Japan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Japan
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State Seal:
大日本國璽 (Dai Nihon Kokuji) "National Seal of Greater Japan"  |
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Location of Japan Territory claimed but not controlled
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| Capital and largest city
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Tokyo 35°41′N 139°46′E / 35.683°N 139.767°E |
| Recognised national languages | Japanese (de facto) |
| Recognised regional languages | Ainu |
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Unrecognized regional languages
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Ryukyuan languages Hachijō |
| Demonym(s) | Japanese |
| Government | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
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• Emperor
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Naruhito |
| Shigeru Ishiba | |
| Legislature | National Diet |
| House of Councillors | |
| House of Representatives | |
| Formation | |
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• Meiji Constitution
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November 29, 1890 |
| May 3, 1947 | |
| Area | |
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• Total
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377,975 km2 (145,937 sq mi) (62nd) |
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• Water (%)
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1.4 |
| Population | |
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• March 1, 2024 estimate
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 123,970,000 (11th) |
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• 2020 census
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126,146,099 |
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• Density
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330/km2 (854.7/sq mi) (44th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2024 estimate |
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• Total
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 $6.572 trillion (4th) |
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• Per capita
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$53,059 (34th) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2024 estimate |
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• Total
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 $4.070 trillion (4th) |
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• Per capita
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$32,859 (30th) |
| Gini (2018) | ▼ 33.4 medium |
| HDI (2022) | 0.920 very high · 24th |
| Currency | Japanese yen (¥) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| Driving side | left |
| Calling code | +81 |
| ISO 3166 code | JP |
| Internet TLD | .jp |
Japan (Japanese: 日本; Romanised as nihon or nippon) is a country in East Asia. It is a group of many islands located near the east coast of Korea, China, and Russia. The Pacific Ocean is to the east of Japan, and the Sea of Japan is to the west. Most people in Japan live on one of four main islands. The largest of these islands, Honshu, has the most people and is the 7th largest island in the world. Tokyo is the capital of Japan and its biggest city.
The Japanese people call their country "Nihon" or "Nippon," which means "the origin of the Sun" in Japanese. Japan is a monarchy, which means it has a king or queen as its head of state. In Japan, the head of state is called the Emperor.
Contents
History of Japan
The first people in Japan were the Ainu people and other Jōmon people. Later, the Yayoi people arrived, mainly from southeastern China, between 300 BCE and 300 CE. Most modern Japanese people have Yayoi ancestors. However, the native Ryukyuan and Ainu have more Jōmon ancestry.
The earliest writings about Japan come from Chinese documents. One record mentions many small countries in Japan that fought each other. Later, a country ruled by a queen became the strongest, uniting others and bringing peace.
The Japanese started writing their own history after the 5th and 6th centuries. This was when people from Korea and China taught Japan about the Chinese writing system. Japan's neighbors also introduced them to Buddhism. The Japanese changed Buddhism in many ways, for example, by focusing more on ideas like Zen.
Contact with Europeans
Japan first met Europeans in the 16th century. The Portuguese were the first to visit, followed by the Spanish and Dutch for trade. They also brought Christianity. Japan's leaders initially welcomed them. But because Europeans had taken over many places in the world, the Japanese worried they might try to conquer Japan too.
So, the Japanese stopped most Europeans from entering the country. Only a small area in Nagasaki city was open. Many Christians were also killed. In the end, only Chinese, Korean, and Dutch people were allowed to visit Japan, and they were closely watched by the government.
Japan was opened to visitors again in 1854 by Commodore Matthew Perry. The Americans wanted to use Japanese ports for their whale hunting boats. Perry brought steamships with guns, which made the Japanese agree to a new treaty.
Modern Japan and World War II
This new contact with Europeans and Americans changed Japanese culture. The Meiji Restoration in 1868 ended some old traditions and brought in many new ones. The Empire of Japan was formed, becoming a powerful nation. It began to expand its territory, taking over the Ryukyu Kingdom, Taiwan, and Korea.
Japan fought wars with China and Russia, including the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War. The Second Sino-Japanese War later became part of World War II when Japan joined forces with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.
In 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, a U.S. naval base. This attack damaged many ships and airplanes, leading the United States to join World War II. American and Japanese forces fought in the Pacific. As America gained airbases closer to Japan, they began bombing Japanese cities.
To make Japan surrender, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These events greatly affected many lives. Soon after, the Soviet Union also began fighting Japan, and the Japanese army in Manchuria was defeated. Japan surrendered and gave up all the places it had taken from other countries. The United States then helped Japan write a new constitution, where Japan promised to never go to war again.
Geography
Japan is a group of islands in the Western Pacific, off the coast of China. The four biggest islands are Honshu, Hokkaido, Shikoku, and Kyushu. There are also about 6,000 smaller islands. The Sea of Japan and the East China Sea separate Japan from the Asian continent. Honshu, which means 'Mainland' in Japanese, is the biggest island. Hokkaido is north of Honshu, Kyushu is west, and Shikoku is southwest.
In the middle of Japan, there are many mountains. They cover the center of the islands, leaving only a narrow strip of flat land along most coasts. Many of these mountains are volcanoes. Some are still active, while others are not. The highest mountain is the beautiful, cone-shaped Mt Fuji, which is 3,776 meters (12,389 feet) high.
Japan experiences many earthquakes, about 1,500 every year. A major earthquake in 2011, called the '2011 Tohoku Earthquake', caused significant damage to power plants. This led Japan to shut down all its nuclear plants. There was also a nuclear core meltdown, which created health risks for nearby villages and cities.
Most of Japan's population, about 90%, lives in only 10% of the land, mostly near the coast. The other 10% of people live away from the coast. More than 10 cities in Japan have over a million people. The largest city is Tokyo, which is also the capital.
Climate
Japan's climate is mostly mild, but it changes a lot from north to south. In the northernmost region, Hokkaido, winters are long and cold, and summers are warm to cool. It doesn't rain heavily, but the islands usually get deep snow in winter.
Along Honshu's west coast, in the Sea of Japan region, strong northwest winds bring heavy snowfall during winter. In summer, this area can get very hot due to a type of wind called the foehn. The Central Highland has a typical inland climate, with big temperature differences between summer and winter.
The mountains in the Chūgoku and Shikoku regions protect the Seto Inland Sea from strong winds, making the weather mild all year. The Pacific coast has a humid subtropical climate. This means milder winters with some snow and hot, humid summers because of the southeast winds. The Ryukyu and Nanpō Islands have a subtropical climate, with warm winters and hot summers. It rains a lot there, especially during the rainy season. The main rainy season starts in early May in Okinawa and moves north. In late summer and early autumn, typhoons often bring heavy rain. The Environment Ministry says that heavy rainfall and rising temperatures are causing problems for farming and other areas. The highest temperature ever recorded in Japan was 41.1°C (106°F) on July 23, 2018, and again on August 17, 2020.
Biodiversity
Japan has nine different forest ecoregions, which show how varied the climate and geography are. These range from warm subtropical forests in the Ryūkyū and Bonin Islands to temperate broadleaf and mixed forests on the main islands. In the colder northern parts, there are temperate coniferous forests. As of 2019, Japan has over 90,000 species of wildlife. This includes animals like the brown bear, the Japanese macaque (a type of monkey), the Japanese raccoon dog, and the Japanese giant salamander.
Japan has created many national parks to protect important areas for plants and animals. There are also 52 Ramsar wetland sites. Four sites in Japan are recognized by UNESCO for their amazing natural beauty.
Economy
Japan has one of the largest economies in the world. It is the third largest in terms of its total economic output (called nominal GDP). It is the fourth largest when you compare how much things cost in different countries (called purchasing power parity).
As of 2017, about 65 million people were working in Japan. Japan's main exports are things like cars, other transportation equipment, iron and steel products, and computer chips.
Agriculture and Fishery
Farming in Japan makes up about 1.4% of the country's total economy. Only 12% of Japan's land is good for farming. Because there isn't much flat land, farmers use a system of terraces to grow crops on hillsides. This helps them get a lot of crops from small areas, making Japan one of the best in the world for crop yields per land area.
In 1996, Japan was the fourth largest country in the world for the amount of fish caught. In 2016, it was seventh, catching over 3 million metric tons of fish. Some people worry that Japan's fishing is causing a decrease in fish like tuna. Japan has also faced discussion for supporting whaling, which is the hunting of whales.
Industry
Japan has a very strong industrial sector. It is home to some of the biggest and most advanced companies that make cars, machine tools, steel, ships, chemicals, textiles, and processed foods.
Some major Japanese industrial companies include Canon Inc., Toshiba, and Nippon Steel. Japan's manufacturing output is the third highest in the world. Japan is also the third largest car producer globally, and it is where Toyota, the world's largest car company, is based.
Tourism
In 2016, Japan welcomed 24.03 million international tourists. People from all over the world visit Japan to experience its unique culture, beautiful scenery, and modern cities.
Science and Technology
Japan is a leader in scientific research, especially in natural sciences and engineering. Japanese scientists and engineers have helped advance many fields. These include farming sciences, electronics, industrial robotics, optics, chemicals, semiconductors, life science, and various types of engineering. Japan is a world leader in making and using robotics.
As of 2009, $6 billion of Japan's $20 billion gaming market came from arcades. This was the biggest part of the Japanese video game market. Home console games and mobile games followed. Japan is now the world's largest market for mobile games. In 2014, Japan's consumer video game market earned $9.6 billion, with $5.8 billion from mobile gaming.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is Japan's national space agency. It conducts research in space, planets, and aviation. JAXA also develops rockets and satellites.
Languages
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The Japanese language is Japan's main language. It is the language most people in the country speak and write. Japanese writing uses kanji (which are Chinese characters) and two sets of kana. Kana are syllabaries (symbols that represent syllables) based on cursive script and radicals used by kanji. The Latin alphabet and Arabic numerals are also used.
English has become very important in Japan for business and international connections. Because of this, English classes are now required at all levels of the Japanese school system.
Besides Japanese, the Ryukyuan languages are spoken in the Ryukyu Islands. These include Amami, Kunigami, Okinawan, Miyako, Yaeyama, and Yonaguni. Few children learn these languages today, but local governments are trying to make people more aware of these traditional languages. The Ainu language has only a few native speakers left as of 2014.
Also, other languages are taught and used by ethnic minorities, immigrant groups, and a growing number of foreign language students. These include Korean (including a special Zainichi Korean dialect), Chinese, and Portuguese.
Education
Since 1947, education in Japan has been required for nine years. This includes elementary school and junior high school. Almost all children then continue their education at a three-year senior high school. The top university in Japan is the University of Tokyo. Starting in April 2016, some schools began combining elementary and junior high school into one nine-year program. The MEXT plans for this to happen across the country.
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests the knowledge and skills of 15-year-olds. Japan's students are ranked as the third best in the world. Japan is one of the top-performing countries in reading, math, and science, with students scoring an average of 520. It also has one of the world's most educated workforces. As of 2021, Japan spent 7.4% of its total economic output on education. In 2021, Japan ranked third for the percentage of people aged 25 to 64 who have gone to college, with 55.6%. About 65% of Japanese people aged 25 to 34 have some form of college degree. Japanese women are more educated than men, with 59% of women having a university degree compared to 52% of men.
Culture
Modern Japanese culture mixes ideas from Asia, Europe, and North America. Traditional Japanese arts include crafts like ceramics, textiles, lacquerware, swords, and dolls. Performances include bunraku, kabuki, noh, dance, and rakugo. Other practices are the tea ceremony, ikebana (flower arranging), martial arts, calligraphy, origami, onsen (hot springs), Geisha, and games. Japan has a system to protect and promote its cultural treasures, both physical and non-physical. Twenty-two sites are on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and eighteen of these are important culturally. Japan is seen as a "cultural superpower" because of its influence around the world.
Art and Architecture
The history of Japanese painting shows a mix of native Japanese styles and ideas from other countries. Japanese and European art have influenced each other a lot. For example, ukiyo-e prints, which were sent to Europe in the 19th century, greatly influenced modern art in the West, especially a style called post-Impressionism.
Japanese architecture combines local styles with influences from other places. Traditionally, buildings were made of wood or mud plaster, raised slightly off the ground, with tiled or thatched roofs. The Shrines of Ise are seen as a perfect example of Japanese architecture. Traditional houses and many temple buildings use tatami mats and sliding doors. These features blur the lines between rooms and between indoor and outdoor spaces. Since the 19th century, Japan has adopted much of Western modern architecture. After World War II, Japanese architects like Kenzō Tange and movements like Metabolism started to make a big impact internationally.
Literature and Philosophy
The earliest Japanese writings include the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki (history books) and the Man'yōshū (a poetry collection). All of these are from the 8th century and were written using Chinese characters. In the early Heian period, a system of phonograms called kana (hiragana and katakana) was created. The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter is thought to be the oldest Japanese story still existing. The Pillow Book by Sei Shōnagon describes court life, while The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu is often called the world's first novel.
During the Edo period, ordinary townspeople became more important than the samurai in creating and enjoying literature. Writers like Saikaku showed this change. Bashō brought new life to poetry with his haikai (haiku) and wrote the travel story Oku no Hosomichi. In the Meiji era, traditional writing styles changed as Japanese literature took on Western influences. Natsume Sōseki and Mori Ōgai were important novelists in the early 20th century, followed by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, Kafū Nagai, and more recently, Haruki Murakami and Kenji Nakagami. Japan has two authors who have won the Nobel Prize in Literature – Yasunari Kawabata (1968) and Kenzaburō Ōe (1994).
Japanese philosophy has always been a mix of ideas from other cultures, especially Chinese and Western, along with unique Japanese elements. In its written forms, Japanese philosophy began about 1,400 years ago. Ideas from Confucianism are still seen in the Japanese idea of society and self, and in how the government and society are organized. Buddhism has also had a deep impact on Japanese thinking, beliefs, and art.
Performing Arts
Japanese music is very varied. Many instruments, like the koto, were brought to Japan in the 9th and 10th centuries. Popular folk music, often played with the guitar-like shamisen, dates back to the 16th century. Western classical music, which arrived in the late 19th century, is now a big part of Japanese culture. Kumi-daiko (ensemble drumming) was developed after World War II and became very popular in North America. Popular music in Japan after the war has been greatly influenced by American and European trends, leading to the development of J-pop. Karaoke is also a very popular cultural activity.
Japan has four main traditional types of theater: noh, kyōgen, kabuki, and bunraku. Noh is one of the oldest theater traditions in the world that is still performed today.
Holidays
Japan officially has 16 national holidays recognized by the government. These public holidays are set by the Public Holiday Law of 1948. Since 2000, Japan has used the Happy Monday System. This moves some national holidays to a Monday to create a long weekend.
The national holidays in Japan are:
- New Year's Day on January 1
- Coming of Age Day on the second Monday of January
- National Foundation Day on February 11
- The Emperor's Birthday on February 23
- Vernal Equinox Day on March 20 or 21
- Shōwa Day on April 29
- Constitution Memorial Day on May 3
- Greenery Day on May 4
- Children's Day on May 5
- Marine Day on the third Monday of July
- Mountain Day on August 11
- Respect for the Aged Day on the third Monday of September
- Autumnal Equinox on September 23 or 24
- Health and Sports Day on the second Monday of October
- Culture Day on November 3
- Labor Thanksgiving Day on November 23
Cuisine
Japanese food offers many regional specialties that use traditional recipes and local ingredients. Seafood and Japanese rice or noodles are common main foods. Japanese curry, which came to Japan from British India, is now so popular that it is considered a national dish, along with ramen and sushi. Traditional Japanese sweets are called wagashi. They often use ingredients like red bean paste and mochi. More modern treats include green tea ice cream.
Popular Japanese drinks include sake, which is an alcoholic drink made from fermented rice. Beer has been made in Japan since the late 17th century. Green tea is grown in Japan and prepared in different ways, such as matcha, which is used in the Japanese tea ceremony.
Cities
The biggest cities in Japan are:
In Japan, there are eight traditional regions:
Territorial Issues
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Since Japan is an island nation, it faces some challenges with its borders. It has disagreements with neighboring countries over who owns certain islands or areas of the sea. Currently, Japan has discussions about at least four different territories:
- The Senkaku Islands (with China and Taiwan)
- The Liancourt Rocks (with South Korea)
- The Southern Chishima Islands (with Russia)
- The Sea of Japan (with South Korea and North Korea)
Public Transportation
Japan has several important international airports. Narita is the main international airport for the Tokyo area. Kansai International Airport serves as the main airport for Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto. Chūbu Centrair International Airport near Nagoya is the newest of the three. Haneda Airport is close to central Tokyo and is the largest domestic airport in the country.
The Shinkansen, also known as the Bullet train, is one of the fastest trains in the world. It connects cities on Honshu and Kyushu islands. Public and private railway networks cover almost the entire country. People mostly travel between cities using buses as well.
Sports
Japan has many traditional sports like sumo, judo, karate, kyudo, aikido, iaido, and kendo. There are also sports that came from the West, such as baseball, soccer, rugby, golf, and skiing.
Japan has been part of the Olympic Games since 1912. It has hosted the Olympic Games three times: in 1964, 1972, and 1998. Since 1912, Japanese athletes have won a total of 398 medals.
Professional sports are also very popular. Many sports like baseball (with the Pacific League and Central League), soccer (with many teams), sumo, American football, basketball, and volleyball are played professionally.
Related pages
Images for kids
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Legendary Emperor Jimmu (神武天皇, Jinmu-tennō)
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Japanese samurai boarding a Mongol vessel during the Mongol invasions of Japan, depicted in the Mōko Shūrai Ekotoba, 1293
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Three unifiers of Japan. Left to right: Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu
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Emperor Meiji (明治天皇, Meiji-tennō); 1852–1912
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Japan's imperial ambitions ended on September 2, 1945, with the country's surrender to the Allies.
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The Japanese archipelago
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Autumn maple leaves (momiji) at Kongōbu-ji on Mount Kōya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
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Skyscrapers in Nakanoshima, Osaka; a major financial centre in Japan
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Japan Airlines, the flag carrier of Japan
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The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant
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View of Tokyo from the top of the Tokyo Skytree. The Greater Tokyo Area is ranked as the most populous metropolitan area in the world.
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The torii of Itsukushima Shinto Shrine near Hiroshima
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See also
In Spanish: Japón para niños
