View Intelligence Dossier Back to 2016 CSV Excel Print All Years

Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

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)

Internet country code [time series]

.jp

Internet users [time series]

total: 118.453 million | percent of population: 93.3% (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 5

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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)

Telephones - fixed lines [time series]

total subscriptions: 63,633,050 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 50 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total: 158.591 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 8

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

vegetables, rice, fish, poultry, fruit, dairy products, pork, beef, flowers, potatoes/taros/yams, sugar cane, tea, legumes, wheat and barley

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1.48 trillion | expenditures: $1.704 trillion (2015 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

-5.4% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 174

Central bank discount rate [time series]

0.3% (31 December 2015) | 0.3% (31 December 2014) | country comparison to the world: 133

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

1.48% (31 December 2015 est.) | 1.48% (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 183

Current account balance [time series]

$137.5 billion (2015 est.) | $24.4 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Debt - external [time series]

$5.18 trillion (31 December 2013 est.) | $4.026 trillion (31 December 2012) | country comparison to the world: 6

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

37.9 (2011) | 24.9 (1993) | country comparison to the world: 74

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Over the past 70 years, government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP) have helped Japan develop an advanced economy. Two notable characteristics of the post-World War II 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 before 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, 5% in the 1970s, and 4% 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, after which it took a considerable 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 economic activity. The economy has largely recovered in the five years since the disaster, although output in the affected areas continues to lag behind the national average. | 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. In 2015, ABE revised his “Three Arrows” to raise nominal GDP by 20% to 600 trillion yen by 2020, stem population decline by raising the fertility rate, and provide more support for workers with children and aging relatives. 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 successfully restarted two nuclear reactors at the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in Kagoshima prefecture. In October 2015, Japan and 11 trading partners reached agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a pact that promises to 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 2015 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 demographic decline – a low birthrate and an aging, shrinking population – poses a major long-term challenge for the economy.

Exchange rates [time series]

yen (JPY) per US dollar - | 121.02 (2015 est.) | 105.86 (2014 est.) | 97.44 (2013 est.) | 79.79 (2012 est.) | 79.81 (2011 est.)

Exports [time series]

$622 billion (2015 est.) | $699.1 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 5

Exports - commodities [time series]

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 [time series]

US 20.2%, China 17.5%, South Korea 7.1%, Hong Kong 5.6%, Thailand 4.5% (2015)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$4.123 trillion (2015 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$4.83 trillion (2015 est.) | $4.807 trillion (2014 est.) | $4.809 trillion (2013 est.) | note: data are in 2015 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 5

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]

agriculture: 1.2% | industry: 27.5% | services: 71.3% (2015 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$38,100 (2015 est.) | $37,800 (2014 est.) | $37,800 (2013 est.) | note: data are in 2015 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 43

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

0.5% (2015 est.) | 0% (2014 est.) | 1.4% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 187

Gross national saving [time series]

25.3% of GDP (2015 est.) | 22.6% of GDP (2014 est.) | 22.2% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 2.7% | highest 10%: 24.8% (2008)

Imports [time series]

$627.3 billion (2015 est.) | $799 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 6

Imports - commodities [time series]

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 [time series]

China 24.8%, US 10.5%, Australia 5.4%, South Korea 4.1% (2015)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

0.6% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 156

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

0.8% (2015 est.) | 2.7% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 75

Labor force [time series]

65.98 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 9

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 2.9% | industry: 26.2% | services: 70.9% (February 2015 est)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$4.782 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) | $4.584 trillion (31 December 2014 est.) | $3.715 trillion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Population below poverty line [time series]

16.1% (2013 est.)

Public debt [time series]

230% of GDP (2015 est.) | 227.7% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 1

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$1.233 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) | $1.261 trillion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 2

Stock of broad money [time series]

$8.073 trillion (31 December 2014 est.) | $8.035 trillion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$1.258 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) | $1.177 trillion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 8

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]

$202.4 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $196.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 27

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$11.09 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) | $10.92 trillion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$5.131 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) | $4.896 trillion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 3

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

35.9% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 57

Unemployment rate [time series]

3.4% (2015 est.) | 3.6% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 28

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

1.257 billion Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 6

Crude oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141

Crude oil - imports [time series]

3.433 million bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Crude oil - production [time series]

4,247 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 84

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

541.6 million bbl (March, 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 51

Electricity - consumption [time series]

934 billion kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 5

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

64.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 122

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

7.6% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

15.1% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 14

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

3.8% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 65

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

313 million kW (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Electricity - production [time series]

980 billion kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 6

Electricity access [time series]

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

131.3 billion cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 6

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 122

Natural gas - imports [time series]

124.7 billion cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 2

Natural gas - production [time series]

4.757 billion cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

20.9 billion cu m (1 January 2016 es) | country comparison to the world: 76

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

4.12 million bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

367,600 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 24

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

1.067 million bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 5

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

3.527 million bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 6

Geography

Area [time series]

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 [time series]

slightly smaller than California

Climate [time series]

varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Coastline [time series]

29,751 km

Elevation [time series]

mean elevation: 438 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m | highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

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 originally planned to phase out nuclear power, but it has now implemented a new policy of seeking to restart nuclear power plants that meet strict new safety standards

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

36 00 N, 138 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

strategic location in northeast Asia; composed of four main islands - from north Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu (the "Home Islands") - and 6,848 smaller islands and islets

Irrigated land [time series]

24,690 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 12.5% | arable land 11.7%; permanent crops 0.8%; permanent pasture 0% | forest: 68.5% | other: 19% (2011 est.)

Location [time series]

Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Map references [time series]

Asia

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural hazards [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly rugged and mountainous

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

name: Tokyo | geographic coordinates: 35 41 N, 139 45 E | time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship [time series]

citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Japan | dual citizenship recognized: no | residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution [time series]

previous 1890; latest approved 6 October 1946, adopted 3 November 1946, effective 3 May 1947 ; note - the constitution has not been amended since its enactment in 1947 (2016)

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: none | conventional short form: Japan | local long form: Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku | local short form: Nihon/Nippon | etymology: the English word for Japan comes via the Chinese name for the country "Cipangu"; both Nihon and Nippon mean "where the sun originates" and are frequently translated as "Land of the rising sun"

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

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)

Executive branch [time series]

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

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center

Government type [time series]

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Independence [time series]

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)

International law organization participation [time series]

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

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)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

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 10 July 2016 (next to be held in July 2019); 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 123, DP 51, Komeito 25, JCP 14, Osaka Ishin no Kai (Initiatives from Osaka) 12, Independents Club 5, The Party for Japanese Kokoro 3, independents 2; note: 7 seats are pending confirmation | House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDP 291, DPJ 71, Komeito 35, JCP 21, JIP 21, Osaka Ishin no Kai 13, Group of Reformists 5, SDP 2, PLPTYF 2, independents 13, 1 seat vacant | note: the 2013 amended electoral law - effective for the December 2016 election - reduced to 475 the number of seats in the House of Representatives

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)

National symbol(s) [time series]

red sun disc, chrysanthemum; national colors: red, white

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Renho MURATA] | Group of Reformists [Sakihito OZAWA] | Japan Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII] | Japan Innovation Party or JIP [Yorihisa MATSUNO] | Komeito [Natsuo YAMAGUCHI] | Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Shinzo ABE] | New Renaissance Party [Hiroyuki ARAI] | Osaka Ishin no Kai [Ichiro MATSUI] | Party for Future Generations or PFG [Kyoko NAKAYAMA] | People's Life Party & Taro Yamamoto and Friends or PLPTYF [Ichiro OZAWA] | Social Democratic Party or SDP [Tadatomo YOSHIDA] | The Assembly to Energize Japan and the Independents [Kota MATSUDA]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

other: business groups; trade unions

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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.

Military and Security

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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 expenditures [time series]

0.97% of GDP (2012) | 1.01% of GDP (2011) | 0.99% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 102

Military service age and obligation [time series]

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)

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 12.97% (male 8,472,869/female 7,963,782) | 15-24 years: 9.67% (male 6,436,935/female 5,813,222) | 25-54 years: 37.68% (male 23,593,194/female 24,145,406) | 55-64 years: 12.4% (male 7,867,611/female 7,840,141) | 65 years and over: 27.28% (male 15,080,738/female 19,488,235) (2016 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

7.8 births/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 224

Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]

3.4% (2010)

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

54.3% | note: percent of women aged 20-49 (2005)

Death rate [time series]

9.6 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 64.5% | youth dependency ratio: 21.1% | elderly dependency ratio: 43.3% | potential support ratio: 2.3% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source [time series]

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

3.8% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 115

Ethnic groups [time series]

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)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

10.2% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 22

Hospital bed density [time series]

13.7 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 2 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 2.3 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 1.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 224

Languages [time series]

Japanese

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 85 years | male: 81.7 years | female: 88.5 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 3

Major urban areas - population [time series]

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)

Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 176

Median age [time series]

total: 46.9 years | male: 45.6 years | female: 48.3 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 2

Mother's mean age at first birth [time series]

30.3 (2012 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Japanese (singular and plural) | adjective: Japanese

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 86

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

3.5% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 157

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

2.3 physicians/1,000 population (2010)

Population [time series]

126,702,133 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11

Population growth rate [time series]

-0.19% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 214

Religions [time series]

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.)

Sanitation facility access [time series]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 15 years | male: 15 years | female: 15 years (2013)

Sex ratio [time series]

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.41 children born/woman (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 210

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]

total: 5.9% | male: 6.4% | female: 5.4% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 114

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 93.5% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 0.56% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

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 [time series]

stateless persons: 603 (2015)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

175 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 33

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

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 [time series]

total: 33 | 914 to 1,523 m: 5 | under 914 m: 28 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]

JA (2016)

Heliports [time series]

16 (2013)

Merchant marine [time series]

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

National air transport system [time series]

number of registered air carriers: 23 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 627 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 113.762 million | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 8,868.745 million mt-km (2015)

Pipelines [time series]

gas 4,456 km; oil 174 km; oil/gas/water 104 km (2013)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

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

Railways [time series]

total: 27,311 km | standard gauge: 4,800 km 1.435-m gauge (4,800 km electrified) | dual gauge: 132 km 1.435-1.067-m gauge (132 km electrified) | narrow gauge: 124 km 1.372-m gauge (124 km electrified); 22,207 km 1.067-m gauge (15,430 km electrified); 48 km 0.762-m gauge (48 km electrified) (2015) | country comparison to the world: 12

Roadways [time series]

total: 1,218,772 km | paved: 992,835 km (includes 8,428 km of expressways) | unpaved: 225,937 km (2015) | country comparison to the world: 6

Waterways [time series]

1,770 km (seagoing vessels use inland seas) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 44