Statistical information Japan 1992
Japan in the World
Japan - Introduction 1992
top of pageBackground: While retaining its time-honored culture Japan rapidly absorbed Western technology during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After its devastating defeat in World War II Japan recovered to become the second most powerful economy in the world and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians bureaucrats and business executives.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 377,835 km²
Land:374,744 km²; includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto),
Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okinotori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)
Comparative: slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 29,751 km
Maritime claimsExclusive 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 the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by
Russia, 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
ElevationNatural 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%
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 124,460,481 (July 1992), growth rate 0.4% (1992)
Nationality: noun - Japanese (singular and plural; adjective - Japanese
Ethnic groups: Japanese 99.4%, other (mostly Korean) 0.6%
Languages: Japanese
Religions: 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)
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 10 births/1000 population (1992)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1000 population (1992)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1992)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; subject to tsunamis
Current issues note: strategic location in northeast Asia
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 4 deaths/1000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth: 77 years male, 82 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1992)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 99% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1970 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: none
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Tokyo
Administrative divisions:
47 prefectures; 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
Dependent areasIndependence: 660 BC, traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu
National holiday: Birthday of the Emperor, 23 December (1933)
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
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: universal at age 20
House of Councillors:last held on 23 July 1989 (next to be held 26 July 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (263 total) LDP 114,
SDPJ 71, CGP 20, JCP 14, other 33
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 278, SDPJ 137, CGP 46, JCP 16, DSP 13, others 5, independents 6, vacant 11
Communists: about 490,000 registered Communist party members
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
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
AfDB, AG (observer), Australia Group, 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, MTCR, NEA, NSG,
OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation:Ambassador Takakazu KURIYAMA; Chancery at 2,520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008; telephone (202) 939-6,700; 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 10-5, Akasaka 1-chome,
Minato-ku (107), Tokyo (mailing address is APO AP 96,337-0001); telephone 81 (3) 3,224-5,000; FAX 81 (3) 3,505-1862; there are US Consulates General in Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, and Sapporo and a Consulate in Fukuoka
Diplomatic representationFlag description: white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overviewGovernmentindustry cooperation a strong work ethic and a comparatively small defense allocation have helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity notably in hightechnology fields. Industry the most important sector of the economy is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. Selfsufficent 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. A major contributor to overall growth of 4.5% in 1991 was net exports, which cushioned the effect of slower growth in domestic demand. Inflation remains low at 3.3% and is easing due to lower oil prices and a stronger yen. Japan continues to run a huge trade surplus, $80 billion in 1991, which supports extensive investment in foreign assets. The increased crowding of its habitable land area and the aging of its population are two major long-run problems.
GDP: purchasing power equivalent - $2,360.7 billion, per capita $19,000; real growth rate 4.5% (1991)
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capita pppGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: accounts for only 2% of GDP; 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
Industries: metallurgy, engineering, electrical and electronic, textiles, chemicals, automobiles, fishing, telecommunications, machine tools, construction equipment
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 2.1% (1991; accounts for 30% of GDP (mining and manufacturing)
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%
Unemployment rate: 2.1% (1991)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $481 billion; expenditures $531 billion, including capital expenditures (public works only) of about $60 billion (FY91)
Public debtTaxes and other revenuesRevenueFiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Current account balanceInflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $314.3 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: manufactures 97% (including machinery 40%, motor vehicles 18%, consumer electronics 10%)
Partners: Southeast Asia 31%, US 29%, Western Europe 23%, Communist countries 4%, Middle East 3%
Imports: $236.6 billion (c.i.f., 1991)
Commodoties: manufactures 50%, fossil fuels 21%, foodstuffs and raw materials 25%
Partners: Southeast Asia 25%, US 22%, Western Europe 17%, Middle East 12%, Communist countries 8%
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: yen (Y) per US$1 - 132.70 (March 1992), 134.71 (1991), 144.79 (1990), 137.96 (1989), 128.15 (1988), 144.64 (1987)
top of pageElectricity accessElectricity production: 196,000,000 kW capacity; 823,000 million kWh produced, 6,640 kWh per capita (1991)
Electricity consumptionElectricity exportsElectricity importsElectricity installed generating capacityElectricity transmission distribution lossesElectricity generation sourcesPetroleumRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaJapan - Communication 1992
top of pageTelephones fixed linesTelephones mobile cellularTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternet country codeInternet usersBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp:exchange rate conversion - $36.7 billion, 0.94% of
GDP (FY92 est.)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsJapan - Transportation 1992
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports:
163 total, 158 usable; 131 with permanent-surface runways; 2
with runways over 3,659 m; 31
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 51
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Airports with paved runwaysAirports with unpaved runwaysHeliportsPipelines: crude oil 84 km; petroleum products 322 km; natural gas 1,800 km
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: about 1,770 km; seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas
Merchant marine:
976 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,684,459
GRT/34,683,035 DWT; includes 10 passenger, 40 short-sea passenger, 3 passenger cargo, 89 cargo, 44 container, 36 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 111 refrigerated cargo, 93 vehicle carrier, 227 petroleum tanker, 11 chemical tanker, 40 liquefied gas, 9 combination ore/oil, 3 specialized tanker, 260 bulk; note - Japan also owns a large flag of convenience fleet, including up to 55% of the total number of ships under the Panamanian flag
Civil air: 360 major transport aircraft
Ports and terminalsJapan - Transnational issues 1992
top of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs