Japan
Geography
Japan, an island country, is located in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. It is part of the East Asian region and lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea, and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south.
The Japanese archipelago is made up of 6,852 islands, with the four largest being Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku, which together comprise about ninety-seven percent of Japan's land area. Japan has the world's tenth-largest population, with over 126 million people. The Greater Tokyo Area, which includes the de facto capital city of Tokyo and several surrounding prefectures, is the largest metropolitan area in the world, with over 37.4 million residents.
History
The history of Japan is characterized by periods of influence from other regions, followed by times of isolation, particularly from Western Europe. Archaeological research indicates that Japan was inhabited as early as the Upper Paleolithic period. The first written mention of Japan is in Chinese history texts from the 1st century AD. Influence from other regions, mainly China, followed by periods of isolation, particularly from Western Europe, has characterized Japan's history.
Culture
Japanese culture has evolved greatly from its origins. Contemporary culture combines influences from Asia, Europe and North America. Traditional Japanese arts include crafts such as ceramics, textiles, lacquerware, swords and dolls; performances of bunraku, kabuki, noh, dance, and rakugo; and other practices, the tea ceremony, ikebana, martial arts, calligraphy, origami, onsen, Geisha and games. Japan has a developed system for the protection and promotion of both tangible and intangible Cultural Properties and National Treasures.
Economy
Japan is the third-largest economy in the world by nominal GDP and the fourth-largest by purchasing power parity (PPP). It is also the world's fourth-largest exporter and fourth-largest importer. Japan is a global leader in the automotive and electronics industries.