Japan, island nation in East Asia, located in the North Pacific Ocean off the coast of the Asian continent. Japan comprises the four main islands of Honshū, Hokkaidō, Kyūshū, and Shikoku, in addition to numerous smaller islands. The Japanese call their country Nihon or Nippon, which means “origin of the sun.” The name arose from Japan’s position east of the great Chinese empires that held sway over Asia throughout most of its history. Japan is sometimes referred to in English as the “land of the rising sun.” Tokyo is the country’s capital and largest city.

PEOPLE
Japan's population, currently some 126 million, has experienced a phenomenal growth rate during the past 100 years as a result of scientific, industrial, and sociological changes, but this has recently slowed because of falling birth rates. High sanitary and health standards produce a life expectancy exceeding that of the United States

HISTORY
Traditional Japanese legend maintains that Japan was founded in 600 BC by the Emperor Jimmu, a direct descendant of the sun goddess and ancestor of the present ruling imperial family. About AD 405, the Japanese court officially adopted the Chinese writing system. Together with the introduction of Buddhism in the sixth century, these two events

ECONOMY
Japan's industrialized, free market economy is the second-largest in the world. Its economy is highly efficient and competitive in areas linked to international trade, but productivity is far lower in areas such as agriculture, distribution, and services. After achieving one of the highest economic growth rates in the world from the 1960s through the 1980s, the Japanese economy slowed dramatically in the early 1990s, when the "bubble economy" collapsed.

Full country name: Japan (Nihon)
Area: 377,835 sq km
Population: 127 million
Capital City: Tokyo (pop 12 million)
People: Japanese (including indigenous Ainu & Okinawans), Korean
Language: Japanese
Religion: Shinto, Buddhist, Christian
Government: Constitutional monarchy
Head of State: Emperor Akihito
Head of Government: Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro
GDP: US$3.15 trillion
GDP per capita: US$24,900
Annual Growth: 1.3%
Inflation: -0.7%
Major Industries: High-tech electronic products, motor vehicles, office machinery, chemicals, steel, textiles, processed foods
Major Trading Partners: USA, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Germany, China