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A Short History of Japan Description Japan is a country of contradictions and extremes. It is a country of age-old practices and cutting edge technology, strong martial traditions and refined artistic accomplishments. Few countries have been the subject of so much attention yet remain so elusive. Japan is an island nation defined by its close proximity to, yet isolation from the Asian mainland. Throughout history, ideas adopted from both Asia and the West have, through this isolation, evolved in Japan into unique cultural hybrids. The result is a society that has traces of many civilisations and yet its own distinctive identity. Despite the region's few natural resources and frequent natural disasters, Japanese society has learned to thrive through a complex network of dependency and obligation born of the need to work together in a country where survival is relatively difficult. From the influence of China to the impact of feudalism, modernisation and imperialism, from war and peace to the miracle economy and contemporary uncertainty, Curtis Andressen traces the threads of history, environment and culture that run through the centuries to explain much about the Japan of today. The People of Japan According to the 1996 national population census, Japan's total population was 125.7 million. This made Japan the seventh most populous nation in the world. The population has more than doubled since the first national census in 1920, when it was about 56 million. Population growth has slowed in recent years. The annual growth rate averaged 0.3% in the 1990-95 period, considerably lower than the world average of 1.6%. As of 1994 Japan' population density was 335.4 persons per square kilometer, one of the highest in the world. By comparison, the population density was 828 persons per square kilometer in Bangladesh, 440 in South Korea, 328 in Belgium, 237 in Britain, 124 in China and 27 in the United States (1992 figures). The people of Japan are mostly the residents of the islands of Honshu, Kyushu, Hokkaido and Shikoku, apart from these Japanese people has also settled in various parts of the world. ‘Nipponjin' and ‘Nihonjin' are the two Japanese terms which means people of Japan or Japanese people . Contemporary scientific researches have shown that the people of Japan have genetic resemblance to the Tibetans. Some theories have evolved in recent years which associate the origin of the Japanese people with the ‘Jomon' clan and the native Yayoi people. The term ‘ Japanese people' had a wider approach during the colonial times as it was used to refer to the residents of Taiwanese population and the Korean populace. Population wise Japan ranks tenth worldwide and the recent census of 2002 declare that there are about 127 million Japanese people in the world living in Japan and in other parts of the planet. The Japanese population is facing a steady decline in the recent years as the birth rate has dropped considerably. The western influence on the oriental culture of Japan has led to the shrinkage of family tradition and small households have become the latest trend. The young population of Japan is also low in comparison to the other nations due to the lack of interest in conception by the young couples. People of Japan all over the world have a homogenous and identical culture, tradition and language. The national language of Japan is Japanese which is of the Altaic language group. The Japanese language is comparatively easy to enunciate and pronounce. The main religions which are practiced by most of the people of Japan are Buddhism and Shinto. Religions do not play a big role in the everyday life of Japanese people and sometimes both the religions are practiced at a time by few of them. The population of Japan is high in comparison to the area of the country thus the density is also relatively high. Most of the people are urban residents and concentration is limited to the cities. The low lands by the coasts give shelter to a mass of people in Japan. The parts of the world other than their native land where Japanese people has most emigrated are Latin American countries and United States Japan is around 377, 835 sq km. Population: The population of Japan is around 128 million. System of government: Japan is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government. Capital: Tokyo, with a population of more than 8 million inhabitants, is the capital of Japan. Religion: Shinto and Buddhism. Official Language: The official language is Japanese. Government: Japan is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government.

Climate: Japan experiences a temperate climate. Units of measure and electricity: Japan follows the metric system of measurement, with the traditional system still in use in some parts of the country. The official electricity unit is 100V, with 50 Hz in east Japan and 60 Hz in west Japan. Time Zone: The Japanese standard time is GMT + 9. Currency: Yen (1 € = 163.246 JPY). Travel documents required: Nationals of 62 countries (list available at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Website) enjoy a waiver of visa requirements for a stipulated time of stay. Nationals of other countries require a visa for travel. Economy Japan has the second largest market economy in the world. The main sectors include banking, real estate, transportation, telecommunication, science and technology, insurance and retail. Japan’s main exports are electronic goods, automobiles, machinery and chemicals. The average daily cost of living for a tourist is about 10,000 JPY; an average meal costs about 2000 JPY. When in Japan, opt for a Japan Rail Pass. It allows for unlimited rides on the local rail system.

Economy of Japan

The economy of Japan is the second largest economy in the world,[1] after the United States, at around US$4.5 trillion in terms of nominal GDP[1] and third after the United States and China when adjusted for purchasing power parity.[2] The workers of Japan rank 18th in the world in GDP per hour worked as of 2006.[3] Japan's economy is highly efficient, highly diversified, and very competitive, being ranked 19th among 111 countries on productivity. Japan has a well-educated work force and high levels of savings and investment rates. For three decades, Japan's overall real economic growth had been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s.[4] Sliding stock and real estate prices marked the end of the "Japanese asset price bubble" of the late 1980s, and ushered in a decade of stagnant economic growth. These problems may have been exacerbated by domestic policies intended to wring speculative excesses from the stock and real estate markets. Real GDP in Japan grew at an average of roughly 1.5% yearly between 1991-1999, compared to growth in the 1980s of about 4% per year. Growth in Japan throughout the 1990s was slower than growth in other major industrial nations, and the same as in France and Germany. 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.[5] However, GDP per worker has increased steadily even through the nineties, given asds sdscan to recover, growing at 2.0% per year in 2003 and 2004, and 2.8 percent in 2005. Unlike previous recovery trends, domestic consumption has been the dominant factor in leading the growth. As predicted, the economic recovery continued in 2006 and 2007. Government and politics Japan is a constitutional monarchy where the power of the Emperor is very limited. As a ceremonial figurehead, he is defined by the constitution as "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people". Power is held chiefly by the Prime Minister of Japan and other elected members of the Diet, while sovereignty is vested in the Japanese people.[26] The Emperor effectively acts as the head of state on diplomatic occasions. Akihito is the current Emperor of Japan. Naruhito, Crown Prince of Japan, stands as next in line to the throne. Japan's legislative organ is the National Diet, a bicameral parliament. The Diet consists of a House of Representatives, containing 480 seats, elected by popular vote every four years or when dissolved and a House of Councillors of 242 seats, whose popularly elected members serve six-year terms. There is universal suffrage for adults over 20 years of age,[6] with a secret ballot for all elective offices.[26] The liberal conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has been in power since 1955, except for a short-lived coalition government formed from opposition parties in 1993.[27] The largest opposition party is the social liberal Democratic Party of Japan. The Prime Minister of Japan is the head of government. The position 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 (the literal translation of his Japanese title is "Prime Minister of the Cabinet") and appoints and dismisses the Ministers of State, a majority of whom must be Diet members. Taro Aso currently serves as the Prime Minister of Japan.[28] Historically influenced by Chinese law, the Japanese legal system developed independently during the Edo period through texts such as Kujikata Osadamegaki. However, since the late nineteenth century, the judicial system has been largely based on the civil law of Europe, notably France and Germany. For example, in 1896, the Japanese government established a civil code based on the German model. With post-World War II modifications, the code remains in effect in present-day Japan.[29] Statutory law originates in Japan's legislature, the National Diet of Japan, with the rubber stamp approval of the Emperor. The current constitution requires that the Emperor promulgates legislation passed by the Diet, without specifically giving him the power to oppose the passing of the legislation.[26] Japan's court system is divided into four basic tiers: the Supreme Court and three levels of lower courts.[30] The main body of Japanese statutory law is a collection called the Six Codes.[29]