Map
Source: CIA World Factbook
Summary Data
| summary data |
|
| Total Area (km2) |
377,835 |
| Land (km2) |
374,744 |
| Water (km2) |
3,091 |
| Population |
127,288,419 |
| Population Density (/km2) |
340 |
| Capital |
Tokyo |
| Religion (%) |
Shinto and Buddhist 84%
Other 16% |
| Time |
GMT +9 |
| Climate |
Varies from tropical in south
to cool temperate in north. |
Source: CIA World Factbook
Geography
Japan is a mountainous country with 70% of the country covered
by hills and mountains, some of which are inactive and some are
active volcanoes. Japan is made up of a series of islands with four
main islands and several smaller ones. The mains islands include
Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. Japan is in a key location
for both minor and major earthquakes which can also trigger
volcanoes to erupt; therefore buildings are constructed to sustain
the possibility of this happening. Tokyo is the country's capital
and the main commercial and business centre.
Government
The government in Japan is a constitutional monarchy with a
parliamentary government. The National Diet of Japan consists of
two houses, the House of Representatives and the House of
Councillors. The House of Representatives, the more powerful house,
performs legislative functions and, if necessary, has the power to
override decisions made by the House of Councillors. Japan is ruled
by the Emperor Akihito and ministered to by the Prime Minister
Yasuo Fukuda.
Language
Japanese is the official language in Japan; in Tokyo a minority
of people speaks English.
Electricity
100 volts AC, 60Hz in the west (Osaka); 100 volts AC, 50Hz in
eastern Japan and Tokyo. Plugs are flat two-pin plugs.
Passports/Visa
Passports which are valid for the duration of the visit in Japan
are required by all nationals.
Visas
Over 60 countries have visa exemption arrangements with Japan,
including the UK, that allow nationals to travel to Japan for a
maximum of 6 months (the time period varies for different
countries) without first requiring a visa.
Passport/Visa Information
Japanese Embassy
101- 104 Piccadilly
London
W1J 7JT
Tel 020 7465 6500
info@jpembassy.org.uk
www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp
Airports and Airlines
Narita International Airport (NRT)
- Location: The airport is located in Narita,
60km from downtown Tokyo.
- Time: GMT + 9.
- Contacts: naa1@naa.jp.
- Transfer between terminals: A shuttle service
is provided for terminal transfers.
- Transfer to the city: There are train services
to Narita, an express train to Tokyo and regular buses to regional
transport hubs. Taxis are available but are expensive due to the
long distances between the airport and cities.
- Car rental: Rental companies have desks based
in both terminals.
- Facilities: Financial services, shops,
restaurants, beauty salons.
- Parking: Parking available.
- Website:
www.narita-airport.jp/en/index.html
Standard of Living
The majority of Japanese people consider themselves to have a
relatively high standard of living. Tokyo is still one of the most
expensive cities in the world to live in although the scale of
expense in Japan compared to other cities is a lot less than it
used to be.
Principal commercial centres and towns
Tokyo is the biggest and most commercial city in Japan.
| population by city/town 2007 |
|
| Tokyo |
8,717,529 |
| Yokohama |
3,643,641 |
| Osaka |
2,649,601 |
| Nagoya |
2,243,564 |
| Sapporo |
1,896,704 |
| Kobe |
1,532,305 |
| Kyoto |
1,468,650 |
Source: Wikipedia
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