Country Name: Japan

Capital: Tokyo

Government Type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy

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

Continent: Asia

Population: 123,719,238 (2023 est.)

Ethnic Groups: Japanese 97.5%, Chinese 0.6%, Vietnam 0.4%, South Korean 0.3%, other 1.2% (includes Filipino, Brazilian, Nepalese, Indonesian, American, and Taiwanese) (2022 est.)

Languages: Japanese

Religions: Shintoism 48.6%, Buddhism 46.4%, Christianity 1.1%, other 4% (2021 est.)

Economic Overview: fourth-largest economy; trade-oriented and highly diversified; high public debt levels; real wage declines in inflationary environment; sustained near-zero central bank rates coupled with depreciation of yen; strong rebound in tourism

Currency: Japanese Yen (JPY)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange & Gold: $1.228 trillion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $5.21 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars

Real GDP Growth Rate: 1.03% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per Capita: $41,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars

Exports: 

• $921.212 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

• Comparison Ranking: 7

Export Commodities: cars/vehicle parts, general machinery, integrated circuits, refined petroleum, construction vehicles  (2022)

Export Partners: US 19%, China 19%, Australia 10%, South Korea 7%, Taiwan 7%, Thailand 4% (2022)

Imports: 

• $1.08 trillion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

• Comparison Ranking: 6

Import Commodities: crude petroleum, natural gas, coal, integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment  (2022)

Import Partners: China 22%, US 10%, Australia 10%, Taiwan 4%, South Korea 4% (2022)

Natural Resources: negligible mineral resources, fish; note - with virtually no natural energy resources, Japan is almost totally dependent on imported sources of energy

Agricultural Products: eggs, rice, milk, sugar beets, vegetables, poultry, potatoes, cabbages, sugar cane, pork

Industries: motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods

Industrial Production Growth Rate: 

• -1.25% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

• Comparison Ranking: 186

Labor Force: 69.114 million (2022 est.)

Unemployment Rate: 2.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Natural Hazards: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors but occasional severe earthquakes) every year; tsunamis; typhoons

• Volcanism: both Unzen (1,500 m) and Sakura-jima (1,117 m), which lies near the densely populated city of Kagoshima, have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Asama, Honshu Island's most active volcano, Aso, Bandai, Fuji, Iwo-Jima, Kikai, Kirishima, Komaga-take, Oshima, Suwanosejima, Tokachi, Yake-dake, and Usu

Geography:

• Total: 377,915 sq km

• Land: 364,485 sq km

• Water: 13,430 sq km

(Country Summary, The World Factbook, CIA.gov)

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