JAPAN GEOGRAPHY Total area: 377,835 km2; land area: 374,744 km2; includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okinotori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto) Comparative area: slightly smaller than California Land boundaries: none Coastline: 29,751 km Maritime claims: Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm (3 nm in international straits--La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait) Disputes: Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan Islands and the Habomai island group occupied by Soviet Union since 1945, claimed by Japan; Liancourt Rocks disputed with South Korea; Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands) claimed by China and Taiwan Climate: varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish Land use: arable land 13%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 1%; forest and woodland 67%; other 18%; includes irrigated 9% Environment: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; subject to tsunamis Note: strategic location in northeast Asia PEOPLE Population: 124,017,137 (July 1991), growth rate 0.4% (1991) Birth rate: 10 births/1,000 population (1991) Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1991) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991) Infant mortality rate: 4 deaths/1,000 live births (1991) Life expectancy at birth: 76 years male, 82 years female (1991) Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1991) Nationality: noun--Japanese (sing., pl.); adjective--Japanese Ethnic divisions: Japanese 99.4%, other (mostly Korean) 0.6% Religion: most Japanese observe both Shinto and Buddhist rites so the percentages add to more than 100%--Shinto 95.8%, Buddhist 76.3%, Christian 1.4%, other 12% (1985) Language: Japanese Literacy: 99% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1970 est.) Labor force: 63,330,000; trade and services 54%; manufacturing, mining, and construction 33%; agriculture, forestry, and fishing 7%; government 3% (1988) Organized labor: about 29% of employed workers; public service 76.4%, transportation and telecommunications 57.9%, mining 48.7%, manufacturing 33.7%, services 18.2%, wholesale, retail, and restaurant 9.3% GOVERNMENT Long-form name: none Type: constitutional monarchy Capital: Tokyo Administrative divisions: 47 prefectures (fuken, singular and plural); Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, 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: 660 BC, traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu Constitution: 3 May 1947 Legal system: civil law system with English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations National holiday: Birthday of the Emperor, 23 December (1933) Executive branch: emperor, prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral Diet (Kokkai) consists of an upper house or House of Councillors (Sangi-in) and a lower house or House of Representatives (Shugi-in) Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State--Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989); Head of Government--Prime Minister Kiichi MIYAZAWA (since 5 November 1991) Political parties and leaders: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Toshiki KAIFU, president; Keizo OBUCHI, secretary general; Japan Socialist Party (JSP), T. DOI, chairman; Democratic Socialist Party (DSP), Keigo OUCHI, chairman; Japan Communist Party (JCP), K. MIYAMOTO, Presidium chairman; Komeito (Clean Government Party, CGP), Koshiro ISHIDA, chairman Suffrage: universal at age 20 Elections: House of Councillors--last held on 23 July 1989 (next to be held 23 July 1992); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(252 total, 100 elected) LDP 109, JSP 67, CGP 21, JCP 14, other 41; House of Representatives--last held on 18 February 1990 (next to be held by February 1993); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(512 total) LDP 275, JSP 136, CGP 45, JCP 16, DSP 14, other parties 5, independents 21; note--9 independents are expected to join the LDP, 5 the JSP Communists: about 490,000 registered Communist party members Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), APEC, AsDB, BIS, CCC, COCOM, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-2, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, NEA, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Ryohei MURATA; Chancery at 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 939-6700; there are Japanese Consulates General in Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City (Missouri), Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland (Oregon), and a Consulate in Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands); US--Ambassador Michael H. ARMACOST; Embassy at 10-1, Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku (107), Tokyo (mailing address is APO San Francisco 96503); telephone 81 (3) 3224-5000; there are US Consulates General in Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, and Sapporo and a Consulate in Fukuoka Flag: white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center ECONOMY Overview: Although Japan has few natural resources, since 1971 it has become the world's third-largest economy, ranking behind only the US and the USSR. Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, and a comparatively small defense allocation have helped Japan advance rapidly, notably in high-technology fields. Industry, the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. Self-sufficent in rice, Japan must import 50% of its requirements for other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. Overall economic growth has been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1990 strong investment and consumption spending helped maintain growth at 5.6%. Inflation remains low at 3.1% despite higher oil prices and rising wages because of a tight labor market. Japan continues to run a huge trade surplus, $52 billion in 1990, which supports extensive investment in foreign properties. GNP: $2,115.2 billion, per capita $17,100; real growth rate 5.6% (1990) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.1% (1990) Unemployment rate: 2.1% (1990) Budget: revenues $499 billion; expenditures $532 billion, including capital expenditures (public works only) of $52 billion (FY90) Exports: $286.5 billion (f.o.b., 1990); commodities--manufactures 97% (including machinery 38%, motor vehicles 17%, consumer electronics 10%); partners--US 31%, Southeast Asia 29%, Western Europe 21%, Communist countries 3%, Middle East 3% Imports: $234.7 billion (c.i.f., 1990); commodities--manufactures 50%, fossil fuels 24%, foodstuffs and raw materials 26%; partners--Southeast Asia 23%, US 23%, Western Europe 18%, Middle East 13%, Communist countries 7% External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate 4.6% (1990 est.); accounts for 30% of GDP (mining and manufacturing) Electricity: 191,000,000 kW capacity; 790,000 million kWh produced, 6,390 kWh per capita (1989) Industries: metallurgy, engineering, electrical and electronic, textiles, chemicals, automobiles, fishing, telecommunications Agriculture: accounts for only 2% of GNP; highly subsidized and protected sector, with crop yields among highest in world; principal crops--rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; animal products include pork, poultry, dairy and eggs; about 50% self-sufficient in food production; shortages of wheat, corn, soybeans; world's largest fish catch of 11.9 million metric tons in 1988 Economic aid: donor--ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $83.2 billion; ODA outlay of $7.9 billion in 1989 Currency: yen (plural--yen); 1 yen (Y) = 100 sen Exchange rates: yen (Y) per US$1--133.88 (January 1991), 144.79 (1990), 137.96 (1989), 128.15 (1988), 144.64 (1987), 168.52 (1986), 238.54 (1985) Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March COMMUNICATIONS Railroads: 27,327 km total; 2,012 km 1.435-meter standard gauge and 25,315 km predominantly 1.067-meter narrow gauge; 5,724 km doubletrack and multitrack sections, 9,038 km 1.067-meter narrow-gauge electrified, 2,012 km 1.435-meter standard-gauge electrified (1987) Highways: 1,098,900 km total; 718,700 km paved, 380,200 km gravel, crushed stone, or unpaved; 3,900 km national expressways, 46,544 km national highways, 43,907 km principal local roads, 86,930 km prefectural roads, and 917,619 other (1987) Inland waterways: about 1,770 km; seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas Pipelines: crude oil, 84 km; refined products, 322 km; natural gas, 1,800 km Ports: Chiba, Muroran, Kitakyushu, Kobe, Tomakomai, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo, Yokkaichi, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Niigata, Fushiki-Toyama, Shimizu, Himeji, Wakayama-Shimozu, Shimonoseki, Tokuyama-Shimomatsu Merchant marine: 1,019 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,396,958 GRT/34,683,035 DWT; includes 9 passenger, 55 short-sea passenger, 4 passenger cargo, 95 cargo, 40 container, 33 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 125 refrigerated cargo, 99 vehicle carrier, 231 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 14 chemical tanker, 41 liquefied gas, 11 combination ore/oil, 3 specialized tanker, 257 bulk, 2 combination bulk; note--Japan also owns a large flag of convenience fleet, including up to 40% of the total number of ships under Panamanian flag Civil air: 360 major transport aircraft Airports: 165 total, 157 usable; 129 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 29 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 56 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: excellent domestic and international service; 64,000,000 telephones; stations--318 AM, 58 FM, 12,350 TV (196 major--1 kw or greater); satellite earth stations--4 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT; submarine cables to US (via Guam), Philippines, China, and USSR DEFENSE FORCES Branches: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force), Maritime Safety Agency (Coast Guard) Manpower availability: males 15-49, 32,256,893; 27,771,374 fit for military service; 992,255 reach military age (18) annually Defense expenditures: $NA, 1.0% of GNP (1990 est.)