292 lines
23 KiB
Plaintext
292 lines
23 KiB
Plaintext
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.)
|
|
|
|
|