Japan

Location

• Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
• note 1: strategic location in northeast Asia; composed of four main islands (the "Home Islands") -- Hokkaido, Honshu (the largest, most populous, and site of Tokyo, the capital), Shikoku, and Kyushu  note 2: a 2023 Geospatial Information Authority of Japan survey detected 100,000 islands and islets, but only the 14,125 islands with a circumference of at least 100 m (330 ft) were officially counted; about 260 of the islands are inhabited note 3: Japan annually records the most earthquakes in the world; it is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes

Population

Notable Population Centers

City	Population	Note
Tokyo	9,733,276	Capital
Yokohama	3,777,491
Osaka	2,753,862
Nagoya	2,332,176
Sapporo	1,973,832
Fukuoka	1,612,392
Kawasaki	1,538,262
Kobe	1,525,152
Kyoto	1,463,723
Saitama	1,324,854

Size

• 145,882 square miles
• 377,835 square kilometers
• slightly smaller than California

History

In 1603, after decades of civil warfare, the Tokugawa shogunate (a military-led, dynastic government) ushered in a long period of relative political stability and isolation from foreign influence. For more than two centuries, this policy enabled Japan to enjoy a flowering of its indigenous culture. Japan opened its ports after signing the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854 and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32, Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937, it launched a full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1941, triggering America's entry into World War II, and Japan soon occupied much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II, the country recovered to become an economic power and a US ally. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, elected politicians hold the decision-making power. After three decades of unprecedented growth, Japan's economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s, but the country remains an economic power. In 2011, Japan's strongest-ever earthquake and an accompanying tsunami devastated the northeast part of Honshu, killed thousands, and damaged several nuclear power plants. ABE Shinzo was reelected as prime minister in 2012, and he embarked on ambitious economic and security reforms to improve Japan's economy and bolster the country's international standing. In 2019, ABE became Japan's longest-serving post-war prime minister; he resigned in 2020 and was succeeded by SUGA Yoshihide. KISHIDA Fumio became prime minister in 2021.

Climate

varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Terrain

mostly rugged and mountainous

Languages

Japanesemajor-language sample(s): 必要不可欠な基本情報の源、ワールド・ファクトブック(Japanese)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Shintoism 48.6%, Buddhism 46.4%, Christianity 1.1%, other 4% (2021 est.)note: total adherents among persons claiming a religious affiliation

Government

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

• Constitution: history: previous 1890; latest approved 6 October 1946, adopted 3 November 1946, effective 3 May 1947amendment process: proposed by the Diet; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority of both houses of the Diet and approval by majority in a referendum
• Political Parties and Leaders: n/a
• Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
• Legal System: civil law system based on German model; also reflects Anglo-American influence and Japanese traditions; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts
• Executive Branch: chief of state: Emperor NARUHITO (since 1 May 2019)head of government: vacant (since 7 September 2025)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime ministerelection/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes prime ministerelection results: 2024: Shigeru ISHIBA (LDP) elected prime minister on 27 September 2024; upper house vote - 143 of 242 votes; lower house vote - 291 of 461 votes2021: Fumio KISHIDA reelected prime minister on 10 November 2021; upper house vote - Fumio KISHIDA (LDP) 141, Yukio EDANO (CDP) 60; lower house vote - Fumio KISHIDA 297, Yukio EDANO 108note: Shigeru ISHIBA resigned as prime minister on 7 September 2025; the party vote on the new prime minister is expected in early October 2025
• Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court or Saiko saibansho (consists of the chief justice and 14 associate justices)judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice designated by the Cabinet and appointed by the monarch; associate justices appointed by the Cabinet and confirmed by the monarch; all justices are reviewed in a popular referendum during the first general election of the House of Representatives after each judge's appointment and every 10 years afterwardsubordinate courts: 8 High Courts (Koto-saiban-sho), each with a Family Court (Katei-saiban-sho); 50 District Courts (Chiho saibansho), with 203 additional branches; 438 Summary Courts (Kani saibansho)note: the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in constitutional issues
• Legislative Branch: legislature name: National Diet (Kokkai)legislative structure: bicameral

Demographic Profile

n/a

Economy

• second-largest East Asian economy; trade-oriented and highly diversified; high public debt levels; following years of near-zero interest rates, gradual increases to address inflation and depreciation of yen; strong rebound in tourism; aging population poses challenges to labor force participation
• Budget: revenues: $661.986 billion (2022 est.)expenditures: $897.03 billion (2022 est.)note: central government revenues and expenditures (excluding grants and social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
• Credit Rating: n/a
• Natural Resources: negligible mineral resources, fish note: with virtually no natural energy resources, Japan is almost totally dependent on imported sources of energy
• Industries: motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods
• Agricultural Products: rice, milk, sugar beets, vegetables, eggs, chicken, potatoes, onions, cabbages, pork (2023)note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
• Land Use: agricultural land: 12.7% (2022 est.)arable land: 11.2% (2022 est.)permanent crops: 0.7% (2022 est.)permanent pasture: 0.9% (2022 est.)forest: 68.4% (2022 est.)other: 18.9% (2022 est.)
• Labor Force by Occupation: n/a
• Imports
• Imported Commodities: crude petroleum, natural gas, coal, integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment (2023)note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
• Import Partners: China 22%, USA 11%, Australia 8%, UAE 5%, Saudi Arabia 5% (2023)note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
• Exports
• Exported Commodities: cars, integrated circuits, machinery, vehicle parts/accessories, construction vehicles (2023)note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
• Export Partners: USA 19%, China 18%, Taiwan 6%, S. Korea 6%, Hong Kong 4% (2023)note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports