Capital

Japan

name: Tokyo

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" in Japanese, the name was changed to Tokyo, meaning "eastern capital," in 1868

Citizenship

Japan

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

Legal system

Japan

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

Suffrage

Japan

18 years of age; universal

Area

Japan

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)

Land use

Japan

agricultural land: 12.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 11.7% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest: 68.5% (2018 est.)

other: 19% (2018 est.)

Location

Japan

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

Age structure

Japan

0-14 years: 12.29% (male 7,835,474/female 7,370,449)

15-64 years: 58.49% (male 36,378,186/female 35,981,176)

65 years and over: 29.22% (2023 est.) (male 15,909,031/female 20,244,922)

Birth rate

Japan

6.9 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Japan

11.7 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Japan

Japanese

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.

Life expectancy at birth

Japan

total population: 85 years (2023 est.)

male: 82.1 years

female: 88.1 years

Major urban areas - population

Japan

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)

Median age

Japan

total: 49.5 years (2023 est.)

male: 48 years

female: 50.9 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Japan

30.7 years (2018 est.)

Net migration rate

Japan

0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Japan

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)

Population growth rate

Japan

-0.41% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Japan

1.39 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Japan

urban population: 92% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: -0.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Japan

3.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Japan

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 15 years (2019)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Japan

-3.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Japan

-4.33% (2020 est.)

Labor force

Japan

68.629 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Japan

16.1% (2013 est.)

Unemployment rate

Japan

2.8% (2021 est.)

2.8% (2020 est.)

2.4% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Japan

216.28% of GDP (2020 est.)

197.8% of GDP (2019 est.)

197.45% of GDP (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Japan

-0.23% (2021 est.)

-0.02% (2020 est.)

0.47% (2019 est.)

Exports

Japan

$919.158 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$794.291 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$904.632 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - partners

Japan

China 21%, US 18%, South Korea 7%, Taiwan 7%, Thailand 4% (2021)

Imports

Japan

$941.671 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$801.889 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$913.248 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - partners

Japan

China 24%, US 10%, Australia 7%, South Korea 4%, Taiwan 4% (2021)

Airports

Japan

175 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Japan

total: 44,000,791 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Japan

total: 99.6 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 83% (2021 est.)

Railways

Japan

total: 27,311 km (2015)

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)

22,207 km 1.067-mm gauge (15,430 km electrified)
48 km 0.762-m gauge (48 km electrified)

Roadways

Japan

total: 1,218,772 km (2015)

paved: 992,835 km (2015) (includes 8,428 km of expressways)

unpaved: 225,937 km (2015)

Telephones - fixed lines

Japan

total subscriptions: 61,583,600 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 49 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Japan

total subscriptions: 200,478,808 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 161 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Japan

1,770 km (2010) (seagoing vessels use inland seas)

Disputes - international

Japan

Japan-China-Taiwan: the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Tai) are also claimed by China and Taiwan; Senkaku-shoto is situated near key shipping lanes, rich fishing grounds, and possibly significant oil and natural gas reserves

Japan-Russia: 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-South Korea: Japan and South Korea claim Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do) occupied by South Korea since 1954