Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
39 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
47.9 million (2023 est.)
Communications: 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)
Communications: Internet country code
.jp
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
85.54% (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
48 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
59.758 million (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
168 (2022 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
219 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
rice, milk, sugar beets, vegetables, eggs, chicken, potatoes, onions, cabbages, pork (2023)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on alcohol and tobacco
2.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on food
15.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$897.03 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$661.986 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
$46.379 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
$36.351 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
$136.472 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
$197.049 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
$203.169 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
$177.269 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
$176.610 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
$150.029 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
$196.525 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
$90.21 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2023
$156.592 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2024
$194.257 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
151.366 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
yen (JPY) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
97.5957 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
105.945 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
121.044 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
108.793 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
112.166 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
110.423 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
109.010 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
106.775 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
109.754 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
131.498 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
140.491 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
151.366 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
cars, integrated circuits, machinery, vehicle parts/accessories, construction vehicles (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2011
$920.914 billion (2011 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2014
$852.991 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2015
$775.052 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2016
$803.489 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2017
$867.405 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2018
$923.235 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2019
$893.782 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2020
$785.058 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$912.549 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$922.813 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$923.488 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2024
$922.447 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: exports of goods and services
21.5% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: government consumption
21.6% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption
55.5% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: imports of goods and services
-25.3% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in fixed capital
26.3% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in inventories
0.5% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
0.9% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
28.6% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
69.8% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$52,039 (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$4.026 trillion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$6.452 trillion (2024 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015
30.7 (2015 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016
31.8 (2016 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017
31.8 (2017 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018
32.9 (2018 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019
33.0 (2019 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020
32.3 (2020 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%
23.9% (2020 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
2.4% (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
crude petroleum, natural gas, coal, integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2010
$782.080 billion (2010 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2015
$799.672 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2016
$763.175 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2017
$829.947 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2018
$922.228 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2019
$908.592 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2020
$798.645 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$938.756 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$1.081 trillion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$996.364 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2024
$965.047 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
1.4% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
0.80% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
-0.13% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
0.48% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
0.99% (2018 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
0.47% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
-0.02% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
-0.23% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
2.50% (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
3.27% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
2.74% (2024 est.)
Economy: Labor force
69.382 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2022
215.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$5.034 trillion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$5.200 trillion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$5.159 trillion (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$5.262 trillion (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$5.404 trillion (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$5.357 trillion (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$5.575 trillion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$5.627 trillion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$5.71 trillion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$5.715 trillion (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
1.56% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
0.75% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
1.68% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
0.64% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
-0.40% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-4.17% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
2.70% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
0.94% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
1.48% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024
0.10% (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$39,555 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$40,899 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$40,597 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$41,444 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$42,678 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$42,426 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$44,355 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$47,192 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$50,662 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$2.364 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$3.734 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$3.325 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$4.888 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
$5.294 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
0.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
0.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2024
0.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015
$1.233 trillion (2015 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016
$1.217 trillion (2016 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017
$1.264 trillion (2017 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018
$1.270 trillion (2018 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019
$1.322 trillion (2019 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020
$1.391 trillion (2020 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$1.406 trillion (2021 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$1.228 trillion (2022 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$1.295 trillion (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$1.231 trillion (2024 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
2.35% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
2.81% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
2.81% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
2.61% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
2.60% (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024
2.50% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
3.7% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
4.2% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
3.9% (2024 est.)
Energy: Coal: consumption
197.612 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: exports
1.615 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
170.874 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: production
27.657 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: proven reserves
350 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: biomass and waste
6.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
65.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: geothermal
0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: hydroelectricity
7.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: nuclear
8.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
10.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: wind
1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
902.769 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
361.617 million kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
41.79 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023
129.504 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: consumption
88.317 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: exports
271.607 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: imports
85.003 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: production
2.019 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: proven reserves
20.898 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy: Nuclear energy: Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors
12.63GW (2025 est.)
Energy: Nuclear energy: Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down
27 (2025)
Energy: Nuclear energy: Number of nuclear reactors under construction
2 (2025)
Energy: Nuclear energy: Number of operational nuclear reactors
14 (2025)
Energy: Nuclear energy: Percent of total electricity production
5.5% (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: crude oil estimated reserves
44.115 million barrels (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
3.14 million bbl/day (2024 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: total petroleum production
8,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from coal and metallurgical coke
367.144 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from consumed natural gas
190.043 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
403.042 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
960.23 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Climate
varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
Environment: Environmental issues
air pollution from power plants results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality; waste management issues; ongoing environmental clean-up in small area of Fukushima after nuclear accident in 2011
Environment: Geoparks: global geoparks and regional networks
Aso UNESCO; Hakusan Tedorigawa; Itoigawa; Izu Peninsula; Mt. Apoi; Muroto; Oki Islands; San'in Kaigan; Toya - Usu; Unzen (2023)
Environment: Geoparks: total global geoparks and regional networks
10
Environment: International environmental agreements: party to
Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
12.6% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 0.9% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
68.3% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
19% (2023 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: agriculture
972.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: energy
214.7 kt (2022-2024 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: other
22.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: waste
208.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
10.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Total renewable water resources
430 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: agricultural
53 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: industrial
13 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: municipal
13.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
-0.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
92.19% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
42.72 million tons (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: percent of municipal solid waste recycled
11.5% (2022 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
slightly smaller than California
Geography: Area: land
364,485 sq km
Geography: Area: water
13,430 sq km
Geography: Coastline
29,751 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Mount Fuji 3,776 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Hachiro-gata -4 m
Geography: Elevation: mean elevation
438 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
36 00 N, 138 00 E
Geography: Geography - note
note 1: strategic location in northeast Asia; composed of four main islands (the "Home Islands") -- Hokkaido, Honshu (the largest, most populous, and site of Tokyo, the capital), Shikoku, and Kyushu 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
Geography: Irrigated land
15,730 sq km (2014)
Geography: Land boundaries: total
0 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
12.6% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 0.9% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
68.3% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
19% (2023 est.)
Geography: Major lakes (area sq km): fresh water lake(s)
Biwa-ko 688 sq km
Geography: Map references
Asia
Geography: Maritime claims: contiguous zone
24 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: territorial sea
12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and the Korea and Tsushima Straits
Geography: Natural hazards
many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors but occasional severe earthquakes) every year; tsunamis; typhoons 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: 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)
Geography: Terrain
mostly rugged and mountainous
Government: 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
Government: Capital: 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
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
35 41 N, 139 45 E
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
no
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Japan
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
no
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Government: 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
Government: Constitution: history
previous 1890; latest approved 6 October 1946, adopted 3 November 1946, effective 3 May 1947
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Japan
Government: Country name: 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: Country name: local long form
Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku
Government: Country name: local short form
Nihon/Nippon
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Ambassador George GLASS (since 17 July 2025)
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: consulate(s)
Fukuoka, Nagoya
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: consulate(s) general
Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: email address and website
TokyoACS@state.gov https://jp.usembassy.gov/
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: FAX
[81] (03) 3224-5856
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: mailing address
9800 Tokyo Place, Washington DC 20521-9800
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: telephone
[81] (03) 3224-5000
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery
2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Ambassador YAMADA Shigeo (since 27 February 2024)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s)
Anchorage (AK), Atlanta, Boston, Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville (TN), New York, Portland (OR), San Francisco, Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands), Seattle (WA)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s) general
Chicago
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: email address and website
emb-consulate.dc@ws.mofa.go.jp https://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_en/index.html
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX
[1] (202) 328-2187
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: telephone
[1] (202) 238-6700
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
Emperor NARUHITO (since 1 May 2019)
Government: Executive branch: 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
Government: Executive branch: 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
Government: Executive branch: head of government
Prime Minister Sanae TAKAICHI (since 21 October 2025)
Government: Flag
description: white with a large red disk that symbolizes the sun without rays, in the center 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.
Government: International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Government: 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
Government: Judicial branch: highest court(s)
Supreme Court or Saiko saibansho (consists of the chief justice and 14 associate justices)
Government: 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
Government: Judicial branch: 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)
Government: Legal system
civil law system based on German model; also reflects Anglo-American influence and Japanese traditions; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name
House of Representatives (Shugiin)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: electoral system
mixed system
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: expected date of next election
October 2028
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: most recent election date
7/20/2025
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: number of seats
465 (all directly elected)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: parties elected and seats per party
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) (191); Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (148); Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) (38); Democratic Party for the People (28); Komeito (24); Other (36)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: percentage of women in chamber
15.7%
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: term in office
4 years
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name
House of Councillors (Sangiin)
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: electoral system
mixed system
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: expected date of next election
June 2028
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: most recent election date
10/27/2024
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: number of seats
248 (all directly elected)
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: parties elected and seats per party
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) (39); Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (22); Democratic Party for the People (17); Sanseito (14); Komeito (8); Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) (7); Independents (8); Other (10)
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: percentage of women in chamber
29.4%
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: scope of elections
partial renewal
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: term in office
6 years
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
bicameral
Government: Legislative branch: legislature name
National Diet (Kokkai)
Government: National anthem(s): 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
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
unknown/Hiromori HAYASHI
Government: National coat of arms
the Kikumon is the Japanese emperor's family coat of arms and dates from 1183; the Imperial chrysanthemum emblem (菊の御紋, kikunogomon ) is a yellow or orange chrysanthemum with black or red outlines and background; a central disc is surrounded by a front set of 16 petals; a rear set of 16 petals are half-staggered in relation to the front set and are visible at the edges of the flower
Government: National color(s)
red, white
Government: 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)
Government: National heritage: total World Heritage Sites
26 (21 cultural, 5 natural)
Government: National holiday
Birthday of Emperor NARUHITO, 23 February (1960)
Government: National symbol(s)
red sun disc, chrysanthemum
Government: Political parties
Conservative Party of Japan or CPJ 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
Government: Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Introduction: 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.
Military and Security: Military - note
the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) has a range of missions, including territorial defense, monitoring the country’s air and maritime spaces, countering piracy and terrorism, and conducting humanitarian operations; the JSDF exercises regularly with the US military and increasingly with other regional countries, including Australia and the Philippines 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)
Military and Security: 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 and Security: Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 230-240,000 active Self Defense Forces (2025)
Military and Security: Military deployments
maintains a presence of about 400 military personnel at a permanent base in Djibouti (2025)
Military and Security: 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 and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2015
0.95% (2015 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2016
0.93% (2016 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2017
0.91% (2017 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2018
0.96% (2018 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2019
0.99% (2019 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2020
1.02% (2020 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2021
1.06% (2021 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2022
1.01% (2022 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2023
1.14% (2023 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024
1.37% (2024 est.)
Military and Security: Military service age and obligation
18-32 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
12.1% (male 7,701,196/female 7,239,389)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
58.4% (male 36,197,840/female 35,777,966)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
29.5% (2024 est.) (male 15,976,233/female 20,309,321)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
1.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
5.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
1.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
8.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
6.84 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
10.74% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Currently married women (ages 15-49)
50% (2020 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
12.04 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
50.4 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
2 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
71.2 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
20.8 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
3.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
7.5% national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
3.34% (2021 est.)
People and Society: 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.)
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
0.68 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
10.8% of GDP (2021)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
23.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: Hospital bed density
12.6 beds/1,000 population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
1.7 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
2 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
1.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
People and Society: Languages: Languages
Japanese
People and Society: 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.
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
87.1 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
81.1 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: 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)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
51.3 years
People and Society: Median age: male
48.3 years
People and Society: Mother's mean age at first birth
30.7 years (2018 est.)
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
Japanese
People and Society: Net migration rate
0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
4.3% (2016)
People and Society: Physician density
2.65 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
People and Society: Population
123,975,371 (2024 est.)
People and Society: 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)
People and Society: Population growth rate
-0.44% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
63,326,676
People and Society: Population: male
59,875,269
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): female
16 years (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): male
16 years (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total
16 years (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.06 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
1.01 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.79 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.06 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: female
7.2% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: male
24.4% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: total
15.5% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
1.15 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
-0.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
92.19% (2024 est.)
Space: Key space-program milestones
1966-1970 - initiated satellite launch vehicle (SLV) program and launched first domestically produced satellite (OHSUMI) 1985 - launched two Halley’s Comet observation satellites (Japan’s first missions beyond Earth’s orbit) 1992 - first astronaut in space on US Space Shuttle 1998 - launched its first Mars orbiter (failed to enter orbit) 2003 - launched world’s first uncrewed spacecraft (Hayabusa 1) to return with a sample from an asteroid (2010) 2007 - launched Lunar orbiter (Kaguya) mission 2010 - launched Venus orbiter (Akatsuki) mission 2014 - launched asteroid probe with lander/rover (Hayabusa 2); first Japanese International Space Station commander 2018 - launched joint Japan-ESA probe to Mercury (BepiColombo); began operation of a navigational/positioning satellite constellation (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, QZSS) 2019 - began participating in US-led lunar orbital station and Moon exploration programs 2024 - soft-landed unmanned spacecraft (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon or SLIM) on the Moon; conducted first successful test launch of domestically produced H3 medium-lift SLV
Space: Space agency/agencies
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA; established in 2003) (2025)
Space: Space launch site(s)
Tanegashima Space Center/Yoshinobu Launch Complex (Kagoshima), Uchinoura Space Center (Kagoshima), Noshiro Testing Center (Akita) (2025)
Space: Space program overview
has one of the world’s largest and most advanced space programs, with independent capabilities in all areas except autonomous manned space flight; designs, builds, launches, and operates the full spectrum of satellites; designs, builds, and independently launches satellite/space launch vehicles (SLVs) and other spacecraft; has a wide range of research and development programs; has an astronaut training program; participates in international programs such as the International Space Station and the Square Kilometer Array radio telescope project; leads the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum and co-leads the Global Earth Observation System of Systems; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Canada, the ESA and its member states, India, Russia, the UAE, the US; has a commercial space industry that develops space-related capabilities and technologies, including satellites, satellite payloads and subcomponents, and SLVs; in recent years, the Japanese Government has supported space startup companies (2025)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs
29,244 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees
60,361 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: stateless persons
505 (2024 est.)
Transportation: Airports
280 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
JA
Transportation: Heliports
3,036 (2025)
Transportation: Merchant marine: by type
bulk carrier 166, container ship 49, general cargo 1,893, oil tanker 666, other 2,455
Transportation: Merchant marine: total
5,229 (2023)
Transportation: Ports: key ports
Kawasaki Ko, Kobe, Mikawa, Nagasaki, Nagoya Ko, Onomichi-Itozaki, Osaka, Tokyo Ko, Wakamatsu Ko, Wakayama-Shimotsu Ko, Yokohama Ko
Transportation: Ports: large
11
Transportation: Ports: medium
26
Transportation: Ports: ports with oil terminals
99
Transportation: Ports: size unknown
1
Transportation: Ports: small
54
Transportation: Ports: total ports
163 (2024)
Transportation: Ports: very small
71
Transportation: Railways: dual gauge
132 km (2015) 1.435-1.067-m gauge (132 km electrified)
Transportation: Railways: narrow gauge
124 km (2015) 1.372-m gauge (124 km electrified)
Transportation: Railways: standard gauge
4,800 km (2015) 1.435-m gauge (4,800 km electrified)
Transportation: Railways: total
27,311 km (2015)
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.