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East & Southeast Asia :: Japan

- ## Introduction :: JAPAN

- 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. The catastrophe hobbled the country's economy and its energy infrastructure, and tested its ability to deal with humanitarian disasters. Prime Minister Shinzo ABE was reelected to office in December 2012, and has since embarked on ambitious economic and security reforms to improve Japan’s economy and bolster the country’s international standing.

- ## Geography :: JAPAN

- Location:
  Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
  Geographic coordinates:
  36 00 N, 138 00 E
  Map references:
  Asia
  Area:
  total: 377,915 sq km
  land: 364,485 sq km
  water: 13,430 sq km
  note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)
  country comparison to the world: 62
  Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than California
  Area comparison map:
  Land boundaries:
  0 km
  Coastline:
  29,751 km
  Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  Climate:
  varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
  Terrain:
  mostly rugged and mountainous
  Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m
  highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m
  Natural resources:
  negligible mineral resources, fish
  note: with virtually no natural energy resources, Japan is the world's largest importer of coal and liquefied natural gas, as well as the second largest importer of oil
  Land use:
  agricultural land: 12.5%
  arable land 11.7%; permanent crops 0.8%; permanent pasture 0%
  forest: 68.5%
  other: 19% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  25,000 sq km (2010)
  Total renewable water resources:
  430 cu km (2011)
  Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
  total: 90.04 cu km/yr (20%/18%/62%)
  per capita: 714.3 cu m/yr (2007)
  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 (elev. 1,500 m) and Sakura-jima (elev. 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
  Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere; following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan now seeks to make itself nuclear free by the 2030s
  Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
  Geography - note:
  strategic location in northeast Asia

- ## People and Society :: JAPAN

- Nationality:
  noun: Japanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Japanese
  Ethnic groups:
  Japanese 98.5%, Koreans 0.5%, Chinese 0.4%, other 0.6%
  note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japan in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil (2004)
  Languages:
  Japanese
  Religions:
  Shintoism 79.2%, Buddhism 66.8%, Christianity 1.5%, other 7.1%
  note: total adherents exceeds 100% because many people practice both Shintoism and Buddhism (2012 est.)
  Population:
  126,919,659 (July 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 11
  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 13.11% (male 8,582,648/female 8,051,706)
  15-24 years: 9.68% (male 6,436,948/female 5,846,808)
  25-54 years: 37.87% (male 23,764,421/female 24,297,773)
  55-64 years: 12.76% (male 8,104,835/female 8,084,317)
  65 years and over: 26.59% (male 14,693,811/female 19,056,392) (2015 est.)
  population pyramid:
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 64.5%
  youth dependency ratio: 21.1%
  elderly dependency ratio: 43.3%
  potential support ratio: 2.3% (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 46.5 years
  male: 45.2 years
  female: 47.9 years (2015 est.)
  Population growth rate:
  -0.16% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 212
  Birth rate:
  7.93 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 222
  Death rate:
  9.51 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 54
  Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 93
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 93.5% of total population (2015)
  rate of urbanization: 0.56% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  TOKYO (capital) 38.001 million; Osaka-Kobe 20.238 million; Nagoya 9.406 million; Kitakyushu-Fukuoka 5.51 million; Shizuoka-Hamamatsu 3.369 million; Sapporo 2.571 million (2015)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-24 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 2.08 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 2.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 1.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 222
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 84.74 years
  male: 81.4 years
  female: 88.26 years (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 2
  Total fertility rate:
  1.4 children born/woman (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 211
  Contraceptive prevalence rate:
  54.3%
  note: percent of women aged 20-49 (2005)
  Health expenditures:
  10.3% of GDP (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 22
  Physicians density:
  2.3 physicians/1,000 population (2010)
  Hospital bed density:
  13.7 beds/1,000 population (2009)
  Drinking water source:
  improved:
  urban: 100% of population
  rural: 100% of population
  total: 100% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 0% of population
  rural: 0% of population
  total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved:
  urban: 100% of population
  rural: 100% of population
  total: 100% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 0% of population
  rural: 0% of population
  total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
  3.5% (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 157
  Education expenditures:
  3.8% of GDP (2012)
  country comparison to the world: 115
  School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
  total: 15 years
  male: 15 years
  female: 15 years (2012)
  Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
  total: 7.9%
  male: 8.7%
  female: 7.1% (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 114

- ## Government :: JAPAN

- Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Japan
  local long form: Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku
  local short form: Nihon/Nippon
  Government type:
  a parliamentary government with a constitutional monarchy
  Capital:
  name: Tokyo
  geographic coordinates: 35 41 N, 139 45 E
  time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
  Administrative divisions:
  47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi
  Independence:
  3 May 1947 (current constitution adopted as amendment to Meiji Constitution); notable earlier dates: 660 B.C. (traditional date of the founding of the nation by Emperor JIMMU); 29 November 1890 (Meiji Constitution provides for constitutional monarchy)
  National holiday:
  Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)
  Constitution:
  previous 1890; latest approved 6 October 1946, adopted 3 November 1946, effective 3 May 1947 (2013)
  Legal system:
  civil law system based on German model; system also reflects Anglo-American influence and Japanese traditions; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
  International law organization participation:
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
  Suffrage:
  20 years of age; universal
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)
  head of government: Prime Minister Shinzo ABE (since 26 December 2012); Deputy Prime Minister Taro ASO (since 26 December 2012)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
  elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister
  Legislative branch:
  description: bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or Sangi-in (242 seats; 146 members directly elected by majority vote and 96 directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) and the House of Representatives or Shugi-in (475 seats; 295 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 180 directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve maximum 4-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 2 years)
  elections: House of Councillors - last held on 21 July 2013 (next to be held in July 2016); House of Representatives - last held on 14 December 2014 (next to be held by 15 December 2016)
  election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPD 115, DPJ 59, New Komeito 20, Your Party 18, JCP 11, JRP 9, SDP 3, others 4, independents 3
  House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - LDP 61.26%, DPJ 15.37%, JIP 8.63%, New Komeito 7.37%, JCP 4.42%, PFG .42%, SDP .42%, PLP .42%, independents 1.68%; seats by party - LDP 291, DPJ 73, JIP 41, New Komeito 35, JCP 21, PFG 2, SDP 2, PLP 2, independents 8
  note: the 2013 amended electoral law - effective for the December 2016 election - reduced to 475 the number of seats in the House of Representatives
  Judicial branch:
  highest court(s): Supreme Court or Saiko saibansho (consists of the chief justice and 14 associate justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in constitutional issues
  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 at the first general election of the House of Representatives following each judge's appointment and every 10 years afterward
  subordinate 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)
  Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Banri KAIEDA]
  Japan Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII]
  Japan Innovation Party or JIP [Kenji EDA]
  Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Shinzo ABE]
  New Komeito or NK [Natsuo YAMAGUCHI]
  Party for Future Generations or PFG [Shintaro ISHIHARA]
  People's Life Party or PLP [Ichiro OZAWA]
  Social Democratic Party or SDP [Tadatomo YOSHIDA]
  Political pressure groups and leaders:
  other: business groups; trade unions
  International organization participation:
  ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, CPLP (associate), EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
  Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kenichiro SASAE (since 19 November 2012)
  chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187
  consulate(s) general: Anchorage (AK), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Honolulu (HI), Houston, Las Vegas (NV), Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville (TN), New Orleans, New York, Oklahoma City (OK), Orlando (FL), Philadelphia (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Portland (OR), San Francisco, Seattle, Saipan (Puerto Rico), Tamuning (Guam)
  Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Caroline Bouvier KENNEDY (since 19 November 2013)
  embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420
  mailing address: Unit 9800, Box 300, APO AP 96303-0300
  telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000
  FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862
  consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo
  consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya
  Flag description:
  white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center
  National symbol(s):
  red sun disc, chrysanthemum; national colors: red, white
  National anthem:
  name: "Kimigayo" (The Emperor"s Reign)
  lyrics/music: unknown/Hiromori HAYASHI
  note: adopted 1999; unofficial national anthem since 1883; oldest anthem lyrics in the world, dating to the 10th century or earlier; there is some opposition to the anthem because of its association with militarism and worship of the emperor

- ## Economy :: JAPAN

- Economy - overview:
  In the years following World War II, government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP) helped Japan develop an advanced economy. Two notable characteristics of the post-war economy were the close interlocking structures of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors, known as keiretsu, and the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force. Both features are now eroding under the dual pressures of global competition and domestic demographic change. Scarce in many natural resources, Japan has long been dependent on imported raw materials. Since the complete shutdown of Japan’s nuclear reactors after the earthquake and tsunami disaster in 2011, Japan's industrial sector has become even more dependent than it was previously on imported fossil fuels. A small agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. While self-sufficient in rice production, Japan imports about 60% of its food on a caloric basis. For three decades, overall real economic growth had been impressive - a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the aftereffects of inefficient investment and an asset price bubble in the late 1980s that required a protracted period of time for firms to reduce excess debt, capital, and labor. Modest economic growth continued after 2000, but the economy has fallen into recession four times since 2008. Government stimulus spending helped the economy recover in late 2009 and 2010, but the economy contracted again in 2011 as the massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake and the ensuing tsunami in March of that year disrupted manufacturing. The economy has largely recovered in the four years since the disaster, although reconstruction in the affected Tohoku region has lagged, in part due to a shortage of labor in the construction sector. Japan enjoyed a sharp uptick in growth in 2013 on the basis of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s “Three Arrows” economic revitalization agenda - dubbed “Abenomics” - of monetary easing, “flexible” fiscal policy, and structural reform. Abe’s government has replaced the preceding administration’s plan to phase out nuclear power with a new policy of seeking to restart nuclear power plants that meet strict new safety standards, and emphasizing nuclear energy’s importance as a base-load electricity source. Japan joined the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations in 2013, a pact that would open Japan's economy to increased foreign competition and create new export opportunities for Japanese businesses. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis that adjusts for price differences, Japan in 2014 stood as the fourth-largest economy in the world after first-place China, which surpassed Japan in 2001, and third-place India, which edged out Japan in 2012. While seeking to stimulate and reform the economy, the government must also devise a strategy for reining in Japan's huge government debt, which amounts to more than 230% of GDP. To help raise government revenue, Japan adopted legislation in 2012 to gradually raise the consumption tax rate to 10% by 2015, beginning with a hike from 5% to 8% implemented in April 2014. That increase had a contractionary effect on GDP, however, so PM Abe in late 2014 decided to postpone the final phase of the increase until April 2017 to give the economy more time to recover. Led by the Bank of Japan’s aggressive monetary easing, Japan is making progress in ending deflation, but demographics - low birthrate and an aging, shrinking population - pose major long-term challenges for the economy.
  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $4.751 trillion (2014 est.)
  $4.754 trillion (2013 est.)
  $4.678 trillion (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 5
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $4.616 trillion (2014 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  -0.1% (2014 est.)
  1.6% (2013 est.)
  1.8% (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 173
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $37,400 (2014 est.)
  $37,400 (2013 est.)
  $36,800 (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 43
  Gross national saving:
  22.4% of GDP (2014 est.)
  21.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
  21.9% of GDP (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 56
  GDP - composition, by end use:
  household consumption: 60.8%
  government consumption: 20.6%
  investment in fixed capital: 22.2%
  investment in inventories: -0.5%
  exports of goods and services: 17.3%
  imports of goods and services: -20.4%
  (2014 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  agriculture: 1.2%
  industry: 24.5%
  services: 74.3% (2013 est.)
  Agriculture - products:
  vegetables, rice, fish, poultry, fruit, dairy products, pork, beef, flowers, potatoes/taros/yams, sugar cane, tea, legumes, wheat and barley
  Industries:
  among world's largest and most technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods
  Industrial production growth rate:
  2% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 135
  Labor force:
  65.48 million (February 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 9
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 2.9%
  industry: 26.2%
  services: 70.9% (2015 February est.)
  Unemployment rate:
  3.6% (2014 est.)
  4% (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 30
  Population below poverty line:
  16.1% (2013 est.)
  Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 2.7%
  highest 10%: 24.8% (2008)
  Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37.9 (2011)
  24.9 (1993)
  country comparison to the world: 75
  Budget:
  revenues: $1.512 trillion
  expenditures: $1.84 trillion (2014 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  31.7% of GDP (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 65
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  -6.9% of GDP (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 196
  Public debt:
  231.9% of GDP (2014 est.)
  227.2% of GDP (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 1
  Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.7% (2014 est.)
  0.4% (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 120
  Central bank discount rate:
  0.3% (31 December 2014)
  0.3% (31 December 2013)
  country comparison to the world: 145
  Commercial bank prime lending rate:
  1.48% (31 December 2014 est.)
  1.48% (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 183
  Stock of narrow money:
  $5.403 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $5.817 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 3
  Stock of broad money:
  $8.073 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $8.035 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 4
  Stock of domestic credit:
  $11.88 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $11.92 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 4
  Market value of publicly traded shares:
  $4.782 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $4.584 trillion (31 December 2013)
  $3.715 trillion (31 December 2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 4
  Current account balance:
  $45.42 billion (2014 est.)
  $33.63 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 15
  Exports:
  $710.5 billion (2014 est.)
  $714.9 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 5
  Exports - commodities:
  motor vehicles 14.9%; iron and steel products 5.4%; semiconductors 5%; auto parts 4.8%; power generating machinery 3.5%; plastic materials 3.3% (2014 est.)
  Exports - partners:
  US 18.9%, China 18.3%, South Korea 7.5%, Hong Kong 5.5%, Thailand 4.5% (2014)
  Imports:
  $811.9 billion (2014 est.)
  $832.6 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 5
  Imports - commodities:
  petroleum 16.1%; liquid natural gas 9.1%; clothing 3.8%; semiconductors 3.3%; coal 2.4%; audio and visual apparatus 1.4% (2014 est.)
  Imports - partners:
  China 22.3%, US 9%, Australia 5.9%, Saudi Arabia 5.9%, UAE 5.1%, Qatar 4.1%, South Korea 4.1% (2014)
  Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.267 trillion (2013 est.)
  $1.268 trillion (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 2
  Debt - external:
  $5.18 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)
  $4.026 trillion (31 December 2012)
  country comparison to the world: 6
  Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
  $205.5 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $185.7 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 28
  Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
  $1.284 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $1.117 trillion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 7
  Exchange rates:
  yen (JPY) per US dollar -
  105.8 (2014 est.)
  97.6 (2013 est.)
  79.79 (2012 est.)
  79.81 (2011 est.)
  87.78 (2010 est.)

- ## Energy :: JAPAN

- Electricity - production:
  936.2 billion kWh (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 6
  Electricity - consumption:
  859.7 billion kWh (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 5
  Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 155
  Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 161
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  287.3 million kW (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 3
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  71% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 108
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  16.9% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 12
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  8.5% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 118
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  3.6% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 60
  Crude oil - production:
  11,010 bbl/day (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 76
  Crude oil - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 133
  Crude oil - imports:
  3.441 million bbl/day (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 4
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  541.6 million bbl (March, 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 80
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  3.294 million bbl/day (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 6
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  4.3 million bbl/day (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 4
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  309,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 23
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  951,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 6
  Natural gas - production:
  2.822 billion cu m (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 54
  Natural gas - consumption:
  127.2 billion cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 6
  Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 120
  Natural gas - imports:
  116.9 billion cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 2
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  20.9 billion cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 75
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  1.276 billion Mt (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 6

- ## Communications :: JAPAN

- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 63.61 million
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 50 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 4
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total: 152.7 million
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 120 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 8
  Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
  domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of every kind
  international: country code - 81; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 7 Intelsat (Pacific and Indian Oceans), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region), 2 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions), and 8 SkyPerfect JSAT (2012)
  Broadcast media:
  a mixture of public and commercial broadcast TV and radio stations; 6 national terrestrial TV networks including 1 public broadcaster; the large number of radio and TV stations available provide a wide range of choices; satellite and cable services provide access to international channels (2012)
  Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 215 (plus 370 repeaters), FM 89 (plus 485 repeaters), shortwave 21 (2001)
  Television broadcast stations:
  211; note - in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services (1999)
  Internet country code:
  .jp
  Internet users:
  total: 109.3 million
  percent of population: 86.0% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 5

- ## Transportation :: JAPAN

- Airports:
  175 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 33
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 142
  over 3,047 m: 6
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 45
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 38
  914 to 1,523 m: 28
  under 914 m: 25 (2013)
  Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 33
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m:
  28 (2013)
  Heliports:
  16 (2013)
  Pipelines:
  gas 4,456 km; oil 174 km; oil/gas/water 104 km (2013)
  Railways:
  total: 27,155 km
  standard gauge: 4,343 km 1.435-m gauge (4,343 km electrified)
  dual gauge: 132 km 1.435-1.067-m gauge (132 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 96 km 1.372-m gauge (96 km electrified); 22,536 km 1.067-m gauge (13,253 km electrified); 48 km 0.762-m gauge (48 km electrified) (2012)
  country comparison to the world: 11
  Roadways:
  total: 1,217,128 km
  paved: 988,536 km (includes 7,803 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 228,592 km (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 6
  Waterways:
  1,770 km (seagoing vessels use inland seas) (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 44
  Merchant marine:
  total: 684
  by type: bulk carrier 168, cargo 34, carrier 3, chemical tanker 29, container 2, liquefied gas 58, passenger 11, passenger/cargo 117, petroleum tanker 152, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 52, vehicle carrier 54
  registered in other countries: 3,122 (Bahamas 88, Bermuda 2, Burma 1, Cambodia 1, Cayman Islands 23, China 2, Cyprus 16, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 79, Indonesia 8, Isle of Man 19, Liberia 110, Luxembourg 3, Malaysia 2, Malta 5, Marshall Islands 59, Mongolia 2, Netherlands 1, Panama 2372, Philippines 77, Portugal 9, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Sierra Leone 4, Singapore 164, South Korea 14, Tanzania 1, UK 5, Vanuatu 39, unknown 7) (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 16
  Ports and terminals:
  major seaport(s): Chiba, Kawasaki, Kobe, Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo, Tomakomai, Yokohama
  container port(s) (TEUs): Kobe (2,725,304), Nagoya (2,471,821), Osaka (2,172,797), Tokyo (4,416,119), Yokohama (2,992,517)
  LNG terminal(s) (import): Chita, Fukwoke, Futtsu, Hachinone, Hakodate, Hatsukaichi, Higashi Ohgishima, Higashi Niigata, Himeiji, Joetsu, Kagoshima, Kawagoe, Kita Kyushu, Mizushima, Nagasaki, Naoetsu, Negishi, Ohgishima, Oita, Sakai, Sakaide, Senboku, Shimizu, Shin Minato, Sodegaura, Tobata, Yanai, Yokkaichi; Okinawa - Nakagusuku

- ## Military :: JAPAN

- Military branches:
  Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD): Ground Self-Defense Force (Rikujou Jieitai, GSDF), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jieitai, MSDF), Air Self-Defense Force (Koukuu Jieitai, ASDF) (2011)
  Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; mandatory retirement at age 53 for senior enlisted personnel and at 62 years for senior service officers (2012)
  Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 27,301,443
  females age 16-49: 26,307,003 (2010 est.)
  Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 22,390,431
  females age 16-49: 21,540,322 (2010 est.)
  Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
  male: 623,365
  female: 591,253 (2010 est.)
  Military expenditures:
  0.97% of GDP (2012)
  1.01% of GDP (2011)
  0.99% of GDP (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 102

- ## Transnational Issues :: JAPAN

- Disputes - international:
  the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "Northern Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kuril Islands," occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Japan and South Korea claim Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do) occupied by South Korea since 1954; the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands are also claimed by China and Taiwan
  Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  stateless persons: 635 (2014)

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