Geography
- Full country name: Japan
- Population: 126,475,664 (World Factbook, 2011)
- Border countries: none
- Climate: Japan has four distinct seasons, with cold winters and hot summers. The north-eastern island of Hokkaido is markedly cooler with temperatures below zero for most of the winter. The southern islands have a more tropical climate. June to September can be hot and humid. It can snow in winter, but this is infrequent south of Tokyo.
- Terrain: the geography of Japan is very distinctive, with steep hills and mountains surrounding heavily populated plains. The country is made up of a series of over 1,000 islands. The main islands include Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoko.
- Natural hazards: some active volcanoes, tsunamis, typhoons (typhoon season is June - December). Japan's location at the juncture of several tectonic plates means that approximately 20% of the world's earthquakes take place in Japan. In March 2011, Japan's strongest-ever earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit Honshu Island, causing damage to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility. The earthquake has had a damaging impact on the country's economy and energy infrastructure.
Living in Japan
- Cost of living: in proportion to income, most things are comparable to the UK if not slightly cheaper. The going rate for a (very) small single occupancy apartment on the outskirts of Tokyo is about 40,000 - 66,000 yen per month, but landlords and estate agents can be wary of dealing with foreigners. Some jobs for international employees will come with accommodation. If not, Sakura House
is a good first port of call for recent arrivals.
- Utilities: expect to pay a total of about 8,000 yen a month for gas, water and electricity combined, but this can vary between areas.
- Internet domain: .jp
- Health: no vaccinations are required when travelling to Japan. Health insurance is essential and a requirement for a working visa. Many companies will offer insurance for employees but shop around as employee rates are often not the best. Food safety standards are generally higher than in the UK.
- Laws and customs: there are serious consequences for those found in possession of illegal substances, including long periods of detention without trial, solitary confinement and/or deportation. Some medications that are legal in the UK are banned in Japan. Due to the highly parochial nature of Japanese society, expats can expect to be reminded of their 'outsiderness' every day. This can even take the form of stares and racist slurs, although these things almost never escalate beyond something muttered in your general direction. Foreigners are required to carry a passport or Alien Registration Card (gaikokujin tourokushou) at all times or face arrest and detention.
Economy and finance
- Currency: yen (¥)
- Type of economy: capitalist, Western.
- Health of economy: Japan is the world's third largest economy; however, huge government debt and the cost of repairing the damage caused by the 2011 earthquake have caused a recession in the country. Although Japan is slowly recovering, it is also feeling the effects of weak demand for exports and a sharp downturn in business investment. Economic recovery will depend partly on how the economy deals with an ageing population and the attitudes of younger generations, many of whom do not share the same work ethic as their parents.
- Unemployment rate: 4.5% (Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2011).
- Main exports: cars, electronic devices and computers.
Culture
- People: Japanese 98.5%, Koreans 0.5%, Chinese 0.4%, other 0.6%.
- Major religions: Shinto and Buddhism.
- History: see BBC Timeline: Japan
- Local etiquette: correct manners are highly regarded among the Japanese, and there are various social customs that need to be adhered to. You can find a list of them at the Japan Guide
.
Politics
- Type of government: constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government.
- Major political parties: Liberal Democratic Party, Democratic Party of Japan, New Komeito, Japanese Communist Party, Social Democratic Party Japan.
Travel advice
Find the latest travel advice and a traveller's checklist on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)
website.
