref> [http://www.isp.msu.edu/AsianStudies/wbwoa/eastasia/Japan/literature.html Windows on asia] (Michigan State University)</ref> An account of Heian court life is given by ''[[The Pillow Book]]'', written by [[Sei Shōnagon]] while ''[[The Tale of Genji]]'' by [[Murasaki Shikibu|Lady Murasaki]] is sometimes called the world's first novel. |
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===Performing arts=== |
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During the [[Edo Period]], literature became not so much the field of the samurai aristocracy as that of the [[chonin|chōnin]], the ordinary people. [[Yomihon]], for example, became popular and reveals this profound change in the readership and authorship. |
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{{Main|Music of Japan|Theatre of Japan}} |
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[[File:春日神社ー篠山ー翁奉納P1011774.jpg|thumb|right|''[[Noh]]'' performance at a Shinto shrine]] |
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Japanese music is eclectic and diverse. Many [[Traditional Japanese musical instruments|instruments]], such as the [[Koto (instrument)|koto]], were introduced in the 9th and 10th centuries. The popular [[Music of Japan#Folk music|folk music]], with the guitar-like [[shamisen]], dates from the 16th century.<ref>{{cite book|last=Malm|first=William P.|title=Traditional Japanese music and musical instruments|year=2000|publisher=Kodansha International|isbn=978-4-7700-2395-7|pages=[https://archive.org/details/traditionaljapan0000malm/page/31 31–45]|edition=New|url=https://archive.org/details/traditionaljapan0000malm/page/31}}</ref> Western classical music, introduced in the late 19th century, forms an integral part of Japanese culture.<ref>{{cite book|chapter=Katsu Watanabe, Akane Oki, and Yasushi Ishii, Librarians of the NHK Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo|pages=156–167|title=Conversations with the World's Leading Orchestra and Opera Librarians|last=Lo|first=Patrick|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|year=2016}}</ref> [[Taiko#Kumi-daiko|Kumi-daiko]] (ensemble drumming) was developed in postwar Japan and became very popular in North America.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://web.stanford.edu/group/stanfordtaiko/cgi-bin/history.html|publisher=Stanford Taiko|title=History of Taiko|accessdate=November 24, 2020}}</ref> Popular music in post-war Japan has been heavily influenced by American and European trends, which has led to the evolution of [[J-pop]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/aug/21/popandrock3|title= J-Pop History|work=The Observer|first=Chris|last=Campion|date=August 22, 2005}}</ref> [[Karaoke]] is a significant cultural activity.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/karaoke-in-japan|work=Thrillist|title=What Karaoke Means to the Country That Invented It|last=Caracciolo|first=Frankie|date=September 18, 2020}}</ref> |
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The four traditional theaters from Japan are ''[[noh]]'', ''[[kyōgen]]'', ''[[kabuki]]'', and ''[[bunraku]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/art/traditional-japanese-theatre-overview|website=Time Out Tokyo|date=September 27, 2009|title=Traditional Japanese theatre: overview}}</ref> Noh is one of the oldest continuous theater traditions in the world.<ref>{{cite web|first=Edwin|last=Lee|date=December 6, 2018|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/577531/noh-japanese/|title=The Oldest Surviving Form of Theater|website=The Atlantic}}</ref> |
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The Meiji era saw the decline of traditional literary forms, during which Japanese literature integrated western influences. [[Natsume Soseki|Natsume Sōseki]] and [[Mori Ogai|Mori Ōgai]] were the first "modern" novelists of Japan, followed by [[Akutagawa Ryunosuke|Akutagawa Ryūnosuke]], [[Tanizaki Junichiro|Tanizaki Jun'ichirō]], [[Kawabata Yasunari]], [[Mishima Yukio]], and more recently, [[Murakami Haruki]]. Japan has two [[Nobel Prize for Literature|Nobel prize winning]] authors — [[Kawabata Yasunari]] (1968) and [[Oe Kenzaburo|Ōe Kenzaburō]] (1994). |
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===Media=== |
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{{Main|Cinema of Japan|Manga|Anime|Media of Japan}} |
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[[Image:JapanSumoMatch.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Sumo]], a traditional Japanese sport.]] |
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According to the 2015 NHK survey on television viewing in Japan, 79 percent of Japanese watch television daily.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nhk.or.jp/bunken/english/reports/pdf/report_16042101.pdf|title=Television Viewing and Media Use Today: From "The Japanese and Television 2015" Survey|publisher=NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute|date= April 2016}}</ref> [[Japanese television drama]]s are viewed both within Japan and internationally.<ref>{{cite book|editor-last=Iwabuchi|editor-first=Koichi|title=Feeling Asian Modernities: Transnational Consumption of Japanese TV Dramas|publisher= Hong Kong University Press|year=2004|jstor=j.ctt2jc5b9|isbn=9789622096318}}</ref> Many Japanese [[media franchise]]s have gained considerable global popularity and are among the world's [[List of highest-grossing media franchises|highest-grossing media franchises]]. [[Japanese newspapers]] are among the most circulated in the world {{as of|2016|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web|page=19|title=World Press Trends 2016|publisher=WAN-IFRA|url=http://anp.cl/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/WAN-IFRA_WPT_2016_3.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724194049/http://anp.cl/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/WAN-IFRA_WPT_2016_3.pdf|accessdate=November 11, 2020|archivedate=July 24, 2020}}</ref> |
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{{main|Sport in Japan}} |
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Beginning in the twelfth century, Japan developed traditional [[martial arts]] known as [[budo|budō]], which were popular among the warrior class. These include [[judo]], [[karate]] and [[kendo|kendō]]. [[Sumo]] is sometimes considered Japan's [[national sport]] and is one of its most popular. |
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Japan has one of the oldest and largest film industries globally.<ref>{{cite book|page=xi|title=Historical Dictionary of Japanese Cinema|last=Sharp|first=Jasper|publisher=Scarecrow Press|year=2011}}</ref> [[Ishirō Honda]]'s ''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'' became an international icon of Japan and spawned an entire subgenre of ''[[kaiju]]'' films, as well as the longest-running film franchise in history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nypl.org/blog/2014/05/21/godzilla|publisher=New York Public Library|last=Ingoglia|first=Jesse|date=May 21, 2014|title=Godzilla: monster, metaphor, pop icon}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|chapter=Introduction|year=2017|publisher=McFarland|last=Kalat|first=David|edition=2nd|title=A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series}}</ref> Japanese comics, known as manga, developed in the mid-20th century and have become popular [[Manga outside Japan|worldwide]].<ref name="Kinko Ito 456–475">{{cite journal|first=Kinko|last=Ito|title=A History of Manga in the Context of Japanese Culture and Society|journal=Journal of Popular Culture|volume=38|issue=3|pages=456–475|date=February 2005|doi=10.1111/j.0022-3840.2005.00123.x}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Ro|first=Christine|title=Did manga shape how the world sees Japan?|url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20190610-did-manga-shape-how-the-world-sees-japan|publisher=BBC|date=June 12, 2019}}</ref> A large number of [[List of best-selling manga|manga series]] have become some of the [[List of best-selling comic series|best-selling comics series]] of all time, rivalling the [[American comic book|American comics industry]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Medina|first=Cynthia|title= Why are manga outselling superhero comics?|url=https://www.rutgers.edu/news/why-are-manga-outselling-superhero-comics|website=Rutgers Today|date=December 5, 2019}}</ref> Japanese animated films and television series, known as anime, were largely influenced by Japanese manga and have become highly popular globally.<ref>{{cite book|chapter=Miyazaki and Takahata anime cinema|pages=105–136|last=Hu|first=Tze-Yue|title=Frames of Anime: culture and image-building|year=2010|publisher=Hong Kong University Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/japan-anime-global-identity-hnk-intl/index.html|last=Jozuka|first=Emiko|title=Japanese anime: From 'Disney of the East' to a global industry worth billions|publisher= CNN|date=July 29, 2019}}</ref> |
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After the [[Meiji Restoration]], many western sports were introduced and began to spread through the education system. These sports were initially stressed as a form of mental discipline, but Japanese have now come to enjoy them as recreational activities. |
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===Holidays=== |
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[[Japanese baseball|Baseball]] is the most popular [[ball game]] in Japan - the [[Japanese Baseball League|professional baseball league in Japan]] was established in 1937. One of Japan's most famous baseball players in [[major league baseball]] is [[Suzuki Ichiro]], who won a [[Gold Glove]]. Concerning [[Football in Japan|football]], the [[J. League|professional soccer league in Japan]] was established in 1992. Japan was a venue of the [[Intercontinental Cup (football)|Intercontinental Cup]] from 1981 to 2004, and Japan co-hosted the [[2002 FIFA World Cup]] with [[South Korea]]. [[Golf]] is popular in Japan, as is [[auto racing]], the [[Super GT]] sports car series and [[Formula Nippon]] formula racing. |
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{{Main|Public holidays in Japan|Japanese festivals}} |
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[[File:Young ladies at Harajuku.jpg|thumb|Young women celebrate {{Nihongo|[[Coming of Age Day]]|成人の日|Seijin no Hi}} in [[Harajuku]], [[Tokyo]].]] |
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Officially, Japan has 16 national, government-recognized holidays. Public holidays in Japan are regulated by the {{Nihongo|Public Holiday Law|国民の祝日に関する法律|Kokumin no Shukujitsu ni Kansuru Hōritsu}} of 1948.<ref>{{cite news|author=Nakamura, Akemi|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080408i1.html|title=National holidays trace roots to China, ancients, harvests|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090713203247/http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080408i1.html|archivedate=July 13, 2009|newspaper=The Japan Times|date=April 8, 2008}}</ref> Beginning in 2000, Japan implemented the [[Happy Monday System]], which moved a number of national holidays to Monday in order to obtain a long weekend.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/596910.stm|work=BBC News|title=Happy Monday in Japan|last=Hindell|first=Juliet|date=January 10, 2000}}</ref> The national holidays in Japan are [[Japanese New Year|New Year's Day]] on January 1, [[Coming of Age Day]] on the second Monday of January, [[National Foundation Day (Japan)|National Foundation Day]] on February 11, [[The Emperor's Birthday]] on February 23, [[Vernal Equinox Day]] on March 20 or 21, [[Shōwa Day]] on April 29, [[Constitution Memorial Day]] on May 3, [[Greenery Day]] on May 4, [[Children's Day (Japan)|Children's Day]] on May 5, [[Marine Day]] on the third Monday of July, [[Mountain Day]] on August 11, [[Respect for the Aged Day]] on the third Monday of September, [[September equinox|Autumnal Equinox]] on September 23 or 24, [[Health and Sports Day]] on the second Monday of October, [[Culture Day]] on November 3, and [[Labor Thanksgiving Day]] on November 23.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h00738/|website=Nippon.com|title=Japan's National Holidays in 2021|date=June 10, 2020}}</ref> |
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===Cuisine=== |
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Each year, Japan observes the second Monday in October as [[Health and Sports Day]]. The date, originally October 10, commemorates the opening day of the [[1964 Summer Olympics]] in Tokyo. Other major sporting events that Japan has hosted include the [[1972 Winter Olympics]] in [[Sapporo]] and the [[1998 Winter Olympics]] in [[Nagano Prefecture|Nagano]]. |
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{{Main|Japanese cuisine}} |
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[[File:East West sushi 01.jpg|thumb|A plate of ''[[sushi|nigiri-zushi]]'']] |
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Japanese cuisine offers a vast array of [[Japanese regional cuisine|regional specialties]] that use traditional recipes and local ingredients.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.frommers.com/destinations/japan/in-depth/food--drink|publisher=Frommer's|title=Food & Drink in Japan|accessdate=December 1, 2020}}</ref> Seafood and [[Japanese rice]] or [[Japanese noodles|noodles]] are traditional staples.<ref>{{cite book|title=Street Foods|last=von Bargen|first=Hinnerk|page=14|publisher=Wiley|year=2015}}</ref> [[Japanese curry]], since its introduction to Japan from [[British Raj|British India]], is so widely consumed that it can be termed a [[national dish]], alongside [[ramen]] and [[sushi]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Makalintal |first=Bettina |date=February 11, 2018 |title=A brief history of how curry ended up in Japan |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/nepjbw/a-brief-history-of-how-curry-ended-up-in-japan |website=Vice}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=McCurry |first=Justin |date=June 18, 2010 |title=Ramen: Japan's super slurpy noodles |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jun/18/ramen-japan-national-dish |website=The Guardian}}</ref> Traditional Japanese sweets are known as ''wagashi''.<ref name="Goldstein2015">{{cite book|first=Darra|last=Goldstein|title=The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets|url={{Google books|jbi6BwAAQBAJ|page=PA777|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=2015|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-931339-6|page=777}}</ref> Ingredients such as [[red bean paste]] and [[mochi]] are used. More modern-day tastes include [[green tea ice cream]].<ref name="FujitaStallings2008">{{cite book|first1=Hiroko|last1=Fujita|first2=Fran|last2=Stallings|title=Folktales from the Japanese Countryside|url={{Google books|p7nNJAt75XQC|page=PA148|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=2008|publisher=Libraries Unlimited|isbn=978-1-59158-488-9|page=148}}</ref> |
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Popular Japanese beverages include [[sake]], a brewed rice beverage that typically contains 14–17% alcohol and is made by multiple fermentation of rice.<ref name="Batt2014">{{cite book|first=Carl A.|last=Batt|title=Encyclopedia of Food Microbiology|url={{Google books|1b1CAgAAQBAJ|page=PA846|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=2014|publisher=Academic Press|isbn=978-0-12-384733-1|page=846}}</ref> Beer has been brewed in Japan since the late 17th century.<ref name="BoultonQuain2013">{{cite book|first1=Christopher|last1=Boulton|first2=David|last2=Quain|title=Brewing Yeast and Fermentation|url={{Google books|QpDVsu-vaBcC|page=PT20|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=2013|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-1-118-68534-1|page=20}}</ref> [[Green tea]] is produced in Japan and prepared in forms such as [[matcha]], used in the [[Japanese tea ceremony]].<ref>{{hosking-jfood|30}}</ref> |
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===Sports=== |
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{{Main|Sport in Japan}} |
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[[File:Aki basho dohyō-iri on Sept. 28 2014.jpg|thumb|left|[[Sumo]] wrestlers form around the referee during the ring-entering ceremony.]] |
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Traditionally, [[sumo]] is considered Japan's national sport.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/sumoeastandwest/sumo.html|title=Sumo: East and West|publisher=PBS|accessdate=March 10, 2007|archive-date=March 7, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070307073410/http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/sumoeastandwest/sumo.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Japanese martial arts such as [[judo]] and [[kendo]] are taught as part of the compulsory junior high school curriculum.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/04/24/reference/prewar-bayonetting-martial-art-makes-return-schools/|website=The Japan Times|title=Prewar bayonetting martial art makes a return to schools|last=Aoki|first=Mizuho|date=April 24, 2017}}</ref> [[Baseball in Japan|Baseball]] is the most popular sport in the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/featured/japan-baseball-history|last=Adler|first=David|date=February 21, 2023|publisher=Major League Baseball|title=History of baseball in Japan}}</ref> Japan's top professional league, [[Nippon Professional Baseball]] (NPB), was established in 1936.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Nagata, Yoichi|author2=Holway, John B.|editor=Palmer, Pete|title=Total Baseball|edition=4th|year=1995|publisher=Viking Press|page=547|chapter=Japanese Baseball}}</ref> Since the establishment of the [[J.League|Japan Professional Football League]] (J.League) in 1992, association football gained a wide following.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tjf.or.jp/takarabako/PDF/TB09_JCN.pdf|title= Soccer as a Popular Sport: Putting Down Roots in Japan|work= The Japan Forum|accessdate=April 1, 2007}}</ref> The country co-hosted the [[2002 FIFA World Cup]] with South Korea.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/worldcup/2018/05/24/every-fifa-world-cup-winner-germany-brazil-italy/540978002/|website=USA Today|title=Every FIFA World Cup champion: Brazil, Germany, Italy historically dominate tournament|last=Reineking|first=Jim|date=May 25, 2018}}</ref> Japan has one of the most successful football teams in Asia, winning the [[AFC Asian Cup|Asian Cup]] four times,<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Japan|url=http://www.afcasiancup.com/team/en/Japan|publisher=Asian Football Confederation|accessdate=March 2, 2014|archive-date=January 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125085954/http://www.afcasiancup.com/team/en/Japan|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the [[2011 FIFA Women's World Cup|FIFA Women's World Cup]] in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/matches/round=255989/match=300144437/summary.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718121005/http://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/matches/round=255989/match=300144437/summary.html|url-status=dead|archivedate=July 18, 2011|title=Japan edge USA for maiden title|date=July 17, 2011|publisher=FIFA}}</ref> Golf is also popular in Japan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/604/sports.asp|title= Japanese Golf Gets Friendly|website=[[Metropolis (English magazine in Japan)|Metropolis]]|first=Fred|last=Varcoe|accessdate=April 1, 2007|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070926215517/http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/604/sports.asp|archivedate = September 26, 2007}}</ref> |
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In [[motorsport]], Japanese automotive manufacturers have been successful in multiple different categories, with titles and victories in series such as [[Formula One]], [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing|MotoGP]], and the [[World Rally Championship]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 13, 2021 |title=Honda Wins F1 Championship in Its Final Season |url=https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2021121200336/ |website=Nippon.com |archive-date=December 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211213075303/https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2021121200336/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wrc.com/en/more/wrc-history/group-a/|title=Group A|publisher=World Rally Championship|accessdate=February 21, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.motogp.com/en/news/2017/10/11/japanese-industry-in-motogp/241690|title=Japanese industry in MotoGP|date=October 11, 2017|website=MotoGP|accessdate=February 21, 2020}}</ref> Drivers from Japan have victories at the [[Indianapolis 500]] and the [[24 Hours of Le Mans]] as well as podium finishes in Formula One, in addition to success in domestic championships.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Nagatsuka|first=Kaz|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2017/06/14/more-sports/auto-racing/sato-revels-glow-historic-indy-500-triumph/|title=Sato revels in glow of historic Indy 500 triumph|date=June 14, 2017|work=The Japan Times }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.autosport.com/general/news/the-man-behind-japans-only-le-mans-winner-5110896/5110896/|work=Autosport|title=The man behind Japan's only Le Mans winner|last=Newbold|first=James|date=June 7, 2018}}</ref> [[Super GT]] is the most popular national racing series in Japan, while [[Super Formula Championship|Super Formula]] is the top-level domestic open-wheel series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/623/sports.asp|title=Japanese Omnibus: Sports|last=Clarke|first=Len|website=Metropolis|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926215524/http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/623/sports.asp|archivedate=September 26, 2007|accessdate=April 1, 2007}}</ref> The country hosts major races such as the [[Japanese Grand Prix]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tokyoweekender.com/2018/04/for-the-love-of-cars-auto-racing-in-japan/|website=Tokyo Weekender|date=April 18, 2018|title=For the Love of Cars: Auto Racing in Japan}}</ref> |
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Japan hosted the Summer Olympics in [[1964 Summer Olympics|Tokyo in 1964]] and the Winter Olympics in [[1972 Winter Olympics|Sapporo in 1972]] and [[1998 Winter Olympics|Nagano in 1998]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Olympic History in Japan|url=http://www.joc.or.jp/english/historyjapan/history_japan_bid.html|publisher=Japanese Olympic Committee|accessdate=January 7, 2011}}</ref> The country hosted the official [[2006 Basketball World Championship]]<ref>{{cite web|title=2006 FIBA World Championship|url=http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/06_wcm/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060903040643/http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/06_wcm/|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 3, 2006|publisher=FIBA|accessdate=May 10, 2017}}</ref> and co-hosted the [[2023 Basketball World Championship]].<ref>{{cite web|title=FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023|url=http://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023|accessdate=September 24, 2020|publisher=FIBA}}</ref> Tokyo hosted the [[2020 Summer Olympics]] in 2021, making Tokyo the first Asian city to host the Olympics twice.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.olympic.org/news/ioc-selects-tokyo-as-host-of-2020-summer-olympic-games/208784|title=IOC selects Tokyo as host of 2020 Summer Olympic Games|date=July 21, 2016|publisher=International Olympic Committee}}</ref> The country gained the hosting rights for the official [[Women's Volleyball World Championship]] on five occasions, more than any other country.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Game – World Championships – FIVB Women's World Championships Finals|url=http://www.fivb.org/TheGame/TheGame_WorldChampionships.htm|publisher=FIVB|accessdate=June 13, 2017}}</ref> Japan is the most successful Asian [[Rugby Union]] country<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.asiarugby.com/about-asia-rugby/history/|title=History|publisher=Asia Rugby|accessdate=December 5, 2020}}</ref> and hosted the 2019 IRB [[Rugby World Cup]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/rugbyworldcup2019/news/newsid=2069327.html#japan+reaches+rest+asia|title=Japan reaches out to the rest of Asia|date=November 1, 2013|publisher=Rugby World Cup|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217224929/http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/rugbyworldcup2019/news/newsid%3D2069327.html|archivedate=December 17, 2013 }}</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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{{ |
{{Portal|Japan}} |
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*[[Index of Japan-related articles]] |
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{{Japan topics}} |
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*[[Outline of Japan]]{{clear}} |
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==Notes== |
==Notes== |
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{{ |
{{notelist}} |
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{{Reflist|group=nb}} |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* [http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/index-e.html Kantei.go.jp] - Official [[Prime Minister of Japan|prime ministerial]] and cabinet site |
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* [http://www.kunaicho.go.jp/eindex.html Kunaicho.go.jp] - Official site of the [[Imperial House of Japan|Imperial family]]. |
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* [http://www.mofa.go.jp/ Ministry of Foreign Affairs] - Detailed papers on Japan's foreign policy, education programs, culture and life. |
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* [http://www.shugiin.go.jp/index.nsf/html/index_e.htm Shugi-in.go.jp] - Official site of the House of Representatives |
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* [http://www.ndl.go.jp/en/index.html National Diet Library (English)] |
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* [http://www.nhk.or.jp/english/ NHK Online] |
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* [http://home.kyodo.co.jp/ Kyodo News] |
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* [http://www.asahi.com/english/index.html Asahi Shimbun (English)] |
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* [http://www.japantimes.co.jp/ The Japan Times] |
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; Tourism |
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*[http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/ Japan National Tourist Organization] |
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* {{wikitravel}} |
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Excessive or inappropriate links will be removed. |
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; Other |
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* [https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ja.html CIA World Factbook - ''Japan''] |
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* [http://www.britannica.com/nations/Japan Encyclopaedia Britannica's Japan portal site] |
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* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/japan/0,7368,450622,00.html Guardian Unlimited - ''Special Report: Japan''] |
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See [[Wikipedia:External links]] and [[Wikipedia:Spam]] for details. |
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==Further reading== |
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* Barry, ''Dave Barry Does Japan'', Ballantine, 1993 (ISBN 0449908100) |
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* ''The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Japan'', Cambridge University Press, 1993 (ISBN 0521403529) |
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* De Mente, ''The Japanese Have a Word For It'', McGraw-Hill, 1997 (ISBN 0844283169) |
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* Henshall, ''A History of Japan'', Palgrave Macmillan, 2001 (ISBN 0312233701) |
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* Jansen, ''The Making of Modern Japan'', Belknap, 2000 (ISBN 0674003349) |
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* ''Japan At A Glance'', Kodansha, 1998 (ISBN 4770020805) |
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* Johnson, ''Japan: Who Governs?'', W.W. Norton, 1996 (ISBN 0393314502) |
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* Klar, ''My Mother is a Tractor'', Trafford Publishing, 2005 (ISBN 1412048974) |
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* ''Lonely Planet Japan'', Lonely Planet Publications, 2003 (ISBN 1740591623) |
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* Reischauer, ''Japan: The Story of a Nation'', McGraw-Hill, 1989 (ISBN 0075570742) |
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* Sugimoto et al., ''An Introduction to Japanese Society'', Cambridge University Press, 2003 (ISBN 0521529255) |
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* Totman, ''A History of Modern Japan'', 2d ed., Blackwell, 2005 (ISBN 1405123591) |
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* Van Wolferen, ''The Enigma of Japanese Power'', Vintage, 1990 (ISBN 0679728023) |
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If there are already suitable links, propose additions or replacements on the article's talk page, or submit your link to the relevant category at the Open Directory Project (dmoz.org) and link there using {{Dmoz}}. |
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{{Regions and administrative divisions of Japan}} |
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{{Sister project links|Japan|s=no|q=no|voy=Japan}} |
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{{Countries and territories of East Asia}} |
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'''Government''' |
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{{Countries bordering the Sea of Japan and/or the Yellow Sea}} |
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*[https://www.japan.go.jp/ JapanGov – The Government of Japan] {{in lang|en}} |
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{{G8}} |
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*[https://japan.kantei.go.jp/index.html Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet Official website] {{in lang|en}} |
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{{Monarchies}} |
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*[https://web.archive.org/web/20161120104322/http://www.kunaicho.go.jp/eindex.html The Imperial Household Agency] – official site of the Imperial House of Japan (archived November 20, 2016) |
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*[https://www.ndl.go.jp/en/index.html National Diet Library] |
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'''General information''' |
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*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090421051351/http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/govpubs/for/japan.htm Japan] from ''[[University of Colorado Boulder|UCB]] Libraries GovPubs'' (archived April 21, 2009) |
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*[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-14918801 Japan] from [[BBC News]] |
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*[https://www.oecd.org/japan/ Japan] from the [[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD]] |
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*{{OSM relation|382313}} |
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{{Anchor|Related information}} |
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Latest revision as of 23:52, 8 January 2025
Japan | |
---|---|
Anthem: 君が代 ("Kimigayo") "His Imperial Majesty's Reign" | |
State Seal: 大日本國璽 (Dai Nihon Kokuji) "National Seal of Greater Japan" | |
Capital and largest city | Tokyo 35°41′N 139°46′E / 35.683°N 139.767°E |
Recognised national languages | Japanese (de facto) |
Recognised regional languages | Ainu[1][2] |
Unrecognized regional languages | Ryukyuan languages Hachijō |
Demonym(s) | Japanese |
Government | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
• Emperor | Naruhito |
Shigeru Ishiba | |
Legislature | National Diet |
House of Councillors | |
House of Representatives | |
Formation | |
November 29, 1890 | |
May 3, 1947 | |
Area | |
• Total | 377,975 km2 (145,937 sq mi)[4] (62nd) |
• Water (%) | 1.4[3] |
Population | |
• December 1, 2024 estimate | 123,740,000[5] (11th) |
• 2020 census | 126,146,099[6] |
• Density | 330/km2 (854.7/sq mi) (44th) |
GDP (PPP) | 2024 estimate |
• Total | $6.572 trillion[7] (5th) |
• Per capita | $53,059[7] (34th) |
GDP (nominal) | 2024 estimate |
• Total | $4.070 trillion[7] (4th) |
• Per capita | $32,859[7] (30th) |
Gini (2018) | 33.4[8] medium inequality |
HDI (2022) | 0.920[9] very high (24th) |
Currency | Japanese yen (¥) |
Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
Drives on | Left |
Calling code | +81 |
ISO 3166 code | JP |
Internet TLD | .jp |
Japan[a] is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea in the south. The Japanese archipelago consists of four major islands—Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu—and thousands of smaller islands, covering 377,975 square kilometres (145,937 sq mi). Japan has a population of nearly 124 million as of 2024, making it the eleventh-most populous country.
The capital of Japan and its largest city is Tokyo; the Greater Tokyo Area is the largest metropolitan area in the world, with more than 37 million inhabitants as of 2024. Japan is divided into 47 administrative prefectures and eight traditional regions. About three-quarters of the country's terrain is mountainous and heavily forested, concentrating its agriculture and highly urbanized population along its eastern coastal plains. The country sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, making its islands prone to destructive earthquakes and tsunamis.
The first known habitation of the archipelago dates to the Upper Paleolithic, with the beginning Japanese Paleolithic dating to c. 36,000 BC. Between the fourth and sixth centuries, its kingdoms were united under an emperor in Nara, and later Heian-kyō. From the 12th century, actual power was held by military dictators (shōgun) and feudal lords (daimyō), and enforced by warrior nobility (samurai). After rule by the Kamakura and Ashikaga shogunates and a century of warring states, Japan was unified in 1600 by the Tokugawa shogunate, which implemented an isolationist foreign policy. In 1853, a United States fleet forced Japan to open trade to the West, which led to the end of the shogunate and the restoration of imperial power in 1868. In the Meiji period, the Empire of Japan pursued rapid industrialization and modernization, as well as militarism and overseas colonization. In 1937, Japan invaded China, and in 1941 attacked the United States and European colonial powers, entering World War II as an Axis power. After suffering defeat in the Pacific War and two atomic bombings, Japan surrendered in 1945 and came under Allied occupation. After the war, the country underwent rapid economic growth and became a major non-NATO ally of the United States.
Japan is a constitutional monarchy with a bicameral legislature, the National Diet. A great power and the only Asian member of the G7, Japan has constitutionally renounced its right to declare war, but maintains one of the world's strongest militaries. A developed country with one of the world's largest economies by nominal GDP, Japan is a global leader in the automotive, robotics, and electronics industries, and has made significant contributions to science and technology. It has one of the world's highest life expectancies, though it is undergoing a population decline. Japan's culture is well known around the world, including its art, cuisine, film, music, and popular culture, which includes prominent animation, comics, and video game industries.
Etymology
The name for Japan in Japanese is written using the kanji 日本 and is pronounced Nihon or Nippon.[11] Before 日本 was adopted in the early 8th century, the country was known in China as Wa (倭, changed in Japan around 757 to 和) and in Japan by the endonym Yamato.[12] Nippon, the original Sino-Japanese reading of the characters, is favored for official uses, including on Japanese banknotes and postage stamps.[11] Nihon is typically used in everyday speech and reflects shifts in Japanese phonology during the Edo period.[12] The characters 日本 mean "sun origin",[11] which is the source of the popular Western epithet "Land of the Rising Sun".[13]
The name "Japan" is based on Min or Wu Chinese pronunciations of 日本 and was introduced to European languages through early trade.[14] In the 13th century, Marco Polo recorded the Early Mandarin Chinese pronunciation of the characters 日本國 as Cipangu.[15] The old Malay name for Japan, Japang or Japun, was borrowed from a southern coastal Chinese dialect and encountered by Portuguese traders in Southeast Asia, who brought the word to Europe in the early 16th century.[16] The first version of the name in English appears in a book published in 1577, which spelled the name as Giapan in a translation of a 1565 Portuguese letter.[17][14]
History
Prehistoric to classical history
Modern humans arrived in Japan around 38,000 years ago (~36,000 BC), marking the beginning of the Japanese Paleolithic.[18] This was followed from around 14,500 BC (the start of the Jōmon period) by a Mesolithic to Neolithic semi-sedentary hunter-gatherer culture characterized by pit dwelling and rudimentary agriculture.[19] Clay vessels from the period are among the oldest surviving examples of pottery.[20] The Japonic-speaking Yayoi people entered the archipelago from the Korean Peninsula,[21][22][23] intermingling with the Jōmon;[23] the Yayoi period saw the introduction of practices including wet-rice farming,[24] a new style of pottery,[25] and metallurgy from China and Korea.[26] According to legend, Emperor Jimmu (descendant of Amaterasu) founded a kingdom in central Japan in 660 BC, beginning a continuous imperial line.[27]
Japan first appears in written history in the Chinese Book of Han, completed in 111 AD. Buddhism was introduced to Japan from Baekje (a Korean kingdom) in 552, but the development of Japanese Buddhism was primarily influenced by China.[28] Despite early resistance, Buddhism was promoted by the ruling class, including figures like Prince Shōtoku, and gained widespread acceptance beginning in the Asuka period (592–710).[29]
In 645, the government led by Prince Naka no Ōe and Fujiwara no Kamatari devised and implemented the far-reaching Taika Reforms. The Reform began with land reform, based on Confucian ideas and philosophies from China.[30] It nationalized all land in Japan, to be distributed equally among cultivators, and ordered the compilation of a household registry as the basis for a new system of taxation.[31] The true aim of the reforms was to bring about greater centralization and to enhance the power of the imperial court, which was also based on the governmental structure of China. Envoys and students were dispatched to China to learn about Chinese writing, politics, art, and religion.[30] The Jinshin War of 672, a bloody conflict between Prince Ōama and his nephew Prince Ōtomo, became a major catalyst for further administrative reforms.[32] These reforms culminated with the promulgation of the Taihō Code, which consolidated existing statutes and established the structure of the central and subordinate local governments.[31] These legal reforms created the ritsuryō state, a system of Chinese-style centralized government that remained in place for half a millennium.[32]
The Nara period (710–784) marked the emergence of a Japanese state centered on the Imperial Court in Heijō-kyō (modern Nara). The period is characterized by the appearance of a nascent literary culture with the completion of the Kojiki (712) and Nihon Shoki (720), as well as the development of Buddhist-inspired artwork and architecture.[33][34] A smallpox epidemic in 735–737 is believed to have killed as much as one-third of Japan's population.[34][35] In 784, Emperor Kanmu moved the capital, settling on Heian-kyō (modern-day Kyoto) in 794.[34] This marked the beginning of the Heian period (794–1185), during which a distinctly indigenous Japanese culture emerged. Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji and the lyrics of Japan's national anthem "Kimigayo" were written during this time.[36]
Feudal era
Japan's feudal era was characterized by the emergence and dominance of a ruling class of warriors, the samurai.[37] In 1185, following the defeat of the Taira clan by the Minamoto clan in the Genpei War, samurai Minamoto no Yoritomo established a military government at Kamakura.[38] After Yoritomo's death, the Hōjō clan came to power as regents for the shōgun.[34] The Zen school of Buddhism was introduced from China in the Kamakura period (1185–1333) and became popular among the samurai class.[39] The Kamakura shogunate repelled Mongol invasions in 1274 and 1281 but was eventually overthrown by Emperor Go-Daigo.[34] Go-Daigo was defeated by Ashikaga Takauji in 1336, beginning the Muromachi period (1336–1573).[40] The succeeding Ashikaga shogunate failed to control the feudal warlords (daimyō) and a civil war began in 1467, opening the century-long Sengoku period ("Warring States").[41]
During the 16th century, Portuguese traders and Jesuit missionaries reached Japan for the first time, initiating direct commercial and cultural exchange between Japan and the West.[34][42] Oda Nobunaga used European technology and firearms to conquer many other daimyō;[43] his consolidation of power began what was known as the Azuchi–Momoyama period.[44] After the death of Nobunaga in 1582, his successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, unified the nation in the early 1590s and launched two unsuccessful invasions of Korea in 1592 and 1597.[34]
Tokugawa Ieyasu served as regent for Hideyoshi's son Toyotomi Hideyori and used his position to gain political and military support.[45] When open war broke out, Ieyasu defeated rival clans in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. He was appointed shōgun by Emperor Go-Yōzei in 1603 and established the Tokugawa shogunate at Edo (modern Tokyo).[46] The shogunate enacted measures including buke shohatto, as a code of conduct to control the autonomous daimyō,[47] and in 1639 the isolationist sakoku ("closed country") policy that spanned the two and a half centuries of tenuous political unity known as the Edo period (1603–1868).[46][48] Modern Japan's economic growth began in this period, resulting in roads and water transportation routes, as well as financial instruments such as futures contracts, banking and insurance of the Osaka rice brokers.[49] The study of Western sciences (rangaku) continued through contact with the Dutch enclave in Nagasaki.[46] The Edo period gave rise to kokugaku ("national studies"), the study of Japan by the Japanese.[50]
Modern era
The United States Navy sent Commodore Matthew C. Perry to force the opening of Japan to the outside world. Arriving at Uraga with four "Black Ships" in July 1853, the Perry Expedition resulted in the March 1854 Convention of Kanagawa.[46] Subsequent similar treaties with other Western countries brought economic and political crises.[46] The resignation of the shōgun led to the Boshin War and the establishment of a centralized state nominally unified under the emperor (the Meiji Restoration).[51] Adopting Western political, judicial, and military institutions, the Cabinet organized the Privy Council, introduced the Meiji Constitution (November 29, 1890), and assembled the Imperial Diet.[52] During the Meiji period (1868–1912), the Empire of Japan emerged as the most developed state in Asia and as an industrialized world power that pursued military conflict to expand its sphere of influence.[53][54][55] After victories in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), Japan gained control of Taiwan, Korea and the southern half of Sakhalin,[56][52] and annexed Korea in 1910.[57] The Japanese population doubled from 35 million in 1873 to 70 million by 1935, with a significant shift to urbanization.[58][59]
The early 20th century saw a period of Taishō democracy (1912–1926) overshadowed by increasing expansionism and militarization.[60][61] World War I allowed Japan, which joined the side of the victorious Allies, to capture German possessions in the Pacific and China in 1920.[61] The 1920s saw a political shift towards statism, a period of lawlessness following the 1923 Great Tokyo Earthquake, the passing of laws against political dissent, and a series of attempted coups.[59][62][63] This process accelerated during the 1930s, spawning several radical nationalist groups that shared a hostility to liberal democracy and a dedication to expansion in Asia.[64] In 1931, Japan invaded China and occupied Manchuria, which led to the establishment of puppet state of Manchukuo in 1932; following international condemnation of the occupation, it resigned from the League of Nations in 1933.[65] In 1936, Japan signed the Anti-Comintern Pact with Nazi Germany; the 1940 Tripartite Pact made it one of the Axis powers.[59]
The Empire of Japan invaded other parts of China in 1937, precipitating the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945).[66] In 1940, the Empire invaded French Indochina, after which the United States placed an oil embargo on Japan.[59][67] On December 7–8, 1941, Japanese forces carried out surprise attacks on Pearl Harbor, as well as on British forces in Malaya, Singapore, and Hong Kong, among others, beginning World War II in the Pacific.[68] Throughout areas occupied by Japan during the war, numerous abuses were committed against local inhabitants, with many forced into sexual slavery.[69] After Allied victories during the next four years, which culminated in the Soviet invasion of Manchuria and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, Japan agreed to an unconditional surrender.[70] The war cost Japan millions of lives and its colonies, including de jure parts of Japan such as Korea, Taiwan, Karafuto, and the Kurils.[59] The Allies (led by the United States) repatriated millions of Japanese settlers from their former colonies and military camps throughout Asia, largely eliminating the Japanese Empire and its influence over the territories it conquered.[71][72] The Allies convened the International Military Tribunal for the Far East to prosecute Japanese leaders except the Emperor[73] for Japanese war crimes.[72]
In 1947, Japan adopted a new constitution emphasizing liberal democratic practices.[72] The Allied occupation ended with the Treaty of San Francisco in 1952,[74] and Japan was granted membership in the United Nations in 1956.[72] A period of record growth propelled Japan to become the world's second-largest economy at that time;[72] this ended in the mid-1990s after the popping of an asset price bubble, beginning the "Lost Decade".[75] In 2011, Japan suffered one of the largest earthquakes in its recorded history—the Tōhoku earthquake—triggering the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.[76] On May 1, 2019, after the historic abdication of Emperor Akihito, his son Naruhito became Emperor, beginning the Reiwa era.[77]
Geography
Japan comprises 14,125 islands extending along the Pacific coast of Asia.[78] It stretches over 3000 km (1900 mi) northeast–southwest from the Sea of Okhotsk to the East China Sea.[79][80] The country's five main islands, from north to south, are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and Okinawa.[81] The Ryukyu Islands, which include Okinawa, are a chain to the south of Kyushu. The Nanpō Islands are south and east of the main islands of Japan. Together they are often known as the Japanese archipelago.[82] As of 2019[update], Japan's territory is 377,975.24 km2 (145,937.06 sq mi).[4] Japan has the sixth-longest coastline in the world at 29,751 km (18,486 mi). Because of its far-flung outlying islands, Japan's exclusive economic zone is the eighth-largest in the world, covering 4,470,000 km2 (1,730,000 sq mi).[83][84]
The Japanese archipelago is 67% forests and 14% agricultural.[85] The primarily rugged and mountainous terrain is restricted for habitation.[86] Thus the habitable zones, mainly in the coastal areas, have very high population densities: Japan is the 40th most densely populated country even without considering that local concentration.[87][88] Honshu has the highest population density at 450 persons/km2 (1200/sq mi) as of 2010[update], while Hokkaido has the lowest density of 64.5 persons/km2 as of 2016[update].[89] As of 2014[update], approximately 0.5% of Japan's total area is reclaimed land (umetatechi).[90] Lake Biwa is an ancient lake and the country's largest freshwater lake.[91]
Japan is substantially prone to earthquakes, tsunami and volcanic eruptions because of its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire.[92] It has the 17th highest natural disaster risk as measured in the 2016 World Risk Index.[93] Japan has 111 active volcanoes.[94] Destructive earthquakes, often resulting in tsunami, occur several times each century;[95] the 1923 Tokyo earthquake killed over 140,000 people.[96] More recent major quakes are the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, which triggered a large tsunami.[76]
Climate
The climate of Japan is predominantly temperate but varies greatly from north to south. The northernmost region, Hokkaido, has a humid continental climate with long, cold winters and very warm to cool summers. Precipitation is not heavy, but the islands usually develop deep snowbanks in the winter.[97]
In the Sea of Japan region on Honshu's west coast, northwest winter winds bring heavy snowfall during winter. In the summer, the region sometimes experiences extremely hot temperatures because of the Foehn.[98] The Central Highland has a typical inland humid continental climate, with large temperature differences between summer and winter. The mountains of the Chūgoku and Shikoku regions shelter the Seto Inland Sea from seasonal winds, bringing mild weather year-round.[97]
The Pacific coast features a humid subtropical climate that experiences milder winters with occasional snowfall and hot, humid summers because of the southeast seasonal wind. The Ryukyu and Nanpō Islands have a subtropical climate, with warm winters and hot summers. Precipitation is very heavy, especially during the rainy season.[97] The main rainy season begins in early May in Okinawa, and the rain front gradually moves north. In late summer and early autumn, typhoons often bring heavy rain.[99] According to the Environment Ministry, heavy rainfall and increasing temperatures have caused problems in the agricultural industry and elsewhere.[100] The highest temperature ever measured in Japan, 41.1 °C (106.0 °F), was recorded on July 23, 2018,[101] and repeated on August 17, 2020.[102]
Biodiversity
Japan has nine forest ecoregions which reflect the climate and geography of the islands. They range from subtropical moist broadleaf forests in the Ryūkyū and Bonin Islands, to temperate broadleaf and mixed forests in the mild climate regions of the main islands, to temperate coniferous forests in the cold, winter portions of the northern islands.[103] Japan has over 90,000 species of wildlife as of 2019[update],[104] including the brown bear, the Japanese macaque, the Japanese raccoon dog, the small Japanese field mouse, and the Japanese giant salamander.[105] There are 53 Ramsar wetland sites in Japan.[106] Five sites have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for their outstanding natural value.[107]
Environment
In the period of rapid economic growth after World War II, environmental policies were downplayed by the government and industrial corporations; as a result, environmental pollution was widespread in the 1950s and 1960s. Responding to rising concerns, the government introduced environmental protection laws in 1970.[108] The oil crisis in 1973 also encouraged the efficient use of energy because of Japan's lack of natural resources.[109]
Japan ranks 20th in the 2018 Environmental Performance Index, which measures a country's commitment to environmental sustainability.[110] Japan is the world's fifth-largest emitter of carbon dioxide.[100] As the host and signatory of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, Japan is under treaty obligation to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions and to take other steps to curb climate change.[111] In 2020, the government of Japan announced a target of carbon-neutrality by 2050.[112] Environmental issues include urban air pollution (NOx, suspended particulate matter, and toxics), waste management, water eutrophication, nature conservation, climate change, chemical management and international co-operation for conservation.[113]
Government and politics
Japan is a unitary state and constitutional monarchy in which the power of the Emperor is limited to a ceremonial role.[114] Executive power is instead wielded by the Prime Minister of Japan and his Cabinet, whose sovereignty is vested in the Japanese people.[115] Naruhito is the Emperor of Japan, having succeeded his father Akihito upon his accession to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019.[114]
Japan's legislative organ is the National Diet, a bicameral parliament.[114] It consists of a lower House of Representatives with 465 seats, elected by popular vote every four years or when dissolved, and an upper House of Councillors with 245 seats, whose popularly-elected members serve six-year terms.[116] There is universal suffrage for adults over 18 years of age,[117] with a secret ballot for all elected offices.[115] The prime minister as the head of government has the power to appoint and dismiss Ministers of State, and is appointed by the emperor after being designated from among the members of the Diet.[116] Shigeru Ishiba is Japan's prime minister; he took office after winning the 2024 Liberal Democratic Party leadership election.[118] The broadly conservative Liberal Democratic Party has been the dominant party in the country since the 1950s, often called the 1955 System.[119]
Historically influenced by Chinese law, the Japanese legal system developed independently during the Edo period through texts such as Kujikata Osadamegaki.[120] Since the late 19th century, the judicial system has been largely based on the civil law of Europe, notably Germany. In 1896, Japan established a civil code based on the German Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch, which remains in effect with post–World War II modifications.[121] The Constitution of Japan, adopted in 1947, is the oldest unamended constitution in the world.[122] Statutory law originates in the legislature, and the constitution requires that the emperor promulgate legislation passed by the Diet without giving him the power to oppose legislation. The main body of Japanese statutory law is called the Six Codes.[120] Japan's court system is divided into four basic tiers: the Supreme Court and three levels of lower courts.[123]
Administrative divisions
Japan is divided into 47 prefectures, each overseen by an elected governor and legislature.[114] In the following table, the prefectures are grouped by region:[124]
1. Hokkaido |
2. Aomori 3. Iwate 4. Miyagi 5. Akita 6. Yamagata 7. Fukushima |
8. Ibaraki 9. Tochigi 10. Gunma 11. Saitama 12. Chiba 13. Tokyo 14. Kanagawa |
15. Niigata 16. Toyama 17. Ishikawa 18. Fukui 19. Yamanashi 20. Nagano 21. Gifu 22. Shizuoka 23. Aichi | |
24. Mie 25. Shiga 26. Kyoto 27. Osaka 28. Hyōgo 29. Nara 30. Wakayama |
31. Tottori 32. Shimane 33. Okayama 34. Hiroshima 35. Yamaguchi |
36. Tokushima 37. Kagawa 38. Ehime 39. Kōchi |
40. Fukuoka 41. Saga 42. Nagasaki 43. Kumamoto 44. Ōita 45. Miyazaki 46. Kagoshima 47. Okinawa |
Foreign relations
A member state of the United Nations since 1956, Japan is one of the G4 countries seeking reform of the Security Council.[125] Japan is a member of the G7, APEC, and "ASEAN Plus Three", and is a participant in the East Asia Summit.[126] It is the world's fifth-largest donor of official development assistance, donating US$9.2 billion in 2014.[127] In 2024, Japan had the fourth-largest diplomatic network in the world.[128]
Japan has close economic and military relations with the United States, with which it maintains a security alliance.[129] The United States is a major market for Japanese exports and a major source of Japanese imports, and is committed to defending the country, with military bases in Japan.[129] In 2016, Japan announced the Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision, which frames its regional policies.[130][131] Japan is also a member of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue ("the Quad"), a multilateral security dialogue reformed in 2017 aiming to limit Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region, along with the United States, Australia, and India.[132][133]
Japan is engaged in several territorial disputes with its neighbors. Japan contests Russia's control of the Southern Kuril Islands, which were occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945.[134] South Korea's control of the Liancourt Rocks is acknowledged but not accepted as they are claimed by Japan.[135] Japan has strained relations with China and Taiwan over the Senkaku Islands and the status of Okinotorishima.[136]
Military
Japan is the third highest-ranked Asian country in the 2024 Global Peace Index.[137] It spent 1.1% of its total GDP on its defence budget in 2022,[138] and maintained the tenth-largest military budget in the world in 2022.[139] The country's military (the Japan Self-Defense Forces) is restricted by Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, which renounces Japan's right to declare war or use military force in international disputes.[140] The military is governed by the Ministry of Defense, and primarily consists of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. The deployment of troops to Iraq and Afghanistan marked the first overseas use of Japan's military since World War II.[141]
The Government of Japan has been making changes to its security policy which include the establishment of the National Security Council, the adoption of the National Security Strategy, and the development of the National Defense Program Guidelines.[142] In May 2014, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan wanted to shed the passiveness it has maintained since the end of World War II and take more responsibility for regional security.[143] In December 2022, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida further confirmed this trend, instructing the government to increase spending by 65% until 2027.[144] Recent tensions, particularly with North Korea and China, have reignited the debate over the status of the JSDF and its relation to Japanese society.[145][146]
Law enforcement
Domestic security in Japan is provided mainly by the prefectural police departments, under the oversight of the National Police Agency.[147] As the central coordinating body for the Prefectural Police Departments, the National Police Agency is administered by the National Public Safety Commission.[148] The Special Assault Team comprises national-level counter-terrorism tactical units that cooperate with territorial-level Anti-Firearms Squads and Counter-NBC Terrorism Squads.[149] The Japan Coast Guard guards territorial waters surrounding Japan and uses surveillance and control countermeasures against smuggling, marine environmental crime, poaching, piracy, spy ships, unauthorized foreign fishing vessels, and illegal immigration.[150]
The Firearm and Sword Possession Control Law strictly regulates the civilian ownership of guns, swords, and other weaponry.[151][152] According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, among the member states of the UN that report statistics as of 2018[update], the incidence rates of violent crimes such as murder, abduction, sexual violence, and robbery are very low in Japan.[153][154][155][156]
Human rights
Japanese society traditionally places a strong emphasis on collective harmony and conformity, which has led to the suppression of individual rights.[157] Japan's constitution prohibits racial and religious discrimination,[158][159] and the country is a signatory to numerous international human rights treaties.[160] However, it lacks any laws against discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity and does not have a national human rights institution.[161]
Japan has faced criticism for its gender inequality,[162] not allowing same-sex marriages,[163] use of racial profiling by police,[164][165] and allowing capital punishment.[166] Other human rights issues include the treatment of marginalized groups, such as ethnic minorities,[167] refugees and asylum seekers.[168]
Economy
Japan has the world's fourth-largest economy by nominal GDP, after that of the United States, China and Germany; and the fifth-largest economy by PPP-adjusted GDP.[169] As of 2021[update], Japan's labor force is the world's eighth-largest, consisting of over 68.6 million workers.[83] As of 2022[update], Japan has a low unemployment rate of around 2.6%.[170] Its poverty rate is the second highest among the G7 countries,[171] and exceeds 15.7% of the population.[172] Japan has the highest ratio of public debt to GDP among advanced economies,[173] with a national debt estimated at 248% relative to GDP as of 2022[update].[174] The Japanese yen is the world's third-largest reserve currency after the US dollar and the euro.[175]
Japan was the world's fifth-largest exporter and fourth-largest importer in 2022.[176][177] Its exports amounted to 18.2% of its total GDP in 2021.[178] As of 2022[update], Japan's main export markets were China (23.9 percent, including Hong Kong) and the United States (18.5 percent).[179] Its main exports are motor vehicles, iron and steel products, semiconductors, and auto parts.[83] Japan's main import markets as of 2022[update] were China (21.1 percent), the United States (9.9 percent), and Australia (9.8 percent).[179] Japan's main imports are machinery and equipment, fossil fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, and raw materials for its industries.[179]
The Japanese variant of capitalism has many distinct features: keiretsu enterprises are influential, and lifetime employment and seniority-based career advancement are common in the Japanese work environment.[180][181] Japan has a large cooperative sector, with three of the world's ten largest cooperatives, including the largest consumer cooperative and the largest agricultural cooperative as of 2018[update].[182] It ranks highly for competitiveness and economic freedom. Japan ranked sixth in the Global Competitiveness Report in 2019.[183] It attracted 31.9 million international tourists in 2019,[184] and was ranked eleventh in the world in 2019 for inbound tourism.[185] The 2021 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report ranked Japan first in the world out of 117 countries.[186] Its international tourism receipts in 2019 amounted to $46.1 billion.[185]
Agriculture and fishery
The Japanese agricultural sector accounts for about 1.2% of the country's total GDP as of 2018[update].[116] Only 11.5% of Japan's land is suitable for cultivation.[187] Because of this lack of arable land, a system of terraces is used to farm in small areas.[188] This results in one of the world's highest levels of crop yields per unit area, with an agricultural self-sufficiency rate of about 50% as of 2018[update].[189] Japan's small agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected.[190] There has been a growing concern about farming as farmers are aging with a difficult time finding successors.[191]
Japan ranked seventh in the world in tonnage of fish caught and captured 3,167,610 metric tons of fish in 2016, down from an annual average of 4,000,000 tons over the previous decade.[192] Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch,[83] prompting critiques that Japan's fishing is leading to depletion in fish stocks such as tuna.[193] Japan has sparked controversy by supporting commercial whaling.[194]
Industry and services
Japan has a large industrial capacity and is home to some of the "largest and most technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemical substances, textiles, and processed foods".[83] Japan's industrial sector makes up approximately 27.5% of its GDP.[83] The country's manufacturing output is the fourth highest in the world as of 2023[update].[196]
Japan is in the top three globally for both automobile production[195] and export,[197][198] and is home to Toyota, the world's largest automobile company by production. The Japanese shipbuilding industry faces increasing competition from its East Asian neighbors, South Korea and China; a 2020 government initiative identified this sector as a target for increasing exports.[199]
Once considered the strongest in the world, the Japanese consumer electronics industry is in a state of decline as regional competition arises in neighboring East Asian countries such as South Korea and China.[200] However, Japan's video game sector remains a major industry. In 2014, Japan's consumer video game market grossed $9.6 billion, with $5.8 billion coming from mobile gaming.[201] By 2015, Japan had become the world's fourth-largest PC game market by revenue, behind only China, the United States, and South Korea.[202]
Japan's service sector accounts for about 69.5% of its total economic output as of 2021[update].[203] Banking, retail, transportation, and telecommunications are all major industries, with companies such as Toyota, Mitsubishi UFJ, -NTT, Aeon, SoftBank, Hitachi, and Itochu listed as among the largest in the world.[204][205]
Science and technology
Relative to gross domestic product, Japan's research and development budget is the second highest in the world,[206] with 867,000 researchers sharing a 19-trillion-yen research and development budget as of 2017[update].[207] Japan has the second highest number of researchers in science and technology per capita in the world with 14 per 1000 employees.[208] The country has produced twenty-two Nobel laureates in either physics, chemistry or medicine,[209] and three Fields medalists.[210]
Japan leads the world in robotics production and use, supplying 45% of the world's 2020 total;[211] down from 55% in 2017.[212]
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is Japan's national space agency; it conducts space, planetary, and aviation research, and leads development of rockets and satellites.[213] It is a participant in the International Space Station: the Japanese Experiment Module (Kibō) was added to the station during Space Shuttle assembly flights in 2008.[214] The space probe Akatsuki was launched in 2010 and achieved orbit around Venus in 2015.[215] Japan's plans in space exploration include building a Moon base and landing astronauts by 2030.[216] In 2007, it launched lunar explorer SELENE (Selenological and Engineering Explorer) from Tanegashima Space Center. The largest lunar mission since the Apollo program, its purpose was to gather data on the Moon's origin and evolution. The explorer entered a lunar orbit on October 4, 2007,[217][218] and was deliberately crashed into the Moon on June 11, 2009.[219]
Infrastructure
Transportation
Japan has invested heavily in transportation infrastructure since the 1990s.[220] The country has approximately 1,200,000 kilometers (750,000 miles) of roads made up of 1,000,000 kilometers (620,000 miles) of city, town and village roads, 130,000 kilometers (81,000 miles) of prefectural roads, 54,736 kilometers (34,011 miles) of general national highways and 7641 kilometers (4748 miles) of national expressways as of 2017[update].[221]
Since privatization in 1987,[222] dozens of Japanese railway companies compete in regional and local passenger transportation markets; major companies include seven JR enterprises, Kintetsu, Seibu Railway and Keio Corporation. The high-speed Shinkansen (bullet trains) that connect major cities are known for their safety and punctuality.[223]
There are 175 airports in Japan as of 2021[update].[83] The largest domestic airport, Haneda Airport in Tokyo, was Asia's second-busiest airport in 2019.[224] The Keihin and Hanshin superport hubs are among the largest in the world, at 7.98 and 5.22 million TEU respectively as of 2017[update].[225]
Energy
As of 2019[update], 37.1% of energy in Japan was produced from petroleum, 25.1% from coal, 22.4% from natural gas, 3.5% from hydropower and 2.8% from nuclear power, among other sources. Nuclear power was down from 11.2 percent in 2010.[226] By May 2012 all of the country's nuclear power plants had been taken offline because of ongoing public opposition following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in March 2011, though government officials continued to try to sway public opinion in favor of returning at least some to service.[227] The Sendai Nuclear Power Plant restarted in 2015,[228] and since then several other nuclear power plants have been restarted.[229] Japan lacks significant domestic reserves and has a heavy dependence on imported energy.[230] The country has therefore aimed to diversify its sources and maintain high levels of energy efficiency.[231]
Demographics
Japan has a population of almost 125 million, of whom nearly 122 million are Japanese nationals (2022 estimates).[232] A small population of foreign residents makes up the remainder.[233] Japan is the world's fastest aging country and has the highest proportion of elderly citizens of any country, comprising one-third of its total population;[234] this is the result of a post–World War II baby boom, which was followed by an increase in life expectancy and a decrease in birth rates.[235] Japan has a total fertility rate of 1.4, which is below the replacement rate of 2.1, and is among the world's lowest;[236] it has a median age of 48.4, the highest in the world.[237] As of 2020[update], over 28.7 percent of the population is over 65, or more than one in four out of the Japanese population.[234] As a growing number of younger Japanese are not marrying or remaining childless,[238][239] Japan's population is expected to drop to around 88 million by 2065.[234]
The changes in demographic structure have created several social issues, particularly a decline in the workforce population and an increase in the cost of social security benefits.[238] The Government of Japan projects that there will be almost one elderly person for each person of working age by 2060.[237] Immigration and birth incentives are sometimes suggested as a solution to provide younger workers to support the nation's aging population.[240][241] On April 1, 2019, Japan's revised immigration law was enacted, protecting the rights of foreign workers to help reduce labor shortages in certain sectors.[242]
In 2022, 92% of the total Japanese population lived in cities.[243] The capital city, Tokyo, has a population of 13.9 million (2022).[244] It is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, the biggest metropolitan area in the world with 37.4 million people (2024).[245] Japan is an ethnically and culturally homogeneous society,[246] with the Japanese people forming 97.4% of the country's population.[247] Minority ethnic groups in the country include the indigenous Ainu and Ryukyuan people.[248] Zainichi Koreans,[249] Chinese,[250] Filipinos,[251] Brazilians mostly of Japanese descent,[252] and Peruvians mostly of Japanese descent are also among Japan's small minority groups.[253] Burakumin make up a social minority group.[254]
Rank | Name | Prefecture | Pop. | Rank | Name | Prefecture | Pop. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tokyo | Tokyo | 9,272,740 | 11 | Hiroshima | Hiroshima | 1,194,034 | ||
2 | Yokohama | Kanagawa | 3,724,844 | 12 | Sendai | Miyagi | 1,082,159 | ||
3 | Osaka | Osaka | 2,691,185 | 13 | Chiba | Chiba | 971,882 | ||
4 | Nagoya | Aichi | 2,295,638 | 14 | Kitakyushu | Fukuoka | 961,286 | ||
5 | Sapporo | Hokkaido | 1,952,356 | 15 | Sakai | Osaka | 839,310 | ||
6 | Fukuoka | Fukuoka | 1,538,681 | 16 | Niigata | Niigata | 810,157 | ||
7 | Kobe | Hyōgo | 1,537,272 | 17 | Hamamatsu | Shizuoka | 797,980 | ||
8 | Kawasaki | Kanagawa | 1,475,213 | 18 | Kumamoto | Kumamoto | 740,822 | ||
9 | Kyoto | Kyoto | 1,475,183 | 19 | Sagamihara | Kanagawa | 720,780 | ||
10 | Saitama | Saitama | 1,263,979 | 20 | Okayama | Okayama | 719,474 |
Languages
The Japanese language is Japan's de facto national language and the primary written and spoken language of most people in the country.[255] Japanese writing uses kanji (Chinese characters) and two sets of kana (syllabaries based on cursive script and radicals used by kanji), as well as the Latin alphabet and Arabic numerals.[256] English has taken a major role in Japan as a business and international link language, and is a compulsory subject at the junior and senior high school levels.[257] Japanese Sign Language is the primary sign language used in Japan and has gained some official recognition, but its usage has been historically hindered by discriminatory policies and a lack of educational support.[255]
Besides Japanese, the Ryukyuan languages (Amami, Kunigami, Okinawan, Miyako, Yaeyama, Yonaguni), part of the Japonic language family, are spoken in the Ryukyu Islands chain.[258] Few children learn these languages,[259] but local governments have sought to increase awareness of the traditional languages.[260] The Ainu language, which is a language isolate, is moribund, with only a few native speakers remaining as of 2014[update].[261] Additionally, a number of other languages are taught and used by ethnic minorities, immigrant communities, and a growing number of foreign-language students, such as Korean (including a distinct Zainichi Korean dialect), Chinese and Portuguese.[255]
Religion
Japan's constitution guarantees full religious freedom.[262] Upper estimates suggest that 84–96 percent of the Japanese population subscribe to Shinto as its indigenous religion.[263] However, these estimates are based on people affiliated with a temple, rather than the number of true believers. Many Japanese people practice both Shinto and Buddhism; they can identify with both religions or describe themselves as non-religious or spiritual.[264] The level of participation in religious ceremonies as a cultural tradition remains high, especially during festivals and occasions such as the first shrine visit of the New Year.[265] Taoism and Confucianism from China have also influenced Japanese beliefs and customs.[30]
Today, 1%[266] to 1.5% of the population are Christians.[267] Throughout the latest century, Western customs originally related to Christianity (including Western style weddings, Valentine's Day and Christmas) have become popular as secular customs among many Japanese.[268]
About 90% of those practicing Islam in Japan are foreign-born migrants as of 2016[update].[269] As of 2018[update] there were an estimated 105 mosques and 200,000 Muslims in Japan, 43,000 of which were Japanese nationals.[270] Other minority religions include Hinduism, Judaism, and Baháʼí Faith, as well as the animist beliefs of the Ainu.[271]
Education
Since the 1947 Fundamental Law of Education, compulsory education in Japan comprises elementary and junior high school, which together last for nine years.[272] Almost all children continue their education at a three-year senior high school.[273] The top-ranking university in the country is the University of Tokyo.[274] Starting in April 2016, various schools began the academic year with elementary school and junior high school integrated into one nine-year compulsory schooling program; MEXT plans for this approach to be adopted nationwide.[275]
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) coordinated by the OECD ranks the knowledge and skills of Japanese 15-year-olds as the third best in the world.[276] Japan is one of the top-performing OECD countries in reading literacy, math, and sciences with the average student scoring 520 and has one of the world's highest-educated labor forces among OECD countries.[277][276][278] It spent 7.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2021[update].[279] In 2021, the country ranked third for the percentage of 25- to 64-year-olds that have attained tertiary education with 55.6%.[280] Approximately 65% of Japanese aged 25 to 34 have some form of tertiary education qualification, with bachelor's degrees being held by 34.2% of Japanese aged 25 to 64, the second most in the OECD after South Korea.[280] Japanese women are more highly educated than the men: 59 percent of women possess a university degree, compared to 52 percent of men.[281]
Health
Health care in Japan is provided by national and local governments. Payment for personal medical services is offered through a universal health insurance system that provides relative equality of access, with fees set by a government committee. People without insurance through employers can participate in a national health insurance program administered by local governments.[282] Since 1973, all elderly persons have been covered by government-sponsored insurance.[283]
Japan spent 10.82% of its total GDP on healthcare in 2021.[284] In 2020, the overall life expectancy in Japan at birth was 85 years (82 years for men and 88 years for women),[285][286] the highest in the world;[287] while it had a very low infant mortality rate (2 per 1,000 live births).[288] Since 1981, the principal cause of death in Japan is cancer, which accounted for 27% of the total deaths in 2018—followed by cardiovascular diseases, which led to 15% of the deaths.[289] Japan has one of the world's highest suicide rates, which is considered a major social issue.[290] Another significant public health issue is smoking among Japanese men.[291] Japan has the lowest rate of heart disease in the OECD, and the lowest level of dementia among developed countries.[292]
Culture
Contemporary Japanese culture combines influences from Asia, Europe, and North America.[293] Traditional Japanese arts include crafts such as ceramics, textiles, lacquerware, swords and dolls; performances of bunraku, kabuki, noh, dance, and rakugo; and other practices, the tea ceremony, ikebana, martial arts, calligraphy, origami, onsen, Geisha and games. Japan has a developed system for the protection and promotion of both tangible and intangible Cultural Properties and National Treasures.[294] Twenty-two sites have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, eighteen of which are of cultural significance.[295] Japan is considered a cultural superpower.[296][297][298][299]
Art and architecture
The history of Japanese painting exhibits synthesis and competition between native Japanese esthetics and imported ideas.[300] The interaction between Japanese and European art has been significant: for example ukiyo-e prints, which began to be exported in the 19th century in the movement known as Japonism, had a significant influence on the development of modern art in the West, most notably on post-Impressionism.[300]
Japanese architecture is a combination of local and other influences. It has traditionally been typified by wooden or mud plaster structures, elevated slightly off the ground, with tiled or thatched roofs.[301] Traditional housing and many temple buildings see the use of tatami mats and sliding doors that break down the distinction between rooms and indoor and outdoor space.[302] Since the 19th century, Japan has incorporated much of Western modern architecture into construction and design.[303] It was not until after World War II that Japanese architects made an impression on the international scene, firstly with the work of architects like Kenzō Tange and then with movements like Metabolism.[304]
Literature and philosophy
The earliest works of Japanese literature include the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki chronicles and the Man'yōshū poetry anthology, all from the 8th century and written in Chinese characters.[305][306] In the early Heian period, the system of phonograms known as kana (hiragana and katakana) was developed.[307] The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter is considered the oldest extant Japanese narrative.[308] An account of court life is given in The Pillow Book by Sei Shōnagon, while The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu is often described as the world's first novel.[309][310]
During the Edo period, the chōnin ("townspeople") overtook the samurai aristocracy as producers and consumers of literature. The popularity of the works of Saikaku, for example, reveals this change in readership and authorship, while Bashō revivified the poetic tradition of the Kokinshū with his haikai (haiku) and wrote the poetic travelogue Oku no Hosomichi.[311] The Meiji era saw the decline of traditional literary forms as Japanese literature integrated Western influences. Natsume Sōseki and Mori Ōgai were significant novelists in the early 20th century, followed by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, Kafū Nagai and, more recently, Haruki Murakami and Kenji Nakagami. Japan has two Nobel Prize-winning authors – Yasunari Kawabata (1968) and Kenzaburō Ōe (1994).[312]
Japanese philosophy has historically been a fusion of both foreign, particularly Chinese and Western, and uniquely Japanese elements. In its literary forms, Japanese philosophy began about fourteen centuries ago. Confucian ideals remain evident in the Japanese concept of society and the self, and in the organization of the government and the structure of society.[313] Buddhism has profoundly impacted Japanese psychology, metaphysics, and esthetics.[314]
Performing arts
Japanese music is eclectic and diverse. Many instruments, such as the koto, were introduced in the 9th and 10th centuries. The popular folk music, with the guitar-like shamisen, dates from the 16th century.[315] Western classical music, introduced in the late 19th century, forms an integral part of Japanese culture.[316] Kumi-daiko (ensemble drumming) was developed in postwar Japan and became very popular in North America.[317] Popular music in post-war Japan has been heavily influenced by American and European trends, which has led to the evolution of J-pop.[318] Karaoke is a significant cultural activity.[319]
The four traditional theaters from Japan are noh, kyōgen, kabuki, and bunraku.[320] Noh is one of the oldest continuous theater traditions in the world.[321]
Media
According to the 2015 NHK survey on television viewing in Japan, 79 percent of Japanese watch television daily.[322] Japanese television dramas are viewed both within Japan and internationally.[323] Many Japanese media franchises have gained considerable global popularity and are among the world's highest-grossing media franchises. Japanese newspapers are among the most circulated in the world as of 2016[update].[324]
Japan has one of the oldest and largest film industries globally.[325] Ishirō Honda's Godzilla became an international icon of Japan and spawned an entire subgenre of kaiju films, as well as the longest-running film franchise in history.[326][327] Japanese comics, known as manga, developed in the mid-20th century and have become popular worldwide.[328][329] A large number of manga series have become some of the best-selling comics series of all time, rivalling the American comics industry.[330] Japanese animated films and television series, known as anime, were largely influenced by Japanese manga and have become highly popular globally.[331][332]
Holidays
Officially, Japan has 16 national, government-recognized holidays. Public holidays in Japan are regulated by the Public Holiday Law (国民の祝日に関する法律, Kokumin no Shukujitsu ni Kansuru Hōritsu) of 1948.[333] Beginning in 2000, Japan implemented the Happy Monday System, which moved a number of national holidays to Monday in order to obtain a long weekend.[334] The national holidays in Japan are New Year's Day on January 1, Coming of Age Day on the second Monday of January, National Foundation Day on February 11, The Emperor's Birthday on February 23, Vernal Equinox Day on March 20 or 21, Shōwa Day on April 29, Constitution Memorial Day on May 3, Greenery Day on May 4, Children's Day on May 5, Marine Day on the third Monday of July, Mountain Day on August 11, Respect for the Aged Day on the third Monday of September, Autumnal Equinox on September 23 or 24, Health and Sports Day on the second Monday of October, Culture Day on November 3, and Labor Thanksgiving Day on November 23.[335]
Cuisine
Japanese cuisine offers a vast array of regional specialties that use traditional recipes and local ingredients.[336] Seafood and Japanese rice or noodles are traditional staples.[337] Japanese curry, since its introduction to Japan from British India, is so widely consumed that it can be termed a national dish, alongside ramen and sushi.[338][339] Traditional Japanese sweets are known as wagashi.[340] Ingredients such as red bean paste and mochi are used. More modern-day tastes include green tea ice cream.[341]
Popular Japanese beverages include sake, a brewed rice beverage that typically contains 14–17% alcohol and is made by multiple fermentation of rice.[342] Beer has been brewed in Japan since the late 17th century.[343] Green tea is produced in Japan and prepared in forms such as matcha, used in the Japanese tea ceremony.[344]
Sports
Traditionally, sumo is considered Japan's national sport.[345] Japanese martial arts such as judo and kendo are taught as part of the compulsory junior high school curriculum.[346] Baseball is the most popular sport in the country.[347] Japan's top professional league, Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), was established in 1936.[348] Since the establishment of the Japan Professional Football League (J.League) in 1992, association football gained a wide following.[349] The country co-hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup with South Korea.[350] Japan has one of the most successful football teams in Asia, winning the Asian Cup four times,[351] and the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2011.[352] Golf is also popular in Japan.[353]
In motorsport, Japanese automotive manufacturers have been successful in multiple different categories, with titles and victories in series such as Formula One, MotoGP, and the World Rally Championship.[354][355][356] Drivers from Japan have victories at the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as podium finishes in Formula One, in addition to success in domestic championships.[357][358] Super GT is the most popular national racing series in Japan, while Super Formula is the top-level domestic open-wheel series.[359] The country hosts major races such as the Japanese Grand Prix.[360]
Japan hosted the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 1964 and the Winter Olympics in Sapporo in 1972 and Nagano in 1998.[361] The country hosted the official 2006 Basketball World Championship[362] and co-hosted the 2023 Basketball World Championship.[363] Tokyo hosted the 2020 Summer Olympics in 2021, making Tokyo the first Asian city to host the Olympics twice.[364] The country gained the hosting rights for the official Women's Volleyball World Championship on five occasions, more than any other country.[365] Japan is the most successful Asian Rugby Union country[366] and hosted the 2019 IRB Rugby World Cup.[367]
See also
Notes
- ^ Japanese: 日本, Nihon [ɲihoꜜɴ] ⓘ or Nippon [ɲippoꜜɴ] ⓘ, formally 日本国, Nihon-koku or Nippon-koku. In Japanese, the name of the country as it appears on official documents, including the country's constitution, is 日本国, meaning "State of Japan". The short name 日本 is also often used officially. In English, the official name of the country is simply "Japan".[10]
References
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- ^ "History". Asia Rugby. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
- ^ "Japan reaches out to the rest of Asia". Rugby World Cup. November 1, 2013. Archived from the original on December 17, 2013.
External links
Government
- JapanGov – The Government of Japan (in English)
- Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet Official website (in English)
- The Imperial Household Agency – official site of the Imperial House of Japan (archived November 20, 2016)
- National Diet Library
General information
- Japan from UCB Libraries GovPubs (archived April 21, 2009)
- Japan from BBC News
- Japan from the OECD
- Geographic data related to Japan at OpenStreetMap