Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia located in the Pacific Ocean. The islands stretch between the Sea of Okhotsk, the Sea of Japan and the Philippine Sea. While the archipelago consists of 6,852 islands, 97% of the country’s population is concentrated on the four largest islands Honsu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shitoku.

Population estimate (2019): 126,967,394

Capital City: Tokyo, located on Honshu

Currency used: Japanese Yen

Gross National Income per capita (2012) (PPP international $): 37,630

Time zone: GMT + 9

Population growth rate (2019): –0.20%

Total fertility rate per woman: 1.41

Languages: Japanese is the official and most widely spoken language. Numerous dialects exist, and the Tokyo dialect is considered standard Japanese. The indigenous language Ryukyuan is also widely spoken. Common foreign languages spoken are English, Russian and German.

Key ethnic groups: Approximately 98.5% of the population is of Japanese ethnicity. The largest native ethnic group is the Yamoto people; the Ainu and Ryukyuan people are the largest indigenous minority groups. The largest groups of foreign workers are Koreans, Chinese, Brazilians and Peruvians.

Religion: Shinto and Buddhism are the most practiced religions in Japan.

Literacy: 99%

Climate: Generally Japan has a temperate marine climate with distinct seasonal changes and some regional variation. The north of Japan is cold and snowy in the winter, while the central regions are temperate and the southern regions almost tropical. There is no real dry season, but summer is the rainiest season. In Tokyo (and most other areas in Honshu) winters are mild and summers warm and wet. The average temperature in Tokyo during the hottest month (August) is 26ºc and 5ºc in the coldest month (January). Typhoons are common, usually in August and September.