Japan
Population
123.20M
Area
377,915 km²
GDP
$4.03T
GDP Per Capita
$46,100
Pop. Density
326/km²
Quick Facts
Currency
¥Japanese yen(JPY)
Calling Code
+81
Timezone
UTC+09:00
Languages
Japanese
Driving Side
left
Demonym
Japanese
Background
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 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1941, triggering America's entry into World War II, and Japan soon occupied much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II, the country recovered to become an economic power and a US ally.
While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, elected politicians hold the decision-making power. After three decades of unprecedented growth, Japan's economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s, but the country remains an economic power. In 2011, Japan's strongest-ever earthquake and an accompanying tsunami devastated the northeast part of Honshu, killed thousands, and damaged several nuclear power plants. ABE Shinzo was reelected as prime minister in 2012, and he embarked on ambitious economic and security reforms to improve Japan's economy and bolster the country's international standing. In 2019, ABE became Japan's longest-serving post-war prime minister; he resigned in 2020 and was succeeded by SUGA Yoshihide. KISHIDA Fumio became prime minister in 2021.
Historical Trends
GDP (USD)
↓12.5% since 2006Population
↓3.0% since 2006Life Expectancy at Birth
Latest: 84.0 yearsData source: World Bank Open Data
Geography18
Location
Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
Geographic coordinates
36 00 N, 138 00 E
Map references
Asia
Area
land: 364,485 sq km
water: 13,430 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries
Coastline
29,751 km
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate
varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
Terrain
mostly rugged and mountainous
Elevation
lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m
mean elevation: 438 m
Natural resources
negligible mineral resources, fish
Land use
agricultural land
agricultural land: arable land
agricultural land: permanent crops
agricultural land: permanent pasture
forest
other
Irrigated land
15,730 sq km (2014)
Major lakes (area sq km)
Population distribution
all primary and secondary regions of high population density lie on the coast; one third of the population resides in and around Tokyo on the central plain (Kanto Plain)
Natural hazards
volcanism: both Unzen (1,500 m) and Sakura-jima (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; see note 2 under "Geography - note"
Geography - note
note 2: a 2023 Geospatial Information Authority of Japan survey detected 100,000 islands and islets, but only the 14,125 islands with a circumference of at least 100 m (330 ft) were officially counted; about 260 of the islands are inhabited
note 3: Japan annually records the most earthquakes in the world; it is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes
People & Society33
Population
male: 59,875,269
female: 63,326,676
Nationality
adjective: Japanese
Ethnic groups
Japanese 97.5%, Chinese 0.6%, Vietnam 0.4%, South Korean 0.3%, other 1.2% (includes Filipino, Brazilian, Nepalese, Indonesian, American, and Taiwanese) (2022 est.)
Languages
major-language sample(s):
必要不可欠な基本情報の源、ワールド・ファクトブック(Japanese)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Shintoism 48.6%, Buddhism 46.4%, Christianity 1.1%, other 4% (2021 est.)
Age structure
15-64 years: 58.4% (male 36,197,840/female 35,777,966)
65 years and over: 29.5% (2024 est.) (male 15,976,233/female 20,309,321)
Dependency ratios
youth dependency ratio: 20.8 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 50.4 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 2 (2024 est.)
Median age
male: 48.3 years
female: 51.3 years
Population growth rate
-0.45% (2025 est.)
Birth rate
6.84 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
12.04 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate
0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution
all primary and secondary regions of high population density lie on the coast; one third of the population resides in and around Tokyo on the central plain (Kanto Plain)
Urbanization
rate of urbanization: -0.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
37.194 million TOKYO (capital), 19.013 million Osaka, 9.569 million Nagoya, 5.490 million Kitakyushu-Fukuoka, 2.937 million Shizuoka-Hamamatsu, 2.666 million Sapporo (2023)
Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
30.7 years (2018 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male: 2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 1.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth
male: 82.3 years
female: 88.2 years
Total fertility rate
1.41 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.68 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
unimproved: total: total: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 23.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
2.65 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Hospital bed density
12.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility access
unimproved: total: total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
4.3% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer: 1.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 1.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 5.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use
male: 24.4% (2025 est.)
female: 7.2% (2025 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
50% (2020 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% national budget): 7.5% national budget (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male: 16 years (2022 est.)
female: 16 years (2022 est.)
Government26
Country name
conventional short form: Japan
local long form: Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku
local short form: Nihon/Nippon
etymology: the English word for Japan comes from the Chinese name for the country, Cipangu; both Nihon and Nippon come from the Japanese words nichi, or "sun," and hon, or "origin," which is frequently translated as "Land of the Rising Sun"
Government type
parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Capital
geographic coordinates: 35 41 N, 139 45 E
time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: originally known as Edo, meaning "estuary" because of its location on a bay; the name was changed to Tokyo, meaning "eastern capital," in 1868, as a contrast to Kyoto, the previous capital to the west
Administrative divisions
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
Legal system
civil law system based on German model; also reflects Anglo-American influence and Japanese traditions; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts
Constitution
amendment process: proposed by the Diet; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority of both houses of the Diet and approval by majority in a referendum
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Japan
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
head of government: Prime Minister Sanae TAKAICHI (since 21 October 2025)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister
election results:
2025: Sanae TAKAICHI (LDP) elected prime minister on 21 October 2025; upper house vote - 125 of 171 votes (runoff); lower house vote - 237 of 386 votes
2024: Shigeru ISHIBA (LDP) elected prime minister on 27 September 2024; upper house vote - 143 of 242 votes; lower house vote - 291 of 461 votes
Legislative branch
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
number of seats
electoral system
scope of elections
term in office
most recent election date
parties elected and seats per party
percentage of women in chamber
expected date of next election
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
number of seats
electoral system
scope of elections
term in office
most recent election date
parties elected and seats per party
percentage of women in chamber
expected date of next election
Judicial branch
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 during the first general election of the House of Representatives after 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)
Political parties
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan or CDP
Democratic Party for the People or DPFP or DPP
Japan Communist Party or JCP
Japan Innovation Party or Nippon Ishin no kai or Ishin
Komeito or Komei
Liberal Democratic Party or LDP
Okinawa Social Mass Party or Okinawa Whirlwind or OW
Party to Protect the People from NHK or NHK
Reiwa Shinsengumi
Sanseito Party
Social Democratic Party or SDP
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission
chancery
telephone
FAX
email address and website
consulate(s) general
consulate(s)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
embassy
mailing address
telephone
FAX
email address and website
consulate(s) general
consulate(s)
International organization participation
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), Quad, SAARC (observer), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Independence
3 May 1947 (current constitution adopted as amendment to Meiji Constitution); notable earlier dates: 11 February 660 B.C. (mythological date of Emperor JIMMU founding the nation); 29 November 1890 (Meiji Constitution provides for constitutional monarchy)
National holiday
Birthday of Emperor NARUHITO, 23 February (1960)
Flag
history: the current flag was adopted in 1854, but a sun flag has been in use in Japan since at least 1184; the sun has long been a national symbol: according to tradition, the sun goddess Amaterasu founded the country in the 7th century B.C.
National symbol(s)
red sun disc, chrysanthemum
National color(s)
red, white
National coat of arms
National anthem(s)
lyrics/music: unknown/Hiromori HAYASHI
history: adopted 1999; unofficial national anthem since 1883; oldest anthem lyrics in the world, dating to the 10th century or earlier; some oppose the anthem because of its association with militarism and worship of the emperor
National heritage
selected World Heritage Site locales: Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area (c); Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (c); Himeji-jo (c); Shiretoko (n); Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group: Mounded Tombs of Ancient Japan (c); Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan (c); Yakushima (n); Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) (c); Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome) (c); Shirakami-Sanchi (n); Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama (c); Itsukushima Shinto Shrine (c); Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (c); Shrines and Temples of Nikko (c); Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu (c); Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (c); Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land (c); Ogasawara Islands (n); Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region (c); Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region (c); Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island (n); Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan (c)
Economy29
Economic overview
second-largest East Asian economy; trade-oriented and highly diversified; high public debt levels; following years of near-zero interest rates, gradual increases to address inflation and depreciation of yen; strong rebound in tourism; aging population poses challenges to labor force participation
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $5.71 trillion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $5.627 trillion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 1.5% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 0.9% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2023: $45,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $45,000 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$4.026 trillion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 3.3% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 2.5% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry: 28.6% (2023 est.)
services: 69.8% (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
government consumption
investment in fixed capital
investment in inventories
exports of goods and services
imports of goods and services
Agricultural products
rice, milk, sugar beets, vegetables, eggs, chicken, potatoes, onions, cabbages, pork (2023)
Industries
motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods
Industrial production growth rate
1.4% (2023 est.)
Labor force
69.382 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2023: 2.6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 2.6% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male: 4.2% (2024 est.)
female: 3.7% (2024 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Average household expenditures
on alcohol and tobacco: 2.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
highest 10%: 23.9% (2020 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2023: 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget
expenditures: $897.03 billion (2022 est.)
Public debt
Current account balance
Current account balance 2023: $156.592 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $90.21 billion (2022 est.)
Exports
Exports 2023: $923.488 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $922.813 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners
USA 19%, China 18%, Taiwan 6%, S. Korea 6%, Hong Kong 4% (2023)
Exports - commodities
cars, integrated circuits, machinery, vehicle parts/accessories, construction vehicles (2023)
Imports
Imports 2023: $996.364 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $1.081 trillion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners
China 22%, USA 11%, Australia 8%, UAE 5%, Saudi Arabia 5% (2023)
Imports - commodities
crude petroleum, natural gas, coal, integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $1.295 trillion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $1.228 trillion (2022 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
Exchange rates 2024
Exchange rates 2023
Exchange rates 2022
Exchange rates 2021
Exchange rates 2020
Energy8
Electricity access
Electricity
consumption: 902.769 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 41.79 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels
nuclear
solar
wind
hydroelectricity
geothermal
biomass and waste
Nuclear energy
Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 2 (2025)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 12.63GW (2025 est.)
Percent of total electricity production: 5.5% (2023 est.)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 27 (2025)
Coal
consumption: 197.612 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 1.615 million metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 170.874 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 350 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 3.14 million bbl/day (2024 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 44.115 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
consumption: 88.317 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 271.607 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
imports: 85.003 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 20.898 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Communications6
Telephones - fixed lines
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 48 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 168 (2022 est.)
Broadcast media
a mix of public and commercial TV and radio stations; 5 national terrestrial TV networks including 1 public broadcaster; large number of radio and TV stations; satellite and cable services provide access to international channels (2023)
Internet country code
.jp
Internet users
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39 (2023 est.)
Transportation6
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
JA
Airports
280 (2025)
Heliports
3,036 (2025)
Railways
standard gauge: 4,800 km (2015) 1.435-m gauge (4,800 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 124 km (2015) 1.372-m gauge (124 km electrified)
dual gauge: 132 km (2015) 1.435-1.067-m gauge (132 km electrified)
Merchant marine
by type: bulk carrier 166, container ship 49, general cargo 1,893, oil tanker 666, other 2,455
Ports
total ports
large
medium
small
very small
size unknown
ports with oil terminals
key ports
Military & Security7
Military and security forces
Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF): Ground Self-Defense Force (Rikujou Jieitai, GSDF; includes aviation), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jieitai, MSDF; includes naval aviation), Air Self-Defense Force (Koukuu Jieitai, ASDF) (2025)
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2023: 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 230-240,000 active Self Defense Forces (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the JSDF is equipped largely with domestically produced weapons platforms; most of its imported arms are from the US; Japan's defense industry is capable of producing a wide range of air, ground, and naval weapons systems; some domestically produced weapons are US-origin and manufactured under license (2025)
Military service age and obligation
18-32 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)
Military deployments
maintains a presence of about 400 military personnel at a permanent base in Djibouti (2025)
Military - note
Japan’s alliance with the US is one of the cornerstones of the country’s security, as well as a large component of the US security posture in Asia; the US-Japan mutual defense treaty grants the US the right to base US military forces in Japan, including aircraft and ships, in return for US security guarantees; the Japanese Government provides approximately $3 billion on average per year to offset the cost of stationing US forces in Japan; in addition, it pays compensation to localities hosting US troops, rent for bases, and costs for new facilities to support the US presence; Japan also has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation
Japan was disarmed after its defeat in World War II; shortly after the Korean War began in 1950, US occupation forces in Japan created a 75,000-member lightly armed force called the National Police Reserve; the JSDF was founded in 1954; Article 9 of Japan’s 1947 constitution renounced the use of force as a means of settling international disputes; however, Japan has interpreted Article 9 to mean that it can maintain a military for national defense purposes and, since 1991, has allowed the JSDF to participate in noncombat roles overseas in a number of UN peacekeeping missions and in the US-led coalition in Iraq; in 2014-2015, the Japanese Government reinterpreted the constitution as allowing for "collective self-defense," described as the use of force on others’ behalf if Japan’s security was threatened; in 2022, the government released security policy documents that declared Japan’s intention to develop "counterstrike” capabilities, including armed drones and cruise missiles, and outlined plans to increase Japan’s security-related expenditures to 2% of GDP (2025)
Transnational Issues1
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 29,244 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 505 (2024 est.)