Japan, or Japan for short, capital Tokyo, is a location Pacific The West coast extends from the northeast to the southwest arc of the island, including Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu four large islands and more than 6,800 small islands, the total area of 378,000 square kilometers, by 1 capital, 1 prefecture, 2 prefectures and 43 prefectures (provinces). As of April 2023, the total population is about 124.43 million, and it is the only developed country with a population of more than 100 million, except the United States Yamato , common Japanese . The main religion is Shintoism And Buddhism.

It appeared in the middle of the 3rd century Yamato State . In 645, the Japanese learned from the Tang Dynasty of China and proceeded Great transformation and new transformation . Late 12th century, enter Office of the shogun The era of domination. In the 1850s, the isolationist policy was abandoned and a series of unequal treaties were signed. In 1868, Japan learned from the European and American powers and implemented Meiji Restoration The establishment of the Great Japanese Empire, quickly into the ranks of imperialist powers. In 1894 and 1905, respectively The Sino-Japanese War , ^[119] Russo-japanese War To win, ^[121] Consolidated its position as a world power. ^[120] Launched in 1937 World War II And embarked on the path of war expansion. In 1945, World War II The defeat was announced as unconditional surrender. After the war, the new Constitution was implemented, and the line of "heavy economy, light armaments" was pursued, and it became the second largest economic power after the United States in the late 1960s. ^[112]

Japan is a highly developed modern country, one of the world's four largest economies, ^[123] As well Group of seven The only Asian country, ^[124] By the end of 2022, Japan was the world's largest creditor country for the 32nd consecutive year. ^[113] Automotive, steel, machine tools, shipbuilding, electronics, machinery, semiconductors and robotics and other fields in the global competitive advantage, ^[114] ^[116] Scientific research, aerospace, medical care, education, manufacturing and other levels are in the forefront of the world, in addition to animation, music and game industries led by the cultural industry and developed tourism is also an important symbol. ^[115] It has preserved traditional Japanese culture such as tea ceremony, flower way and book way. ^[56]

The GDP in 2023 is about 591.482 trillion yen. ^[123]

They say

Why Japan's fertility rate keeps falling 2024-04-10 17:37

At the end of the day, it is more important for young people to choose to have children, and more important for them to have optimistic expectations about the future, so that they feel that bringing children into the world is a good thing, not a hard labor. ... details

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Chinese name: Japan ^[1]
Foreign name: Japan
Japan にっぽんこく / にほんこく (Japanese)
Abbreviated form: Japan
continent: Asia
capital: Tokyo ^[1]
Major city: Osaka , Yokohama , Nagoya , Kobe , Fukuoka , Kyoto , Sapporo , Sendai , Hiroshima Etc. ^[1]
National Day: February 23rd
National song: " The generation of Emperor " ^[1]
Country code: JPN
Official language: Japanese
currency: yen ^[1] (yen, ¥, JPY, yen)
Time zone: UTC+9
Political system: A parliamentary constitutional monarchy
National leader: Naruhito (Emperor) , Fumio Kishida (Prime Minister)
Population number: About 124.43 million ^[97] (April 2023)
Population density: 328.9 people/km2 (Year 2021)
Major nationality: Yamato , Ryukyu nationality , The Ainu ^[1]

Major religion: Shintoism ^[1] , Buddhism
Land area: About 378,000 km²
Water area ratio: 0.8%
International telephone area code: 81
International domain name abbreviation: .jp
Road access: Keep to the left
National symbol: Emperor Naruhito
Legal system: Civil law system
Central bank: Bank of Japan
Geographical highest point: Fujiyama (3775.63 m)
Famous enterprise: Toyota , Honda , SONY , Mitsubishi , Toshiba Etc.
Leading institution: University of Tokyo , Kyoto University , Nagoya University
climate: Temperate oceanic monsoon climate ^[1]
Famous person: Momoe Yamaguchi , Ken Takakura , Ken Utsu Etc.
Famous scenic spot: Ginza , Kyoto , Fujiyama , Heijiro Kyo
Year number: Ream Hoa ^[2] (Opened on May 1, 2019)
National flag: Japanese military flag
State structure: Unitary system
Gross domestic product: 591.482 trillion yen ^[123] (2022)

catalogue

Historical evolution

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EDITOR

Subject article: History of Japan

Early civilization

See also: Japanese mythology , Jomon period , Yayoi period , Kofun period

Early myth

With regard to Japanese islands The confirmed history of mankind dates back to about 30,000 to 100,000 years ago. About 12,000 years ago, because The last ice Age The end and began to warm rapidly, making people's culture and life have great changes, the whole island into the next Jomon period . The Jomon Period began around 12,000 years ago. It is divided into six stages: initial stage, early stage, early stage, middle stage, late stage and late stage. People at this time made jomon pottery, and after the early period moved towards settlement, most of them lived in Semi-crypt house (Living in vertical cave). Bow and arrow hunt , Shell mound Fishing, collecting plants and other business life, use Hammering stone tool , Grinding stone tool , Horn organ Let's wait. It is also cultivated and planted from late to late evening rice . ^[3]

In Japanese mythology, Helios Amaterasu Descendant of Emperor Jimmu He established Japan in 660 BC and took the throne Mikado .

Yayoi period

Along with Ferry bearer The move in, Japan in Yayoi period Pottery, iron, Copper ware And paddy fields and so on culture Japan gradually became an agricultural society. ^[4-5] The middle Yayoi period, located in Kyushu Slave state The king to the Han Dynasty Pay tribute And was given a gold seal.

By the second half of the second century, the small countries had frequent civil wars, and it was not until the middle of the third century that a larger "war" appeared. Yamato State After a long period of expansion, and gradually conquered most of central Japan, its leader was initially called "King", and later changed its name Mikado . ^[6]

Kofun period

The distribution of ancient tombs is basically widespread Honshu To the south Nara , Osaka Yamato basin dominated, Hokkaido None was found. Tombs of this period are huge cave mounds, surrounded by trenches, the "front and back circle" type of tomb is the most representative, the tomb is surrounded by hollow clay statues, these tube-shaped earth figures may be used for burial, called" haniwa ". The construction of these tombs costs a lot of money, and only a few ruling classes can afford them, with 71 discovered as of 2013, with keyhole-shaped tombs the most common, Oyama Tsuka in Osaka. Rendetian Imperial Mausoleum It is the largest ancient mountain grave in Japan. ^[7]

There are usually many bronze mirrors, jewelry and other items in the ancient tombs, and in the later period, there are weapons and weapons in the ancient tombs Armor . Kofun period It can be divided into early stage, middle stage and late stage. From the beginning of the 8th century, Cremation Popular, ancient tombs gradually waned, and opened Buddhist architecture The Times of...

Age of stray Birds

Nara period

Heian period

shogunate

See also: Kamakura period , Southern and Northern Dynasties , Muromachi period , Warring States Period , Anto Momoyama era

Kamakura period

Minamoto no Yoritomo pacify Hirashi After the establishment to Kamakura The Mujia regime was the political center of the country. Started in 1185 (the first year of Wenji) Kamakura Shogunate It was founded, and finally in 1333 (the second year of Zhengqing and the third year of Motohiro) the shogunate collapsed, after 149 years. The beginning period also began in 1180, 1183, and 1192 (Minamoto Ryo-jo served as the emperor General Levy Yi ). ^[14]

in Tojo Shizong During his reign, Yuan Shizu Kublai Khan He has invaded the sun twice without success. ^{[15 to 16]} In the later period, Office of the shogun The reign of the empire was decaying, untenable, and finally Emperor Godaigo Raise troops, and then be the crusade general, Ueno clan A surname And died.

Southern and Northern Dynasties

Emperor Godaigo After the destruction of Kamakura shogunate, the first Return to the throne The New Deal, Shi said New policy for building armed forces . After the Ori forced Emperor Daigo abdicate. New Emperor Emperor of Light To make him a general of the war, is to The Northern Dynasties . A symbol of the emperor after Emperor Godaigo's abdication triad Retreat to Yamato Yoshino (today Nara-ken ), is for The Southern Dynasties So far The Northern and Southern Dynasties Finally formed.

Muromachi period

Ashikaga He was a Ueno magnate and a Kamakura shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo The same clan, the full Li Zun Kyoto Muromachi opened the shogunate, which was for The Muromachi shogunate . ^[17] The unification of the Northern and Southern Dynasties was the third generation of generals Ashikaga Yoshimitsu After his unification, he attempted to usurp the throne. But after his death, fourth-generation Gen Ashikaga Yoshiki Stopped it. Because Ashikaga had to deal with The Southern Dynasties It was necessary to open a shogunate in Kyoto, and a government office in Kamakura, which led to the Kanto Chaos. In the eighth gen Ashikaga Yoshimasa During his reign, the succession issue erupted The chaos of benevolence Since then, the shogunate's authority has declined. It was originally sealed off by the shogunate daimyo And some are gradually being Guardian era (Adjutant), retainer The people usurped the regime, and some could maintain the regime until the Warring States Period. From the beginning of the rebellion to the end of the Ashikaga shogunate, it is called Warring States Period . ^[11]

Anto Momoyama era

The first year of Tianzheng (1573), Oda Nobunaga Banish the last general Ashikaga Yoshiaki , Ashikaga Shogunate Declare death. Later, he gradually became the most powerful military chief in the country, and began to actively expand his rule until the end of the Tenth year of Tianzheng (1582) Kai One's personal name Takeda Until now, it has been almost completely controlled Kinki with Donghai region And extend their power to Chinese places , A letter over the place , Shikoku Place and Hokuriku At this time, the actual political center of the country was also transferred to the city of Azu Oda On hands. In the same year, Ministry Gen Mitsuki launch The change of Instinct Temple Oda Nobunaga died (or disappeared), his eldest son and Oda family governor Oda Nobutadaka Be defeated by Mitsuki After committing suicide, the entire oda family suddenly plunged into chaos. ^[18]

In 1584, Hideyoshi Hashiba With Tokai place daimyo Tokugawa Ieyasu The outbreak of the war, the two sides after a confrontation after reconciliation and alliance, the same year, Osaka city completed, Hideyoshi as a base, began to unify the country's plan. After four major Crusades, in 1590 Hideyoshi, who was given the name Toyotomi by the emperor, completed the general unification of the country, and in 1598, Toyotomi Hideyoshi He died and the country was thrown into chaos again.

Edo period

In 1603 ( Khanh Chaung 8 years) to 1867 ( echo 3 years), known as Edo period , to Edo set The Edo shogunate . ^[11] As politics settled down, so did the economy Shoyoshi Tokugawa Times are good, merchants and town people are prevalent Yuanlu culture . Edo In the middle of the era, the shogunate's finances were in trouble, Tokugawa Yoshizune Carry out Insurance reform Finances recovered temporarily, only to deteriorate again. ^{19-20] [}

The shogunate was forced by the European and American countries to establish the country in the late years, and signed the Japan-United States through Matthew Perry's voyage Treaty of Kanagawa And other unequal treaties broke the lock. ^[21-22] With the founding and Honor the king and fight the barbarians Thought strong, the shogunate elder assassinated and Anglo-Saxon War The shogunate's authority crumbled, and eventually Tokugawa Keiki The government and territory were returned to the court successively, which was called "Great government returned" in history. ^[23-24]

Meiji Restoration

Taisho period

Showa period

Heisei period

Showa 天皇于昭和64年（1989年）1月7日驾崩，子 Akihito On the day after his death (January 8), he changed his year name to "Pingcheng". ^[1] It's called the Heisei era.

Democratic Party of the United States Representative (Party leader) Yukio Hatoyama On September 16, 2009, he was elected as the 93rd Prime Minister of Japan in a special parliamentary election and formed a cabinet on the same day. The establishment of the new Cabinet marks the formal entry into the ruling era of the Democratic Party of Japan, and the first real "regime change" in Japan since the post-war period.

On December 8, 2017, Emperor Akihito The abdication date is set for April 30, 2019. ^[37]

Reinghe period

On April 1, 2019, then-Japan Chief cabinet secretary Suga Yoshihide Announce," Ream Hoa "Reiwa" was chosen as the Japanese New Year's name, starting from May 1, 2019. ^[2]

On May 1, 2019, Emperor Naruhito Tokyo-based The Imperial Palace To be enthroned as the 126th Emperor of Japan ^[38] .

November 4, 2022 news, according to Japan Jiji Press , Japanese Defense Minister Yasukichi Hamada At the press conference, Japan officially joined the NATO Cyber Defense Center and will strengthen cooperation with other countries in the future. ^[73]

On July 12, 2023, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Lithuania. The two sides issued a new document, "Individual Targeted Partnership Program" (ITPP), and decided to expand cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region ^[99] ; At 13:00 local time on August 24, Japan's Fukushima First nuclear power plant started to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea ^[103] .

On December 1, 2023, the 33rd General Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) held A new election of members in London, England, and Japan was elected to the IMO Category A council. ^[109]

On January 9, 2024, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry signed memorandums of cooperation on decarbonization with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, which will use Japan's environmental technology to support the introduction of renewable energy in these two countries. ^[111]

On March 19, 2024, the Bank of Japan concluded its two-day monetary policy meeting and decided to lift its negative interest rate policy. ^[127]

Geographical environment

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EDITOR

Regional location

Japan is located in Pacific West, east Pacific , west septum The East China Sea The Yellow Sea, Korean Strait , Sea of Japan , with China, North Korea , Korea , Russia Look at each other, Kyushu Nagasaki 460 nautical miles from Shanghai, China. The land area of 378,000 square kilometers, the country by Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and Hokkaido 4 large islands and more than 6,800 small islands, extending northeast to southwest arc island chain. ^[56]

Japan is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes and volcanic activity are frequent. Japan is home to 1/10 of the world's volcanoes and 1/5 of the world's earthquakes. ^[56]

landform

Fujiyama

About three-quarters of Japan is covered by mountains. The central region of Honshu is known as the "roof of Japan", with many mountains rising more than 3,000 meters above sea level. Located on the border of Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures Fujiyama At 3,776 meters above sea level, it is the highest mountain in Japan. Mount Kitake in Yamanashi Prefecture, at 3,193 meters above sea level, is the second highest mountain in Japan. Mount Okho, located in Nagano and Gifu prefectures, is 3,190 meters above sea level, while Mount Ma, which straddles Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures, is also 3,190 meters above sea level, making it the third highest peak.

Topographic map of Japan

Due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, Japan has multiple volcanic zones - generally thought to be seven - from its northernmost to southernmost point. Of all the volcanoes, about 110 are active, including Mount Mihara on Izu Oshima, Mount Asama on the border of Nagano and Gunma prefectures, and Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture. Although Japan has only 1/400 of the world's land area, it is home to almost 1/10 of the world's 1,500 or so active volcanoes.

Many rivers have played a large role in shaping the topography of Japan, creating valleys and basins large and small, and forming fan-shaped deltas near the mouths of rivers. Most of the plains in Japan are small in size. The biggest is Kanto Plain It includes parts of Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo and Kanagawa. Other relatively large plain areas are Echigo Plain (in Niigata Prefecture), Ishigagawa Plain (in Hokkaido), and Nago Plain (in Aichi and Gifu prefectures). ^[58]

climate

Japan has a temperate maritime monsoon climate, mild and humid all year round. One of the characteristics of climate is the distinct variation of temperature between the four seasons. Japan spans about 25 latitudes from north to south and is influenced by monsoons originating in Siberia in winter and the Pacific Ocean in summer.

Despite its small size, Japan has four distinct climatic characteristics. Hokkaido has a sub-Arctic climate with an average annual temperature of 9.45 ° C and an average annual precipitation of about 1205 mm. From the Tohoku region in northern Honshu to Kyushu, the area on the Pacific side belongs to the temperate zone, affected by the Pacific monsoon, the summer is very hot; The wet and cold monsoons that blow from the mainland are blocked by the Central Alps and other mountain ranges that run along the spine of central Japan, causing heavy rain and snow on the side facing the Sea of Japan. The southwestern islands of Okinawa have a subtropical climate, with average annual temperatures above 22 ° C and rainfall exceeding 2000 mm. ^[58]

Natural resources

Japan is poor in natural resources, and in addition to a small amount of mineral resources, the main raw materials and fuels required for other industrial production have to be imported from overseas. ^[56]

Water resources

Japan is covered with rivers. Most rivers are fast flowing and reach the sea soon after they leave valleys and basins. The Kurobe River is an excellent example of the "rushing" flow of the river, which flows down from its source in the Japanese Alps at an altitude of 2,900 meters and flows only 85 kilometers to the Sea of Japan.

The longest river in Japan is the Shinano River, which runs 367 km from the mountains of the Central region through Niigata Prefecture to the Sea of Japan. The Ligon River is the second largest river, which flows through the Kanto Plain into the Pacific Ocean. The third largest river is the Ishikagawa River in Hokkaido, which is about 268 km long. ^[57]

There are not many lakes in Japan. The largest lake in Japan is located in Shiga Prefecture Lake Biwa It covers an area of 670.3 square kilometers. Lake Biwa is a tectonic lake with a long history and diverse ecosystems, and it is also an important water source in Kansai. And the deepest lake is Akita-ken the Tazawa Lake The maximum water depth is 423.4 meters. The highest elevation lake is Tochigi prefecture The lake is 1269 meters above sea level. Due to frequent volcanic activity in Japan, there are many crater lakes and fault lakes in Japan, such as Bend Ramp Lake , Chehu Lake , Lake Toya , Ten Wada Lake Let's wait. There are some lakes along the coast Lake of Marine vestiges For example Hachiro Lagoon , Kasumigaura , Hamana Lake The Sea and so on. Japan has also built many reservoirs for power generation and river development ^[39] The larger ones are Heibu reservoir And Deshan reservoir, etc. ^[40]

Forest resources

Forest coverage accounts for 67.7% of the land area, which is one of the highest forest coverage countries in the world, but the self-sufficiency rate of wood is only about 20%, and it is the country that imports the most wood in the world. Forestry plays an important role in protecting Japan's territory and conserving water resources. Japan leads the world in forest cover, but imports about 75% of its annual demand for wood. The temperature difference between the north and the south of Japan is large, and the tree species are rich, among which the coniferous forest accounts for 2/3 and the broad-leaved forest accounts for 1/3. Houses and furniture in Japan use a lot of wood, and "wood" culture plays an important role in Japanese life. However, due to the low income of forestry management and the aging of the forestry employment population, the progress of forestry production in Japan is slow. Japan's main timber imports are the United States, Russia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Sweden, Chile, Finland, Indonesia, and China.

Fishery resources

Japan's exclusive economic zone is about 10 times the size of its territory and has rich fishing resources. Hokkaido and the Sea of Japan are world famous fishing grounds, rich in more than 700 species of fish. ^[56]

Plant resources

There are many kinds of plants in Japan. About 5,560 plant species (4,720 angiosperms, 40 gymnosperms, 800 ferns) are native to Japan. About 1,950 species of angiosperms and gymnosperms are native to Japan, accounting for about 35% of all angiosperms and gymnosperms in Japan. This indicates that Japan has a higher proportion of native plants than other countries. About 1600 species of angiosperms and tall gymnosperms are native to Japan.

The sheer number of plants reflects the diversity of Japan's climate and is a hallmark of the archipelago, which stretches some 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) from north to south. The most notable climatic features are the large temperature difference and the abundant precipitation, which provide favorable conditions for the flourishing of plants.

The plants of Japan are mainly distributed in the following five regions, all of which are in the East Asian temperature zone: (1) subtropical, including the Ryukyu Islands and Ogasawara Islands; (2) Temperate evergreen broad-leaved forests covering most of southern Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. Typical tree species are shii and kashi, both belonging to the oak family. (3) The cold temperate zone of deciduous broad-leaved forests covering central and northern Honshu and southeastern Hokkaido, where Japanese beech trees and other common tree species grow; (4) The subalpine zone, including the central and northern parts of Hokkaido. Typical plants are fir (Sakhalan) and spruce (Yesso); (5) Alpine zone, located in the central highlands of Honshu and central Hokkaido, typical plants include alpine plants such as komakusa (Dicentraperegrina). ^[57]

Animal resources

The large and small islands of Japan are also home to animals from a variety of climate types: tropical animals from Southeast Asia, temperate animals from Korea and China, and subarctic animals from Siberia.

The Ryukyu Islands' tropical seas are home to colorful tropical reef fish, turtles and sea snakes, as well as dugongs and black finless porpoises. In the waters north of central Honshu, we can also see sea lions, fur seals and beaked whales. Arctic animals, such as walruses, sometimes visit the Okhotsk Sea side of Hokkaido.

The Ryukyu Islands, Japan's southernmost islands, are inhabited mostly by tropical animals such as crested snake hawks, flying foxes and chameleons. The home islands of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu are home to tanuki, sika deer and mandarin ducks from the deciduous forests of Korea and central and northern China. Grizzly bears, flower-tailed hazelnuts, and common lizards come from the Siberian taiga. The lack of continuity in the distribution of animals is the result of the fact that the Japanese islands have been separated and combined with the Asian mainland many times in history, which has complicated the migration of animals.

Some of these species are endemic to Japan, such as the Japanese Dormouse, the Japanese macaque, the white-belted golden Pheasant, the Japanese salamander, and the primitive dragonfly. Some scholars believe that the Ryukyu Islands were separated from the Asian mainland much earlier than the Japanese mainland, and that the islands are also home to peckers and Amami hedgehogs. The Lower North Peninsula at the northern tip of Honshu is the northernmost habitat of all great apes in the world.

In the depths of the ocean, people can find the living fossils of some animals, such as horseshoe crabs, bell snails, and frilled sharks. There are also a few other Japanese aquatic animals, such as the giant spider crab (the world's largest crustacean) and the freshwater dwelling Japanese salamander (the largest amphibian on Earth, which is said to have a lifespan of nearly 50 years). ^[57]

Administrative division

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EDITOR

Zoning details

Japan is divided into one capital (Tokyo), one prefecture (Hokkaido), two prefectures (Osaka and Kyoto), and 43 prefectures, with cities, towns, and villages. The capital, prefecture, prefecture and county are parallel administrative regions directly under the central government, but each city, prefecture, prefecture and county has autonomy.

The "prefectures" in Japan correspond to the "provinces" in China, and the "prefectures" in Japan are higher than the "counties" in China in terms of administrative division. The city where the government of each prefecture is located is called the seat of the city hall, Taoist Hall, government hall or county hall, which is equivalent to the capital city of China. Most of the local county offices and county names are the same. For example, the prefectural office of Nara Prefecture is located in Nara City, and the prefectural office of Saitama Prefecture is located in Saitama City, etc. ^[59]

Subdivisions of Japan
All (1)	Tokyo Prefecture	/	/	/	/
Tao (1)	Hokkaido	/	/	/	/
Prefectures (2)	Osaka	Kyoto Prefecture	/	/	/
Districts (43)	Aomori Ken	Iwate-ken	Miyagi-ken	Akita-ken	Yamagata prefecture
	Fukushima-ken	Ibaraki prefecture	Tochigi prefecture	Gunma-ken	Saitama
	Chiba-ken	Kanagawa Prefecture	Niigata prefecture	Toyama	Ishikawa Ken
	Fukui prefecture	Yamanashi	Nagano-ken	Gifu Prefecture	Shizuoka
	Aichi-ken	Mie-ken	Shiga prefecture	Hyogo	Nara-ken
	Wakayama Prefecture	Tottori	Shimane	Okayama prefecture	Hiroshima-ken
	Yamaguchi-ken	Tokushima	Kagawa-ken	Ehime-ken	Kochi
	Fukuoka Ken	Saga prefecture	Nagasaki prefecture	Kumamoto prefecture	Oita
	Miyazak-ken	Kagoshima Prefecture	Okinawa Prefecture	/	/

Map of Japan (by place)

In Japan, however, a concept known as the "eight-place division" is more commonly used. According to the historical, cultural and economic characteristics of each region, Japan is naturally divided into eight regions, which are: Places in Hokkaido , northeast , Kanto region , midland , Kinki , Chinese places , Shikoku Place with Kyushu prefecture . Among them, Kanto includes 16 prefectures, which is the political, economic and cultural center of Japan. ^[59]

Eight places in Japan
Places in Hokkaido	Hokkaido	/	/	/	/
northeast	Aomori Ken	Iwate-ken	Miyagi-ken	Akita-ken	Yamagata prefecture
northeast	Fukushima-ken	/	/	/	/
Kanto region	Ibaraki prefecture	Tochigi prefecture	Gunma-ken	Saitama	Chiba-ken
Kanto region	Kanagawa Prefecture	Tokyo Prefecture	/	/	/
midland	Niigata prefecture	Toyama	Ishikawa Ken	Fukui prefecture	Yamanashi
midland	Nagano-ken	Gifu Prefecture	Shizuoka	Aichi-ken	/
Kinki	Mie-ken	Shiga prefecture	Kyoto Prefecture	Osaka Prefecture	Hyogo
Kinki	Nara-ken	Wakayama Prefecture	/	/	/
Chinese places	Tottori	Shimane	Okayama prefecture	Hiroshima-ken	Yamaguchi-ken
Shikoku Place	Tokushima	Kagawa-ken	Ehime-ken	Kochi	/
Kyushu prefecture	Fukuoka Ken	Saga prefecture	Nagasaki prefecture	Kumamoto prefecture	Oita
Kyushu prefecture	Miyazak-ken	Kagoshima Prefecture	Okinawa Prefecture	/	/

Major city

Tokyo

Tokyo view

Tokyo is the capital and largest city of Japan, the national political, economic, cultural, educational center and transportation hub, but also one of the global financial centers, a world-class metropolis. Located in the middle of the Japanese islands, composed of land and the Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands located in the Pacific Ocean, Sumida River, Arakawa and other flows through the urban area, an area of 2,188 square kilometers, It has a population of 14.1 million (December 2023). Tokyo is the economic center of Japan with a developed service industry. The main industries include precision machinery, automobile manufacturing, electronics, chemicals, electrical machinery, metallurgy, shipbuilding, food, publishing, printing and so on. Gathered many domestic and foreign large enterprises and bank headquarters. Small and medium-sized enterprises (smes) occupy a very important position in the local economy of Tokyo, accounting for more than 90% of the total number of enterprises in Tokyo.

Tokyo Ginza

Tokyo has extensive sea, land and air transportation network and urban transportation network with rail transit as the main body. Among them, the passenger volume of rail transit accounts for more than 85% of the total passenger volume of urban transportation. Tokyo is the center of education and culture in Japan, concentrating 1/3 of the universities and more than half of the university students, 80% of the publishing houses and many museums, art galleries, libraries and so on. ^[84] As an international metropolis, Tokyo regularly hosts various international cultural events, such as the Tokyo Music Festival and the Tokyo International Film Festival. Famous attractions include Tokyo Tower, Ginza and Asakusa. Many of Japan's traditional events and festivals are held in Asakusa, which still retains the look of old Tokyo. Tokyo is made up of 23 districts, 27 cities, 5 towns and 8 villages in the Tokyo metropolitan area. ^[60]

Tokyo subway map

The subway is the main means of daily transportation in Tokyo. The Tokyo subway network is developed, with 13 lines, 285 stations, a total length of 304.1 kilometers, and an average daily passenger flow of 10.4 million people, ranking first in the world. ^[56]

Osaka

Osaka scenery

Osaka is located in the central part of Honshu Island, near Osaka Bay, in a north-south long strip distribution, is the administrative, economic, cultural and transportation center of western Japan. It is also an industrial center, especially for the chemical, mechanical, steel and metal industries.

Osaka is an important economic, financial, commercial center and transportation hub in western Japan, with convenient material circulation and profound cultural heritage. In history, Osaka was designated as the capital several times, sending Sui and Tang envoys to and from the port of Osaka, making great contributions to trade and cultural exchanges. Many large and small rivers in Osaka run through the city, and its main main stream Yodokawa originates from Lake Biwa, which can be called "water city".

Osaka scenery

Osaka's industry and commerce account for a major part of its economic activities, with a wide variety of industries, a concentration of small and medium-sized enterprises, and strong strength, and its flexible way of operating is known as the "Osaka Business Law" in Japan. Especially in business, wholesalers occupy a high proportion, and the same industry gathers together to form wholesale streets. In addition, since ancient times, Osaka has been known as "the world's kitchen" and is famous for its food.

Osaka hosted the World Expo in 1970, the International Flower Fair in 1990, and the APEC Summit in 1995. ^[85]

Yokohama

Yokohama scenery

Yokohama is located in the Kanto region in the southeast of Honshu, Japan, east of Tokyo Bay, south of Yokosuka port, west of Japan's famous Mount Fuji and Hakone tourist resort, only more than 20 kilometers from the capital Tokyo, there are highways connected, sea and Shanghai 1930 kilometers away. With a total area of 434.98 square kilometers, it was opened in 1859 and established as a city in 1889.

Yokohama, the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, is a designated city in Japan by decree (a city that is allowed to have special exceptions in terms of distribution, administrative supervision, organization, finance, etc.), and is also the center of the Keihama Industrial Zone, an important industrial area in Japan.

Yokohama scenery

Yokohama is an important industrial base in Japan, ranking third in the country after Tokyo and Osaka. The economy is based on the Keihin Industrial Zone and the international Trade port, and a cutting-edge technology industrial base has been established. The south side of Zhonghua Street is a settlement area of overseas Chinese, built in 1863, with more than 500 shops and restaurants, many Japanese people from all over the world come here to taste Chinese dishes. There are 13 colleges and universities in Yokohama.

Yokohama scenery

Yokohama Port is the largest international trade port in Japan, the symbol of Yokohama city, and has trade with more than 100 countries in the world. The port of Yokohama is also one of the world's leading trading ports and plays an important role in the Japanese economy. ^[86]

Kyoto

Scenery of Kyoto

Kyoto City is located in the southern part of Honshu Island, Japan, about 370 km from Tokyo and 45 km from Osaka. It is the largest inland city in Japan, with a total area of 827.9 square kilometers and an existing population of about 1.467 million (as of August 1, 2019). From 794 AD to 1868, Kyoto was the capital of Japan and the residence of the emperor. Many temples, shrines and other historical sites made Kyoto famous. It is actually an official "repository" of national property and important cultural relics. The ancient Kyoto ruins were listed as a World Heritage Site in 1994.

Scenery of Kyoto

Kyoto City is a famous ancient capital and tourist city in Japan, and 17 temples including Kiyomizu-temple, Kinkaku-temple, Ginkaku-temple, Kamikasho Shrine, Shimoja Shrine, Nijojo Castle, and Nishihonjoji Temple have been listed as World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. About 900,000 foreign tourists and 35 million domestic tourists visit Kyoto every year.

Kyoto City was once Japan's largest manufacturing city, many precision machinery, semiconductor components, batteries and other electrical machinery enterprises in the country occupy a high market share. Wholesale, retail, catering and other services also occupy a large proportion.

As the birthplace of Japanese culture, Kyoto has many academic and research institutions. There are 38 universities, including National Kyoto University, Kyoto Prefectural University, Ritsumeikan University and Doshisha University, with 124,000 students. ^[89]

Nara

Nara Park

Nara City is located in central Japan, north of Nara Prefecture, and is the seat of the prefectural office of Nara Prefecture. It was once the political and cultural center of Japan. With a population of 355,000 and an area of 276.94 square kilometers, it is a famous historical city in Japan and an international tourist city. On February 1, 1898, Nara became a local city government. Later, the surrounding area was merged and expanded into the present urban area. It takes one and a half hours to get to Kansai International Airport by train or car from Nara, and about 30 minutes to get to Osaka and Kyoto. It takes about 3 hours to get to Tokyo by Shinkansen. It has grown into a residential city in Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe, and its population has soared.

Nara employs 166,000 people. Among them, the primary industry of agriculture, forestry and fishery accounted for 1.8%, the secondary industry of mining, construction and manufacturing accounted for 24.48%, and the tertiary industry accounted for 71.85%. Agriculture in Nara City It is a type of agriculture in the suburbs of cities. The cultivated land area is 1947.67 hectares, and the main crops are rice, strawberry, mushroom, flowers, vegetables, fruits and so on.

As a tourist city, Nara receives about 12.96 million visitors every year ^[107] Among them, 189,000 were foreign tourists. Representative World Heritage sites include Todaiji Temple, Xingfuji Temple, Haruhi Daisha, Haruhi Mountain Original Forest, Yuanxing Temple, Yakushiji Temple, Tang Zhaoti Temple Ruins of Pingcheng Palace. There are 125 national treasure level cultural heritage sites and 568 important cultural heritage sites. Nara has unique local customs and many traditional crafts and industries with a long history. The representative products are lacquer, ancient music noodles, fans, pottery, tiles, one knife carving (wood carving), Nara bleached cloth, pen, ink, antler craft, etc. ^[90]

Sapporo

Sapporo scenery

Sapporo It is the capital of Hokkaido, Japan, located on the western edge of the Ishikari Plain and its connected hilly areas, with an area of 1118 square kilometers and a population of about 1.8 million, it is the fifth largest city in Japan and one of the 12 designated cities in Japan. Sapporo is derived from the indigenous Ainu language, meaning "large and dry area". Sapporo has a maritime climate characterized by cool summers and cold snow cover in winter.

Sapporo scenery

As the economic center of Hokkaido, Sapporo is mainly based on the service industry, with subsidiaries of Japanese national companies, and relatively few real local enterprises. Industry in food, printing, linen textile, machinery manufacturing, metal products mainly. Sapporo beer is one of the most famous beers in the world.

As the political and economic center of Hokkaido, Sapporo has an excellent transportation infrastructure, including two expressways that converge here, three railway lines under the JR system, and two airports. In terms of urban transportation, the Sapporo Municipal Transportation Authority operates three underground railway lines, three Sapporo Municipal electric streetcar lines, and multiple lines of city buses to support the public transportation network.

Sapporo scenery

Sapporo is the cultural center of Hokkaido. Famous universities have Hokkaido University Hokkaido University of the Arts, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo College of Agriculture, etc. Cultural facilities include Modern Art Museum, Sapporo Sculpture Museum, Sapporo City Museum and so on.

Sapporo scenery

Sapporo City has beautiful scenery, many parks and attractions in the city, more than one kilometer above sea level in the mountain peaks and hot springs. Asahi Park in the southwest of the city is built in a geometric shape, while Nakajima Park is a typical Japanese garden. Other buildings include Hachinori, built in the Edo period, Hokkaido Jingu, built in the early Meiji period, and the clock Tower, the last remaining Russian-style building in the city. Located on the outskirts of the city, the Hokkaido Pioneer Memorial Hall and the Hokkaido Kaiki Centennial Memorial Tower record the living history of the Ainu people and the historical facts of the Japanese people's colonization of Hokkaido. Southwest of the city, the algae rock mountain is 531 meters high and has 420 species of trees. At night, you can enjoy the night view of Sapporo, and in winter you can enjoy skiing. There is also Noporo Forest Park in the eastern suburbs of the city.

Scenery of Sapporo City

Winter Sapporo, white snow, a northerly scenery. The Chase Park in the middle of Park Street is the place where Sapporo's traditional annual Snow Festival is held. The Snow Festival is a mass winter activity widely attended by the people of the city. Since the winter of 1949, when technology students at Sapporo Industrial High School used snow statues, the people of Sapporo City have held an annual snow festival in early February, exhibiting various snow sculptures, including animal figures such as pandas, characters from mythological stories such as Momotaro and Journey to the West, as well as models of various famous buildings. These ice and snow figures, carved in detail and lifelike. At night, these ice and snow statues, reflected by the colorful lights, are more magnificent and charming. In February 1972, the 11th Winter Olympic Games were held in Sapporo. ^[92]

Hakodate

Night view of Hakodate

Located in the southern part of Hokkaido, Hakodate is famous for its beautiful and enchanting night scenery and covers an area of 677.81 square kilometers. Hakodate is the third most populous city in Hokkaido, after Sapporo and Asahikawa. It is the administrative, economic, and cultural center of the South Prefecture of Hokkaido Zhongnuclear City .

Hiroshima

Founded in 1589, the Japanese city of Hiroshima is located in the southwest of Honshu, Japan, facing the Seto Inland Sea and has a long history. It has an area of 905 square kilometers. Under the jurisdiction of central District, eastern District, Southern District, Western District, Anzuo South District, Anzuo North District, Anyi District, Zobo District Deng 8 districts.

Hiroshima is rich in natural resources such as sea and mountains, agriculture and fishing flourish, and Hiroshima Harbor is formed by the connection of Matsuyama area. It's called a Japanese miniature. The manufacturing and retail industries in Qingdao are developed. A Mazda The company is headquartered in the city. Hiroshima has now developed into the largest city in the western Chinese region of Honshu, Japan, and is one of the famous industrial cities in western Japan. The headquarters and headquarters of the manufacturing industry are mostly set up here, forming the Hiroshima metropolitan area. The site of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima is on UNESCO's list of World Cultural Heritage sites. ^[87]

Nagano

Nagano is located in the central part of Honshu, Japan, north of Nagano Prefecture, is the seat of Nagano Prefecture office, the city covers an area of 404 square kilometers.

Nagano industry is mainly information industry, the main products are electronic computers, television and so on. Nagano's fruit tree income accounts for the first place in its agricultural income, followed by rice, vegetables and so on. The city is rich in fruits such as apples and grapes, as well as local products such as sake and hand-held buckwheat noodles. Nagano city beautiful scenery, beautiful environment; Spring, autumn can climb, summer good summer, winter can ski. Nagano successfully hosted the 18th Winter Olympic Games in February 1998, which played an important role in expanding the city's international influence and driving local economic development. The city has Japanese national treasure architecture Seonkwangsa Such a group of monuments, is a good place to travel. ^[88]

National symbol

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EDITOR

Country name

In Japan, it was first called "he" or "Japan" (both pronounced yamato, Chinese translation Yamatai The term "Japan" was used around the late 7th century. Its origin is not clearly recorded in the Japanese history books, but the Chinese" New Book of Tang It is recorded:" Xianheng In the first year (670), He Ping was dispatched Korea . After a little summer sound, evil Japanese name, more Japanese. The messenger speaks of himself, and is famous because of what he has recently done." ^[41] That is Emperor Gaozong of Tang In the first year of Xianheng (670), Japan A messenger was sent to congratulate the Tang Dynasty on its pacification Koguryo Because he knew some Chinese, he hated the name "Japan", so he changed the country name to Japan, and the envoy claimed that it was named because of its geographical location near the sunrise.

Korean" History of The Three Kingdoms " King of Civil and Martial Arts The record of December of the tenth year (670) is also consistent with this: "Japan changed its name to Japan, which it thought it had made recently." ^[42] Zhang Shoujie of the Tang Dynasty recorded that "Empress Wu changed Japan into Japan." ^[43]

The first archaeological discovery of the name "Japan" was unearthed in China in 2011 Xi 'an 's Epitaph of your army The epitaph was completed in 678. ^[44] It follows that the term "Japan" was used no later than the late 7th century. In history, Japan had Yamato , Japan , A surname Other names.

flag

Japanese flag (or Hinomaru , の pill), also known as Flag Of The Sun It is rectangular in shape, with a length to width ratio of 3:2 (standard flag length dimensions). The flag was white with a red sun in the middle. The white substrate symbolizes purity, and the red sun in the center symbolizes loyalty. Legend has it that Japan is Helios The emperor is the son of the sun God, from which the Sun flag comes. The Japanese flag has existed since ancient times, and is the official national flag Meiji Three years (1870) according to Taimasato Promulgated by Decree No. 57 (Merchant Shipping Code). ^{[46] 45 -}

The national flag of Japan - Nichijo Flag

National emblem

Emblem of Japan It is a royal emblem, which is not officially established in Japan due to the law National emblem Therefore, by custom, Imperial family of Japan The family emblem "sixteen petals and eight fold chrysanthemum", that is, the chrysanthemum coat of arms is widely used as a representative of Japan's national emblem.

Emblem of Japan

Cabinet of Japan The representative emblem used, "Wuqi Wutong pattern", is also often used as a national emblem in international occasions and government documents, such as the background of the Japanese entry permit sticker.

National anthem

The generation of Emperor (Jun が, Kimigayo)

National anthem

Lyrics: My emperor prosperous world, thousands of generations; Gravel rock Xi, green moss everywhere.

Japanese lyrics:

You が for は

Chiyo に eight chiyo に

Fine Stone の

Like an olive tree となりて

Moss の gives birth to すまで ^{[46] 45 -}

The national flower

sakura

Japan has two national flowers, one is sakura One is chrysanthemum . Japan's cherry blossoms are famous and loved by the Japanese people, so it is no surprise that they were chosen as the national flower. Chrysanthemum has a noble, cold image, has become a symbol of the Japanese royal family and nobility. Cherry blossom as a symbol of Japan, representing the national spirit; Chrysanthemum represents the Japanese royal family and nobility, and has a noble and gorgeous image. Using these two kinds of flowers as the national flower is more in line with the expectations of the people. ^[91]

Cherry blossoms are native to the temperate Himalayan region of the Northern Hemisphere and are grown all over the world, mainly in Japan. The flowers are 3 to 5 each, forming an umbel, the tip of the petal is cut, the color is mostly white, pink. Flowers are often placed with the leaves in March or after the leaves bloom, with seasonal changes, cherry blossom color and beautiful, often used for garden viewing. According to literature research, cherry blossoms were cultivated in Chinese palaces during the Qin and Han Dynasties more than 2,000 years ago. During the Tang Dynasty, cherry blossoms were widely seen in private gardens. At that time, Japanese worshippers brought the cherry blossom back to Japan, where it has a history of more than 1,000 years. Cherry blossoms symbolize warmth, purity and nobility.

population

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EDITOR

As of October 1, 2022, Japan's population, excluding foreigners living in the country, was 1220.31 million, down 750,000 from the previous year and the largest decline since 1950. The number of newborns was 799,000, down 32,000 from the previous year. The number of deaths was 1.53 million, an increase of 90,000. The number of births has been lower than the number of deaths for 16 consecutive years. From the age group, the labor force population between 15 and 64 years old was 74.208 million, accounting for 59.4%, which was the same as the record low level set last year; There were 36.236 million people over 65 years old, accounting for 29% of the total, a record high. The number of people under the age of 14 fell to 14.503 million, the lowest on record. In terms of administrative divisions, except for Tokyo, the population of Japan's other 46 prefectures declined.

Japan is the world's largest population density and one of the most serious aging countries, the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said that compared with other countries with a population of more than 40 million, Japan has the lowest proportion of people under 14 years old and the highest proportion of elderly people over 65 years old, showing an extreme trend of young children aging. ^[97]

There are nine prefectures and counties with a population of more than 5 million and 12 cities with a population of more than 1 million. Tokyo metropolitan area , Osaka metropolitan area , Nagoya metropolitan Area Be known as Japan's three metropolitan areas The population within 50 kilometers of the three metropolitan areas accounts for 50% of the total population. ^[56]

As of June 2020, there are about 2,885,900 foreigners living in Japan, mostly Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese and Filipinos. Among them, there are about 846,800 Chinese (including Taiwan), mainly distributed in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kobe and other big cities, which have built "Zhonghua Street" and "Nanjing Town" where overseas Chinese live. ^[56]

On July 26, 2023, the results of the population dynamics survey based on the basic register of residents released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed that as of January 1, 2023, the total population including foreigners was 125.46877 people, a decrease of about 511,000 people from the previous year. The number of Japanese fell by about 801,000. The decrease was the largest since the survey began in 1968, and for the first time, all 47 prefectures experienced a decrease. ^[100]

The number of babies born in Japan in 2023 will be 758,631, the previous year That's down 5.1% in a year. ^[125]

On February 27, 2024, the Population Dynamics Statistics released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan showed that the number of newborns in Japan in 2023 was 758,631, a decrease of 5.1% compared with 2022 . ^[126]

On April 12, 2024, according to the latest data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan, as of October 1, 2023, including foreigners living in Japan, the total population of Japan was 124.35 million, a decrease of 595,000 from the previous year, and a decrease for 13 consecutive years.

Data show that the number of elderly people over the age of 75 in Japan increased by 713,000 over the previous year, breaking through 20 million for the first time, accounting for 16.1% of the total population, the highest proportion in the past year. At the same time, the proportion of the population under the age of 14 was 11.4%, the lowest on record.

As of October 1, 2023, the Japanese population was 121.19 million, a decrease of 837,000 from the previous year. In terms of gender, the Japanese male population decreased by 423,000 from the previous year, and the Japanese female population decreased by 41.4 Ten. ^[128]

political

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EDITOR

regime

The legislative, judicial and executive powers should be separated. The emperor is the symbol of the state and has no right to participate in state affairs. Congress is the supreme power and the sole legislative body, divided into the House, the Senate and the House. The Cabinet is the highest executive body, accountable to Parliament, and the Prime Minister (also known as the Cabinet of Ministers) is elected by Parliament. Mikado Appointed.

The Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito Party currently govern in a coalition. The ruling party has a stable majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

constitution

The current Constitution of Japan came into force on May 3, 1947. Article 9 of the Constitution states: "Japan forever renounces the right of the State to wage war, the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes, and to this end, Japan does not maintain land, sea, air and other war forces, and does not recognize the right of belligerence of the State." This has become an important guarantee for Japan to follow the path of peaceful development after the war, and an important guarantee for Japan as a peaceful country.

congress

The Diet of Japan is divided into two chambers: the House of Representatives (Lower house) and the Upper House (Upper house), the highest organ of power and the sole legislature of Japan ^[56] .

All legislation is subject to final approval by Congress. The National Assembly also has other important functions, such as approving the national budget, approving international treaties and conventions, and initiating any formal proposals to amend the Constitution. There are three forms of parliament: the Ordinary Parliament, the Extraordinary Parliament, and the Extraordinary Parliament. The National Assembly normally meets once a year in January for 150 days and plays a central role as lawmakers consider the next year's budget and the laws needed to implement it.

The House of Representatives has 465 members who serve four-year terms. The Prime Minister has the power to dissolve the House of Representatives and call a general election. The Senate has 245 members. Senators are elected for a term of six years, half of which are re-elected every three years, and may not be dissolved. In power, the House of Representatives is superior to the Senate. The regular National Assembly convenes from January to June each year for 150 days. At other times, extraordinary and extraordinary congresses may be convened as necessary. The current Speaker of the Lower House, NUKAGA Fukushiro, took office in October 2023. Senate President Hidehisa Osujihidehisa, assumed office in August 2022.

Japanese citizens must be at least 25 years old to be eligible for election to the lower House of Parliament, and at least 30 years old to be eligible for election to the Upper house of Parliament. ^[61]

government

The Cabinet is the highest executive branch, accountable to Parliament. The Cabinet consists of the Prime Minister (Prime Minister) and ministers in charge of the provinces. The Prime Minister of the Cabinet is nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the Emperor, and other Cabinet members are appointed and removed by the Prime Minister of the Cabinet and certified by the Emperor. The main members of the Cabinet are: Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio, Chief Cabinet Secretary HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Internal Affairs Minister MATSUMOTO Takeaki, Justice Minister KOIZUMI Ryuji, Minister of Finance SUZUKI Shunichi, Minister of Foreign Affairs KAMIKAWA Yoko, Minister of Education, Sports, Science and Technology MORIYAMA Masahito, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare TAKEMI Keizo, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Sakamoto SAKAMOTO Tetsushi, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry SAITO Ken, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport SAITO Tetsuo, Environment Minister ITO Shintaro, Defense Minister KIHARA Minoru, Digitalization Minister KONO Taro, Reconstruction Minister TSUCHIYA Shinako, and National Public Security Commissioner and Minister for Territorial Issues MATSUMURA Yoshifum i); KATO Ayuko, Minister for Children's Policy; SHINDO Yoshitaka, Minister for Economic regeneration; TAKAICHI Sanae, Minister for Economic security; and JIMI, Minister for Okinawa and the Northern Territories and Local Creation Hanako).

More than half of the members of the cabinet must be members of parliament. The cabinet is the highest decision-making body of the executive branch of government. The Prime Minister (Prime Minister) has the power to appoint and remove the Ministers of State who form the Cabinet. The Prime Minister presides over the meetings of the Cabinet and exercises his authority to control and direct the executive functions of government. If the members of the Cabinet agree, a so-called cabinet decision is made. According to the Japanese Constitution, the Prime Minister and other ministers of State must be civil servants. ^[56]

In January 2001, the executive branch of the Government underwent a major reorganization, which reduced the number of 22 provinces and provincial agencies by nearly half. In addition to the newly established Cabinet Office in 2001, it includes 13 ministries (as of 2019), including the Ministry of Defense, which was upgraded from the Japanese Defense Agency in January 2007, and the Agency for Reconstruction (established in 2012). As of 2019, the provinces are headed by a Minister of State appointed by the Prime Minister. Each minister is assisted by 1 to 3 Deputy Ministers and administrative officers. These officials are usually members of Parliament.

Major agencies include the Financial Services Agency, Consumer Agency, Children and family office ^[96] The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Health, Labor, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of the Environment, and the Ministry of Defense. ^[61]

judiciary

Judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court and its subordinate courts. Adopt the "four-level and three-review system". The Supreme Court is the court of final appeal and hears constitutional and other important cases. The High Court is responsible for the second instance, and there are eight in the country. Each capital, province, prefecture and prefecture has one district court (four in Hokkaido), which is responsible for first instance. There are also summary courts and family courts throughout the country for civil and criminal actions not exceeding fines. The Chief Justice (President) of the Supreme Court is nominated by the Cabinet and appointed by the Emperor, and the 14 judges (judges) are appointed by the Cabinet and subject to national referendum. Judges of the other courts are nominated by the Supreme Court and appointed by the Cabinet for a term of 10 years, renewable. Judges at all levels may not be removed without formal impeachment. The current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, TOKURA Saburo, took office in June 2022.

Corresponding to the four levels of courts, the procuratorate is divided into the Supreme Prosecutor's Office, the High Prosecutor's Office, the local prosecutor's office, and the district (town) prosecutor's office. Prosecutors are divided into the prosecutor General (Chief prosecutor), the Deputy Prosecutor General, the prosecutor General (High Prosecutor General), the prosecutor general (district prosecutor General), and the Deputy prosecutor. Officials above the attorney General are appointed by the Cabinet. The Attorney General has authority over the attorney General. The current Prosecutor General, KAI Yukio, took office in June 2022.

Political party

After the war, Japan implemented "party politics", and various political parties representing different classes were restored or established one after another. At present, the main parties are: the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, New Komeito Party; The opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, the People's Democratic Party, the Japanese Communist Party, the Japan Restoration Party, and the Social Democratic Party.

Political party	introduce
Liberal Democratic Party (referred to as "Liberal Democratic Party")	The ruling party, the largest party. It was formed in November 1955 by the merger of the former Liberal Party and the Democratic Party, and has been in power for 38 years. He stepped down in 1993 and has since formed several coalitions with other parties. Since April 2000, he has been in coalition with the New Komeito Party and the Conservative Party. In November 2003, the LDP absorbed the new Conservative Party, one of the three ruling parties, and formed a two-party coalition with New Komeito. In August 2009, the Liberal Democratic Party suffered a crushing defeat in the lower House election and became the opposition party again. In December 2012, he won the House of Representatives election and returned to power. It advocates based on democratic political concepts, safeguarding the free economic system, amending the Constitution, adhering to the Japan-US security system, and strengthening the independent defense forces. In terms of foreign policy, it emphasizes the Japan-US alliance as the base axis and actively expands the diplomatic layout. The current president is KISHIDA Fumio, Vice President ASO Taro, and Secretary General MOTEGI Toshimitsu.
New Komeito Party	The ruling party. Founded in November 1964, its parent was the Soka Gakkai, a religious group. In June 1970, church and state were separated. He joined the non-democratic coalition government in August 1993 and went through a split. In April 2000, the New Komeito Party formed a coalition with the Liberal Democratic Party and the Conservative Party, became an opposition party after the August 2009 Lower House election, and returned to the ruling party after the December 2012 lower House election. The party advocates building a "Japan in the world" on the basis of pacifism, and advocates adhering to the "middle way line", implementing democracy that is deeply rooted in the people, respecting local autonomy, and promoting decentralization. The current party chairman is YAMAGUCHI Natsuo, and the secretary-general is ISHII Keiichi.
Constitutional Democratic Party	The largest opposition party. It was formed on September 15, 2020 by the former Constitutional Democratic Party, the former People's Democratic Party and other opposition parties, with the current party chairman, IZUMI Kenta, and Secretary General, OKADA Katsuya.
National Democratic Party of Japan	On September 15, 2020, more than 10 members of the National Assembly, including Yuichiro Tamaki, the former leader of the National Democratic Party, established a new National Democratic Party. The current party chairman is TAMAKI Yuichiro, and the secretary general is Shinba Kaduya.
Communist Party of Japan	It was established on 15 July 1922 and was granted legal status after the war. In the mid-1970s, it entered the peak of development, and after the 1990s, it adjusted its policy propositions again, focusing on flexibility and pragmatism. The Party constitution defines the party as "the party of the working class" and "the party of all the Japanese people." Advocate building a socialist society and even a communist society; Abolish the Japan-US security treaty and build Japan into an independent, democratic, peaceful and free country. The current head of the Central Committee is TAMURA Tomoko, and the head of the Central Committee is KOIKE Akira.
The Japanese Restoration Society	It was established in November 2015, with Kinki as its main area of influence. It advocates the establishment of Osaka capital, the realization of Osaka prefecture sub-capital, the promotion of decentralization, break the centralization. Reform the governing body, push for constitutional changes, and elect a prime minister. The current party leader is BABA Nobuyuki, and the secretary general is FUJITA Fumitake.
Social Democratic Party of Japan	Party chief Mizuho Fukushima
Reference material ^[69]

economy

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EDITOR

summarize

Japan's postwar economy grew out of the ruins of its post-World War II industrial infrastructure. In 1952, at the end of the Allied occupation, Japan was a "developing country" with per capita consumption only one-fifth that of the United States. Over the next two decades, Japan's economy grew at an average annual rate of 8%, and it was the first country to leap from postwar "developing" to "developed" status. The reason for this remarkable achievement is the high growth rate of personal savings and private investment, the highly industrious labor force, the abundant supply of cheap oil, the continuous innovation of science and technology, and the effective government intervention in the Japanese economy in the era of globalization. After the war, the principles of free trade advocated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) contributed to the rapid growth of the world economy, with Japan being one of the main beneficiaries.

The second oil crisis in 1979 facilitated a fundamental shift in Japan's industrial structure from an emphasis on heavy industry to the development of new areas, such as the VLSI (very large scale integrated circuit) semiconductor industry. By the end of the 1970s, computers, semiconductors and other technology - and information-intensive industries had entered a stage of rapid development. The post-bubble recession lasted through the second half of the 1990s and into 2000, with only a brief recovery in 1995 and 1996. Japan's economy bottomed out in early 2002 and began a slow but steady recovery that lasted until 2005. After more than a decade of hovering, the negative effects of the collapse of the "bubble economy" finally seem to have been largely eliminated. ^[62]

On October 1, 2019, the Japanese government raised the consumption tax rate from 8% to 10%, which affected consumer demand. Since then, the scale of Japanese exports has declined due to the Sino-US trade friction and the global economic slowdown. At the end of 2012, the Abe government promoted the so-called "Abenomics" with the so-called "three arrows" as the main content, and proposed the goal of eradicating chronic deflation within two years. Since then, the yen exchange rate has been depressed, the stock market has risen, consumer expectations have improved, and Japan has achieved the longest period of economic growth in the post-war period. In March 2020, the Japanese economy began to suffer from the pandemic. Gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020 fell by 4.8% year on year, second only to the 5.7% decline in 2009. In 2020, the number of foreign tourists has dropped significantly, the service sector balance is in deficit, but the current balance remains in surplus, and foreign direct investment and portfolio investment have decreased significantly. In 2021, Japan's economy slowly recovered, with real GDP growing by 1.7%, but still not at pre-pandemic levels. The number of foreign tourists continued to drop sharply, trade in goods went into deficit, foreign investment was cut by more than half, and outbound direct investment and portfolio investment continued to decline.

According to the latest judgment of the Japanese Cabinet Office, although the economic recovery continues, the negative impact of the epidemic still exists, and the recovery momentum is weak in some areas, and it will continue to improve the epidemic prevention and control policies in the future, promote the normalization of economic and social activities, and the economy will continue to recover as the effects of various policies appear and the overseas economy improves. However, including the epidemic, tensions between Russia and Ukraine, raw material price increases, capital market fluctuations and supply constraints are all risk factors affecting the economic downturn.

Due to the Bank of Japan's ultra-loose monetary policy, the interest rate gap between Japan and the United States widened, and the yen continued to depreciate in 2022, reaching a low of 151.9 yen per dollar for the first time in 32 years. While a weaker yen helps Japan's export sector, it will raise the cost of imports and widen the trade deficit. In April 2022, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released its World Economic Outlook, forecasting global GDP growth of 3.6% and Japan's growth of 2.4% in 2022. In June 2022, the World Bank forecast global GDP growth of 2.9 percent in 2022, with Japan growing 1.7 percent. Both institutions forecast that Japan's economic growth rate will still lag significantly behind the global pace in 2022. ^[56]

Japan is the third largest economy in the world. According to preliminary statistics released by the Japanese Cabinet Office, Japan's real gross domestic product (GDP) in 2022 was about 546 trillion yen, an increase of 1.1% year-on-year. The world's largest creditor nation for 32 consecutive years. As of the end of December 2023, foreign exchange reserves stood at $1,294.6 billion. Exchange rate: 1 US dollar ≈147.36 yen (December 2023). Full unemployment rate: 2.7% (September 2023).

In 2023, Japan's real gross domestic product (GDP) will grow by 1.9% year on year, while nominal GDP growth, which reflects rising prices, will be 5.7%. Japan's GDP in 2023 is estimated at 591.482 trillion yen, or about $4210.6 billion, lower than Germany's $4,456.1 billion. Japan's nominal GDP has fallen from third to fourth in the world. ^[122]

agriculture

Japan is relatively poor in resources, with mountains and hills accounting for about 80% of the total area. The coastal plain is small and scattered, and the soil is poor, mainly black soil (volcanic ash), peat soil and panalkaline soil, and most of the alluvial soil has been reclaimed for paddy fields to form special paddy soil. According to geographical location, climate, soil conditions and production characteristics, Japan can be divided into nine agricultural regions: Hokkaido, Tohoku, Hokuriku, Kanto and Higashiyama, Tokai, Kinki, China, Shikoku and Kyushu.

Before World War II, Japan's agriculture was dominated by rice, and animal husbandry was very backward. In the half century since the end of the war, agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery have achieved great development, and the agricultural production structure has changed significantly. Through heat preservation and seedling breeding, variety improvement, pesticide and fertilizer improvement and other technologies, Japan's crop yield per mu has increased significantly, through plastic greenhouses, greenhouse technology, so that Japanese vegetables can be cultivated in four seasons a year. However, due to the continuous reduction of Japan's arable land and the continuous loss of agricultural population, the food self-sufficiency rate has declined for many years, and the food and livestock products that Japan has the ability to produce itself are limited to rice and eggs. Due to the low prices of agricultural products abroad, Japan has become one of the world's largest importers of agricultural products because of the increase in imports from overseas and the decline in domestic production.

The top eight exporters to Japan are all located in the Pacific Rim region, namely the United States, China, Taiwan Province of China, Australia, Thailand, Canada, South Korea and Indonesia. Japan imports a wide range of agricultural products, the main imports are: grain (wheat, corn, soybeans), meat, dairy products, seafood, fruits and vegetables, animal and plant oils, sugar, tea, rosin, fluff, turf and so on.

Planting industry

Soybeans are almost entirely imported. Japan's main fruits are citrus, apples, and pears, and the types and quantities of imports are increasing due to changes in consumption structure. Vegetables are the bulk products imported from Japan, the main varieties are Onions, edible fungi, garlic, winter bamboo shoots, peas, edamame and so on. With the increase of income level, the demand for flowers in Japan has increased, and flower sales have taken the first place in the world, and flower imports have continued to grow, mainly from the Netherlands, Thailand, New Zealand, Singapore, the United States and Taiwan Province of China.

Animal husbandry

Japan's livestock production is mainly concentrated in Hokkaido and other places with a lot of grazing land. At present, Japanese farmers are intensive feeding, or by several joint feeding, or one family raising hundreds of livestock, which can save time and reduce costs. Japanese farmers also practice mechanized feeding of livestock and use electronic computers for management.

Fishery industry

Japan is the world's fourth largest fishing nation. There are three fishing grounds in the northern Pacific Ocean, one of the world's three fishing grounds, near Japan, rich in fish resources. Japan is the country that eats the most fish in the world, and aquatic products play an important role in the Japanese diet. The importing countries and regions are the United States, Taiwan Province of China, China, South Korea and Thailand. The main fish species imported are tuna, bonito (mainly from Taiwan Province of China), salmon and trout (from North America, Chile, Norway, Russia and other countries). Imports of farmed shrimp have increased significantly, mainly from Asian countries such as China, India and Vietnam.

Agricultural product processing industry

Japan's "food-related industry" consists of the food industry (including food industry, distribution, and catering) and the agricultural and aquatic industry (including edible forest products). Japan in the rural agricultural products processing industry, special emphasis on the integration with regional agriculture and rural development. It not only plays an important role in developing the regional economy and providing employment, but also provides a stable market for products in rural areas. Producers engaged in the processing of agricultural products, give play to local comparative advantages, produce special products with hometown flavor, and form a "one village, one product movement" in the country (now some have been expanded to "one county, one product"). Oita Prefecture is famous for a wide variety of soy sauce, mayonnaise and other specialties, Hokkaido's "ten Katsu wine", Akita Prefecture's "garden ham", Yamagata Prefecture's "Moon Mountain wine", Nagano Prefecture's "Shinshu mayonnaise" and so on, the above typical are in the mountains and mid-levels.

industry

Japan's industry is highly developed, and its industrial structure is developing in the direction of technology intensive and energy saving. The main sectors are electronics, household appliances, automobiles, precision machinery, shipbuilding, steel, chemical and pharmaceutical, etc. Industrial products have strong competitiveness in the international market. The major industrial areas are mostly concentrated in Pacific Along the coast, four major industrial zones were formed in Keihama, Hanshin, Nakakei and Kitakyushu. The machinery industry has always been at the center of the heavy chemical industry. ^{[50] 47 -}

Automobile industry

Japan is the world's largest automobile producer, and the automobile industry plays an important role in the economy. The number of automobile-related employment in Japan is about 5.46 million, accounting for about 8% of the national employment. In 2021, domestic new car sales in Japan will reach 4.45 million units, down 3.3% from 2020.

In 2021, the eight large Japanese automakers will produce 23.21 million vehicles globally, down 0.8% from the previous year. Among them, Toyota's global production of 8.58 million vehicles, an increase of 4.7%. Although it was also affected by the lack of supply of semiconductors and components, production increased significantly compared with 2020, when factories were shut down one after another. ^[56]

Iron and steel industry

Japan is a major producer of steel in the world. According to the announcement of the Japan Iron and Steel Association, in 2021, Japan's crude steel production reached 96.33 million tons, an increase of 15.8%, the first increase in seven years, reflecting the recovery of demand for steel. Among them, Pu Steel and Special steel were 73.91 million tons (up 12.4% year-on-year) and 22.42 million tons (up 28.6% year-on-year), respectively. Japan is a big exporter of steel products. In 2021, Japan exported a total of 34.401 million tons of steel, an increase of 7.0%. Among them, the export of ordinary steel 22.128 million tons, an increase of 5.8%; Exports of special steel 7.7676 million tons, a sharp increase of 31.6%. ^[56]

Machine tool industry

Since 1982, the output value of Japan's machine tool industry has been in the forefront of the world for many years. Among the top 20 machine tool companies in the world, Japan accounts for 7. According to data released by the Japan Machine Tool Manufacturers Association (Japanese Trade union), in 2021, Japan's annual machine tool orders recorded 1,541.3 billion yen (about 83.2 billion yuan), an increase of 70.9%, which is the first increase in domestic and external demand for machine tools in three years, and the first time in three years more than 1.5 trillion yen. ^[56]

Semiconductor industry

In the 1980s, Japan's semiconductor industry accounted for more than 50% of the world's share, but subsequently affected by factors such as Japan-US trade friction and digital industrialization lag, the share fell all the way to about 10% (Nikkei 2019 data). According to the Japan Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment Association (SEAJ) statistics, in the third quarter of 2022, Japan's semiconductor manufacturing equipment sales increased by 21% year-on-year, ranking fifth in the world.

Japan has positioned the semiconductor industry as a national strategic industry and provided large subsidies, hoping to accelerate the revitalization of the industry. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry led the establishment of the Most Advanced Semiconductor Technology Center (LSTC), and eight companies including Kaixia, SONY, and Toyota funded the establishment of Rapidus, which plans to establish a production line for trial production of 2-nanometer semiconductors by 2025. Major semiconductor companies include Tokyo Electronics, Nikon, Dean, Fujitsu, Canon, etc. ^[56]

Shipbuilding industry

Japan Ship Exporters Association (JSEA) data show that Japanese shipping companies in fiscal year 2021 orders reached 313 14.2992 million GT, an increase of 59.8%, the second consecutive year of year-on-year growth, which is also since fiscal year 2015 (2018 million GT), Japanese shipping companies annual orders exceeded 14 million GT for the first time. ^[56]

Construction machinery industry

According to statistics released by the Japan Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA), in 2021, the total sales of construction machinery in Japan increased by 27.3% to 2,756.9 billion yen, the first growth in three years, and the market demand recovered significantly from the decline caused by the new coronavirus outbreak in the previous year. Exports reached 1,763.2 billion yen, up 50.6 percent year on year, achieving the first positive growth in three years. ^[56]

Robot industry

Japan is the world's largest manufacturer of industrial robots, accounting for 45% of the global supply. The Japan Robot Industry Association estimates that the order volume of industrial robots in Japan in 2021 will be 964 billion yen, an increase of 12.3%, a record high since the statistics began in 2001, and the production volume of industrial robots in Japan will increase by 12.9% annually to 865 billion yen. ^[56]

finance

Central bank

The Bank of Japan is the central bank of Japan. Its responsibilities are to issue bank notes, regulate money and finance, ensure the settlement of funds between banks and other financial institutions, maintain credit order, and promote the healthy development of the national economy by maintaining price stability.

Commercial bank

The main commercial banks in Japan are the Bank of Mitsubishi UFJ, Mizuho Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Bank, Lisona Bank and other city banks (national commercial banks) and dozens of local banks. The main function of Japanese commercial banks is to undertake the function of credit intermediary through deposit, loan, exchange, savings and other services. The main business scope is to absorb public deposits, issue loans and handle bills discount.

Chinese bank

By the end of 2021, Chinese banks in Japan include Bank of China Tokyo Branch, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Tokyo Branch, Agricultural Bank of China Tokyo Representative Office, Construction Bank Tokyo Branch, and Bank of Communications Tokyo Branch.

Insurance company

The main insurance companies in Japan are Japan Life Insurance Company, Japan Daiichi Life Insurance Company, Japan Ming Yasuda Life Insurance Company, Japan Sumitomo Life Insurance Company, Tokyo Marine Nicho Fire Insurance Company, Japan Property Insurance Company, etc., the main functions are underwriting, underwriting, claims settlement, disaster prevention and loss prevention. ^[56]

Credit card

Japanese banks and many private financial institutions issue credit cards, which require a valid ID, a fixed address, proof of regular income and a bank deposit account. Credit cards can be used for credit card purchases at all major stores. Currently, credit cards issued in China with the UnionPay logo can be used in Japan.

Securities market

The Japanese securities market is an important part of the capital market. The secondary (circulation) market of securities includes two parts: the exchange market and the over-the-counter market. Stock trading is dominated by exchanges, while bond trading is dominated by over-the-counter trading, with about 95% of bond trading taking place on the over-the-counter market.

Tokyo Stock Exchange and Osaka Stock Exchange are the central securities markets of Japan and Kansai region respectively, and their combined turnover accounts for more than 90% of daily securities turnover. In January 2013, in order to increase the global influence of the Japan Stock Exchange, the two exchanges merged to form the Japan Exchange Group.

There are two main indexes: one is the Nikkei Stock average, including Nikkei 225 and 500 stock average, which are compiled on the basis of the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange; The other is the Topix index, which is compiled on the basis of all the stocks in Section 1 of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Bond market

There are many kinds of bonds in the bond market, which can be roughly divided into three categories: public bonds, corporate bonds and foreign debts. Among them, public bonds include Japanese government bonds, local government bonds and government guarantee bonds. Corporate bonds are divided into financial bonds and business bonds. The foreign debt market is divided into two parts: the foreign bond market and the Euroyen bond, and the foreign bond has samurai bond, shogun bond and daimyo bond. ^[56]

currency

The Japanese currency is the yen. At present, the Japanese yen can be directly exchanged with the US dollar, RMB and other currencies, and the RMB has received increasing attention. Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation has launched domestic renminbi personal deposits. After Abe took office in December 2012, he implemented large-scale financial easing policies, and the yen exchange rate depreciated rapidly, falling to the level of 120.5 yen per dollar in December 2015. In recent years, the exchange rate of the yen has remained roughly between 100 and 120 yen per dollar. ^[56]

On April 14, 2023, the official website of the Bank of Japan officially released the new banknote sample, including 10,000 yen, 5,000 yen and 1,000 yen 3 denominations. ^[98]

Service industry

Service industry in Japan can be divided into service industry in narrow sense and service industry in broad sense according to its service content.

In the narrow sense, the service industry refers to the individual service industry, the enterprise service industry and the public service industry. The personal service industry mainly serves consumers, including catering industry, retail industry, tourism industry, beauty industry, photography industry and other industries related to life, as well as entertainment and leisure industries such as amusement parks, cinemas, theaters and so on. The business service industry mainly provides services to industrial and commercial enterprises, including leasing industry, advertising industry, waste treatment industry, etc. Public service industry refers to the service industry that provides services to the society as a whole, mainly including education industry, medical industry and government research institutions.

In addition to the content covered by the narrow service industry, the broad sense of service industry also includes other industries that do not belong to the manufacturing industry, such as electricity, gas, water channel industry, wholesale and retail industry, finance and insurance industry, real estate industry, information and communication industry and transportation industry. The broad service industry is often referred to as the "tertiary industry" in the economic structure.

Since Japan's economy ended its high-speed growth and entered a period of stable growth, especially a long-term downturn, whether from a broad sense or from a narrow sense, Japan's service industry has always been in the process of expanding. First, the proportion of service output to GDP in Japan has always maintained a steady increase trend. Second, from the perspective of the labor force, the labor force population engaged in the service industry is increasing. Third, with the deepening of the service-oriented trend of Japan's economic structure, Japan's service industry sales are also in an increasing upward channel. Fourth, Japan's service industry has a clear tendency to outsource. ^[63-64]

Japan's information service industry is relatively developed, accounting for about 10% of the world's total information service industry, information service has become an important engine to promote Japan's economic development, and it is also a strategic emerging industry to maintain Japan's international competitive advantage. Japan's information industry consists of eight industries: communication industry, radio and television industry, information service industry, film and television, music, text and information production, information and communication equipment manufacturing industry, information and communication-related service industry, information and communication facilities construction industry, and research and development industry. Information service industry is a component of information industry.

foreign trade

Foreign trade plays an important role in the national economy, and there are about 200 countries (regions) with trade relations. According to the Japanese Ministry of Finance, Japan's total import and export volume in 2022 is about 216.3 trillion yen, of which exports are about 98.2 trillion yen and imports are about 118.2 trillion yen.

The main imported commodities are: crude oil, natural gas, coal, clothing, semiconductor and other electronic parts, medicine, metal and iron ore raw materials; The main export commodities are: automobiles, steel, semiconductors and other electronic parts, plastics, scientific optical instruments, general machinery, chemical products, etc. The main trade target countries are China, the United States, South Korea, Australia and so on.

In the context of the global economy recovering from the epidemic in 2021, the exports of Japan's steel, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, construction and mining machinery, semiconductor and other electronic products and automobiles increased by 44.5%, 29.8%, 42.6%, 14.9% and 9.2%, respectively. Due to the rise in crude oil prices, Japan's imports of mineral fuels in 2021 increased by 47.2%, of which crude oil, crude oil products, liquefied natural gas and coal increased by 45.6%, 67.7%, 30.6% and 57.2%, respectively. Imports of steel and non-ferrous metals increased by 46.6% and 60.3%, respectively, due to rising prices of raw materials. Imports of electronic components such as semiconductors and mobile phones increased 30.4 percent and 20.6 percent respectively.

Machinery and equipment, transportation equipment and mechanical and electrical products are the top three categories of Japan's export commodities, with exports in 2021 amounting to US $149.55 billion, US $147.98 billion and US $139.74 billion, accounting for 19.7%, 19.5% and 18.4% of total exports, respectively. Fossil fuels, machinery and equipment, and chemical products are the top three categories of Japanese imports, with the import value of US $154.46 billion, US $124.57 billion and US $88.8 billion in 2021, accounting for 20%, 16.1% and 11.5% of the total imports, respectively. Japan's imports jumped as energy prices rose. ^[56]

Major trading partner

According to the Japanese Ministry of Finance, China, the United States and Taiwan will be Japan's top three trading partners in 2021, with bilateral trade volume of $3502.6 billion, $216.62 billion and $88.21 billion, respectively.

Service trade

According to the statistics of the Japan External Trade Organization, in 2021, Japan's service trade exports will reach $169.85 billion, an increase of 3.7% year-on-year; The value of imports was US $208.34 billion, up by 5.2% year-on-year. Among them, the export of intellectual property royalties was 48.12 billion US dollars, up 11.1% year on year; The value of imports was US $29.56 billion, up 3.5% year on year. The export value of transportation services was US $25.26 billion, up 20.9% year on year; Imports totaled 31.87 billion US dollars, up 15.7 percent year on year. Financial services exports amounted to US $13.55 billion, down 13.8% year on year; The value of imports decreased by 6.4% year-on-year to 10.01 billion U.S. dollars. The export value of tourism services was US $4.73 billion, down 55.2%; Imports were $2.83 billion, down 47.9%. ^[56]

Sino-japanese trade

Japan is China's fifth largest trading partner, third largest trading destination, second largest export destination and second largest source of imports. China is Japan's largest trading partner, export target and import source. In 2022, China-Japan trade totaled 357.424 billion U.S. dollars, of which China's exports amounted to 172.93 billion U.S. dollars and imports amounted to 184.5 billion U.S. dollars.

Outward investment

Japan is a large country of foreign direct investment, and the flow and stock of foreign investment are much higher than the flow and stock of foreign direct investment. In 2021, Japan's outbound direct investment flows amounted to $149.81 billion, a slight increase from 2020, but still lower than pre-pandemic levels.

According to the data of Japan External Trade Organization, by the end of 2021, Japan's foreign direct investment stock was 1,957.2 billion US dollars, which was still slightly higher than that at the end of last year, and increased by 46.5% compared with 1,356.2 billion US dollars at the end of 2016. At the end of 2021, Japan's inflow of direct investment stock was 351.8 billion US dollars, compared with 388.9 billion US dollars at the end of the previous year; Compared to the end of 2016, an increase of 45.9%. ^[56]

Japanese investment in China

As of May 2023, Japan has established 55,805 enterprises in China with an actual amount of 130 billion US dollars, ranking second among countries in China's total foreign investment. By the end of 2022, China's direct investment in Japan totaled about $5 billion, mainly in manufacturing, financial services, electricity, communications, software and other fields. ^[56]

Foreign investment

According to the Japan External Trade Organization, Japan will attract $149.81 billion in foreign investment flows in 2021, with the top five sources being the United States ($62.09 billion), Singapore ($18.01 billion), the United Kingdom ($14.93 billion), China ($10.02 billion) and Luxembourg ($9.91 billion). ^[56]

Foreign exchange control

According to Japan's Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law and other laws, any company or individual can freely trade foreign exchange, and if the monthly foreign exchange transaction exceeds 1 million yen, it is obliged to report the use and whereabouts of the foreign exchange to the Bank of Japan by next month 15. Those who fail to report or falsify evidence will be subject to six months of detention or a fine of 500,000 yen. Personal confirmation is required for overseas payments of more than 100,000 yen. Foreigners who bring more than 1 kilogram of gold with a purity of more than 90 percent, such as cash or equivalent bonds exceeding 1 million yen, must declare in advance.

Foreign-funded enterprises must complete the industrial and commercial registration in Japan before opening an enterprise bank account. To open an account, relevant materials such as certificate of all resume matters, certificate of company seal, identity certificate of handling personnel, and company planning letter must be prepared. The materials required by different banks may vary. When opening an account, the bank shall clearly propose the function of opening a foreign exchange account. ^[56]

Foreign aid

The world's leading aid nation. Total government development assistance spending in 2021 will be about $21.9 billion. ^[56]

culture

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EDITOR

Language

Japanese As the official language of Japan, there are many theories about the origin of Japanese. Japanese is considered by many scholars to be syntactically very close to the Altaic languages (such as Turkish and Mongolian), and the similarity of Japanese to Korean in sentence construction is widely recognized. In addition, there is evidence that Japanese morphology and vocabulary were influenced by the Malayo-Polynesian languages of the south in prehistoric times.

The Japanese writing system is derived from the Chinese language, although the Japanese and Chinese speak a completely different language. Sometime in the 5th or 6th century AD, Kanji was introduced to Japan, and the two phonetic symbols that evolved from Chinese characters, hiragana and katakana, further enriched Japanese writing.

grammar

In terms of the basic structure of the language, typical Japanese sentences follow the subject-object-verb pattern. For example, Taroga ringo o tabeta literally means "Taro ate the apple." Japanese often omit subject or object - or even both - when they think they can be understood by the context of the sentence, that is, when the speaker or writer is confident that the object of appeal already knows something about the situation. In this case, the above sentence might become: ringo o tabeta (" ate the apple "), or simply tabeta (" ate "). Japanese conjugations do not indicate person or number. In modern Japanese, all verbs in the dictionary end in the vowel u.

Written Japanese

While the Chinese use characters or ideograms to write each Chinese character, the Japanese have invented two separate phonetic symbols, called kana, to be used in combination with Chinese characters. Chinese characters, called kanji in Japanese, are actually ideograms, where each character symbolizes something or a certain meaning. It is normal for a Chinese character (kanji) to have more than one pronunciation. In Japan, people use kanji to write characters that evolved from Chinese as well as the native Japanese script.

There are two forms of the Japanese kana symbol for syllables: one is "hiragana", which used to be used mainly by women. Hiragana is composed of 48 characters and is used to write Japanese characters, auxiliary words, and verb suffixes, and is often used to write Chinese loanwords that cannot be written using officially approved generic characters. Another "kana" symbol is katakana, also composed of 48 characters, which is mainly used for writing loanwords other than Chinese, for emphasis, onomatopoeia, and scientific names of plants and animals. Both kana are easier to write than the original kanji from which they borrowed their full form.

Although more complete Japanese dictionaries include definitions for up to 50,000 kanji, far fewer are currently in use. In 1946, the Ministry of Education determined that the number of Chinese characters in general and official use was 1,850, including 996 characters taught in elementary and junior high schools. The Chinese character list was replaced in 2010 by a similar word list, slightly expanded to 2,136 words. Publications other than newspapers are not subject to this kanji list, however, many readers know many more Japanese meanings than they are taught in the standard curriculum of public primary and secondary schools.

Japanese traditionally writes and typesets in vertical lines and reads from top to bottom. Start on the right side of the page, so flipping through a regular book is usually like opening a Spanish book from the back. The exception is professional (scientific and technical) books and journals, which are arranged horizontally and read from left to right. Nowadays, there is a tendency for book typesetting to be horizontal. These publications are viewed in the same way as their Western counterparts.

name

Japanese names are made up of a surname and a given name, with the surname first and the given name second (English newspapers and magazines follow Western practice when publishing Japanese names, but it is recommended that the surname come first). When speaking to someone, it is common to add "san" to their last name - the equivalent of Mr, Mrs (or Ms). The suffix chan is also often added to the names of children and close friends. Other titles (such as "sensei" for "teacher" or "doctor") are also suffixed after the surname. The names and Chinese characters chosen by the Japanese emphasize auspicious and happy meanings, hoping to bring good luck to children.

As of 2017, there were 2,999 Chinese characters approved by the government to be used for baby names. ^[65]

religion

The main religions are Shinto and Buddhism, with 52.3% and 42.2% of the religious population respectively. ^[56]

The history of Japanese religion is a long process of mutual influence among various religious traditions. In Europe, the popularity of Christianity suppressed the development of other religions. In contrast to Europe, Japan's native Shinto has been an integral part of Japanese life from the early days of the nation until modern times.

Since the introduction of Buddhism into Japan in the 6th century, Shinto and Buddhism have begun to influence each other, which is a prominent feature of Japanese religion. The most obvious example of this interaction is the honji suijaku theory, according to which the gods of Shinto (kami) are incarnations of the Buddhist gods.

Confucianism and Taoism are the other two "imported religions" in Japanese religion, and they have played an important role in Japanese society for more than a thousand years. During the formative period of Japan (6th-9th centuries AD) and later during the Edo period (1603-867 AD), Confucian teachings had a significant influence on Japanese ethics and political philosophy. Compared with Confucianism, the influence of Taoism in Japan is more difficult to trace, and traces of its influence can only be found in the use of the Chinese calendar and some popular beliefs, such as fortune telling and divination. ^[57]

custom

Address: When addressing Japanese people, they can be called "Mr.", "Miss" or "Mrs.", and they can also add a "Jun" word after their surname or first name, and call them "So-and-so Jun". Only in very formal cases do Japanese people use their full names.

Greeting: The Japanese greeting is basically expressed by bowing, which comes from the Tang Dynasty culture. Stand with your feet together, upright, and bent. From a general salute to a 90-degree upper body bow. According to the degree of etiquette, the Angle of lowering the head is various. Under the "たたみ" ( tatami ) in the room, must sit salute.

The Japanese people have formed some distinctive customs and habits, which are still valued by the Japanese. Such as before and after the New Year hanging rice straw rope, drinking tusso, decoration "door pine"; Hang the carp flag in the Dragon Boat Festival; The Obon Festival, etc. ^[56]

literature

Japanese literary works are a wonderful flower in the treasure house of Oriental traditional culture. Japanese literature has been influenced by foreign cultures since the beginning of the 8th century. Before the middle of the 19th century, this influence was mainly derived from Chinese culture; After this, the influence of modern Western culture began to dominate.

Literature of the early and Peaceful ages

From 600 AD, Japan sent envoys to the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) dynasties of China, which became the main way for Japan to fully introduce Chinese culture, technology, and administrative methods to Japan. The Koji (a record of ancient events, written in 712) and Nionshoki (a chronicle of Japan, written in 720) were written with the direction and support of the imperial court in order to prove the legitimacy of the country's political system. The former is written in a mixed Chinese and Japanese script, while the latter is written in ancient Chinese.

The first major poetry collection in Japan was " Manyoushu "Is written in Chinese characters. The early poems in the collection are characterized by direct expressions of strong emotions; Later poetry began to pay attention to rhetoric and delicate expression, which had a great influence on later court poetry.

A revolutionary achievement in the mid-9th century was the formation of "kana" for Japanese pronunciation. This phonetic system basically uses completely simplified Chinese characters to represent the pronunciation of Japanese, and its formation has played a great role in promoting the deepening of the awareness of Japanese literature that distinguishes Chinese literature. The emergence of kana contributed to the development of prose literature written in native languages. Examples of his early works are " The Story of Ise ".

In the late 10th century, the Fujiwara clan came to power as regent and overruled the emperor through their daughters who married into the palace and became concubines. Thus a literary circle was formed among the concubines in the harem. It was these women who wrote the great essays of the 11th century, such as Murasaki Shibe's novels " The Tale of Genji The Japanese regard these works as a watershed in the development of local literature.

Medieval literature

The main development of Japanese poetry in the Middle Ages (mid-12th century to 16th century) was the rise of "lianka". This poetry originated in the waka tradition of the court and was later promoted by the samurai and lower courtiers, and some of the best renga poets were even of common descent (such as Zongji).

A major development in medieval prose literature was the emergence of war stories, such as The Story of the Army, " Heiya Monogatari ", etc.

Edo literature

After more than 100 years of war, Japan established a stable central government in Edo (now Tokyo). With the widespread circulation of standard money, the market economy developed rapidly, resulting in a wealthy class of citizens during the Edo period (1603-1867). The general prosperity of the society made the number of literate people increasing, and literary works became profitable commodities, and the publishing industry came into being. Such as Ihara West crane created "Lecherous generation male".

This period also saw the emergence of "haiku" (later called "haiku"), a brisk 17-syllable verse with themes derived from nature and the lives of ordinary people, and Matsuo Basho elevated the genre to the realm of great poetry.

Modern literature

After the Meiji Restoration in 1867, Japan fully introduced Western technology and culture, which largely replaced the status of Chinese culture. As a result, the novel became a serious and respected literary genre in Japan. At the same time, writers were gradually abandoning the written word in favor of the spoken word.

Natsume Soseki pushed Japan's modern realistic novels to a fully mature state. His protagonists are often highly educated, vulnerable to the latest egoism, and acutely sensitive to their isolation from the outside world. For Suishi, remorse, betrayal and loneliness are the inevitable results of the search for self-liberation and all the uncertainties that come with Western culture. Representative works include "Dancer", "I am a Cat" and so on.

Ryunosuke Akutagawa is one of Japan's most famous short story writers. In works such as "Rashomon" (1915) and "Yabu no naka" (1922), the author manages to use whimsical language to combine a nuanced psychological description and a wry narrative style with blind optimism. Nagai is known for his mournful works, his life and works reflecting the conflict between modern civilization and nostalgia.

The writer who most clearly reflects the loss and confusion that followed the shattering experience of the Second World War is Dazai Ji. His book Shayo (1947) and his novel Ningen shikkaku (1948), published shortly before his suicide, attracted a large audience.

In novels such as "Yukiguni" (1935-1947), the Nobel laureate Kawabata crafted dramatic contrasts in characters that suggested a fear of intimacy, which could hurt even the most reliable of emotions. ^[66]

ART

Various factors contributed to the development of Japanese art. For many centuries, Japanese art, from a technical and aesthetic point of view, has been heavily influenced by the development of Chinese style and culture, some of which was introduced through Korea. In modern times, Western techniques and artistic values have also had a certain influence on Japanese art. However, by drawing on the ideas and expertise of other cultures, Japan began to develop its own unique form of artistic expression.

Ancient times

Japan's first settlers, Jomon (about 10,000 to 300 BC), hand-crafted clay figurines called dogu, often of women. Later, the Yayoi (about 300 BC to 300 AD) made bronze weapons, bronze bells, and fired pottery in kilns. At the core of the Yayoi are a distinct immigrant group at the beginning of the era. Typical artifacts of the later Kofum period (about 300 to 710 AD) include unearthed bronze mirrors and sculptures called haniwa placed outside tombs. The simple line patterns outlined on the "dotaku", the large clocks made in the Yayoi period, and the murals decorated on the tomb walls of the Kotomi period represent the origin of the art of Japanese painting. ^[74]

Buddhism and Chinese influence

The art of painting in Japan flourished in the 6th century, when the ruling class took great interest in Buddhism and its culture from China. Paintings preserved in the late 7th and early 8th centuries follow the style of the late Six Dynasties of China (AD 222-589). These works reflect the life of the Buddha and depict the images of other Buddha deities. After the 10th century, painting was increasingly influenced by the "Pure Land belief".

Driven by the ruling class, from the end of the 6th century to the beginning of the 7th century, numerous temples and monasteries were built throughout Japan. Among the most famous are "Asuka Temple", "Shitenji Temple" and "Horyuji Temple". The interior of these temple buildings, especially the main hall and the Buddhist hall, contains a large number of Buddhist works of art. The murals in the Golden Hall of Horyuji Temple are the most important paintings of this period. We can also see various statues representing Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and patron saints in these temples. The three statues of Shakya located in Horyuji Temple are among the best.

Photo courtesy of Daiwa Painting National Treasure "Faran Master Painting Biography" : Kyoto National Museum

During the Heian Period (794-1185 AD), a distinctly indigenous group known as the "Heian Period" Yamato-e The style of painting began to replace the Chinese style of painting. "Yamato E" depicts the scenery around Kyoto, and one can see the earliest works of this kind on sliding and folding screens.

In the late 12th century, although power had apparently passed from the aristocracy to the samurai class, the nobility and the administrators of Buddhist temples and shrines remained extremely wealthy and continued to finance various schools of art.

Sculpture is the most obvious form of realism. Yun Qing is a famous "Qing school" sculptor, and the two "Ren King statues" in front of the south gate of the Todai Temple and the two wood carvings of the Xingfu Temple - the Indian sages "No Zhu" and "World Kin" - are representative of his masterful and exquisite works.

Widespread in the 13th century, Zen introduced architecture and works of art unlike any other school. In the 14th century AD, "Eishu" was largely replaced by ink painting, a form of painting deeply rooted in the famous Kamakura and Kyoto Zen temples. Zen painters - and, more importantly, their sponsors - were drawn to the simple, monochromatic style of painting from China's Song (960-1279 AD) and Yuan (1271-1368 AD) dynasties. By the end of the 15th century, Zen painters and their Kyoto patrons had developed a strong interest in monochromatic landscape painting known as "ink painting." One such Zen painter is Xue Zhou, a Buddhist monk who traveled to China and studied Chinese painting there. ^[74]

Edo Period (1603-1867 AD)

In 1603, the Tokugawa shogunate came to power and succeeded in bringing peace and stability to Japan both economically and politically. Under the Tokugawa regime, merchants in Edo (later Tokyo) and Kyoto became increasingly wealthy and began to control cultural activities.

Ukiyo-e "Kanagawa Nami" by Katsushika Hokusai

Paintings from the Kanaga period (1624 ~1644 AD) depict the bustling entertainment area along the Kamagawa River in Kyoto and people from all walks of life. Osaka and Edo also have similar neighborhoods, where the "Ukiyo" unfettered atmosphere of life eventually became known as "Ukiyo." Ukiyoe The art genre (ukiyo-e) was rendered and praised. These "ukiyo-e", which often featured depictions of flower streets, willows and "kabuki", were popular throughout the country. "Ukiyo-e" was originally a form of painting, and by the early 18th century, "Ukiyo-e" was generally made and produced in the form of printmaking.

Ukiyo-e "Yoshiwara Flowers" by Kiyonagar Torii

By the end of the 18th century, "Ukiyo-e" entered its golden age of development. Kiyonagi Torii The beauty of the work, especially the tall and graceful women, became the subject of painting in the 1780s. After 1790, new artistic styles were created by painters whose names are well known today: Kitagawa Komaru, Higasu Saisai, Katsushika Hokusai, Ando Hiroshige, and Kukuyoshi Kugawa, to name just a few.

With the advent of the Meiji Era (1868-1912) and the establishment of Westernization policies, Ukiyo-e, an art form that had always been closely linked to the culture of the subject and reality it depicted, quickly became extinct. ^[74]

unit

Historically, Japanese architecture has been heavily influenced by Chinese architecture, although there are many differences between the two. In Chinese buildings, exposed wooden components are painted, while this is rarely seen in Japanese buildings. In addition, Chinese buildings are designed and built on the basis of a lifestyle that uses chairs, while the Japanese are accustomed to sitting on the floor, a habit that evolved from the Meiji era (1868-1912).

Japanese architecture is also influenced by the climate. In most parts of Japan, summers are usually long, hot and humid, and this climate characteristic is clearly reflected in the form of house construction. The traditional Japanese house is raised slightly off the ground, allowing good ventilation around and under the house. Because wood is warm in winter and cool in summer, flexible and earthquake-resistant, it has become the preferred material for Japanese construction. ^[75]

Horyuji Temple (inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1993)

During the Asuka Period (593-710 AD), when Buddhism was introduced to Japan from China, Buddhist temples were built according to Chinese architectural forms. Since then, Japanese architecture has been heavily influenced by Buddhist architecture. Built in 607 AD and rebuilt shortly after the Great Fire of 670 AD, Horyuji has one of the oldest structures in the world. ^[75]

Ruins of Pingcheng Palace

During the Nara period (710-784 AD), the ancient capital of Nara prefecture, Hirashinkyo, was built as a Chinese capital, distributed in a checkerboard pattern. Many temples and palaces of this period were built in the Tang style of China. ^[75]

Pingcheng capital map, built after Tang Chang 'an City

During the Heian Period (794-1185 AD), Japan fully absorbed the essence of Chinese architecture and developed it into a truly Japanese national architectural style. The noble house in Heian Kyozhong, now Kyoto, was built in the style of "Nizojo", with the main building and bedrooms located in the center and connected to the other rooms by cloisters. ^[75]

Tenshukaku

Many castles were built in the 16th century, when feudal lords ruled Japanese society. These buildings were mainly used for military defense, but also as a symbol of the status and power of local lords, who were used as homes. Some of the castles have survived to this day, the most notable being the "Tenshou Pavilion" (the main building of the castle). The dwellings in the castle, as well as the dormitories in the temple, were often designed in a residential architectural style known as "shookojo", which incorporated new architectural features, including translucent and opaque paper-framed skateboards "幛子" and "zuki" and straw MATS "tatami", which are still the dominant styles of traditional Japanese houses today. The magnificent Nijojo Nimaru Imperial Hall in Kyoto, built in the 17th century AD, is the epitome of this style in existing ancient architecture. ^[75]

Buddhist architecture

Kagoonji Temple, located in Kyoto City, Japan

When Buddhism was introduced to Japan in the 6th century AD, temples for burning incense and worshipping Buddha were built one after another, and their styles were modeled after those of China. Within each temple complex, many buildings serve both as living quarters for monks or nuns and as gathering places for lay disciples who come to worship.

Sensoji Temple, located in Tokyo

In the 7th century AD, a group of Buddhist buildings usually had seven components: a stupa, a main hall, a zen room, a bell tower, a sutras room, a monk's house, and a tenement hall. Surrounding the temple complex are four earth walls with mountain gates. Usually the mountain gate is a two-story structure. The main hall has the largest Buddha statue. The Zen room serves as a place for monks to meditate, chant sutras, meditate and worship Buddha. In early temple complexes, the Zen room was often the largest building.

Sensoji Stupa

There are two main types of stupas: one is used as a clock tower for daily Buddhist timing, and the other is used to store scriptures (sutras). In the back or two wings of the inner courtyard of the Buddhist temple, there are rooms and monks' houses.

Buddhist temple buildings are generally geometric, and the layout of buildings varies between different sects. The main buildings of Zen Buddhist temples are usually arranged in straight lines and connected by cloisters. The Buddhist temple complex of the Pure Land faith often includes gardens and pools. ^[75]

Shinto architecture

Believers in Shinto believe that "kami" (God) exists in everything in the world, from active volcanoes and beautiful mountains to trees, rocks and waterfalls. The shrine is a place of worship for the "god" (kami) and a place of worship.

Itsushima Shrine Great Torii

The architecture of the shrine depends on the environment, rather than adhering to a fixed layout. From the distinctive "Torii" (gate) in the outer courtyard, there is a path or Sando leading to the main hall of the shrine, and numerous stone lanterns stand on both sides of the road. In order to keep the shrine pure, the shrine has a "hand water house" for visitors to wash their hands. Many shrines have pairs of 狛 dogs, lion-like animals used as guardians, in front of the main halls and doors. ^[75]

Shrines in Japan

It is used for temporary worship of the kami (God) on special occasions. This architectural style is said to date back to around 300 BC. The main hall of the Shinto Shrine in Sumiyoshisha in Osaka is similar to this kind of separate palace and is considered to have preserved the style of ancient religious architecture. The other main styles of the main hall inherit the simple and crisp architectural form of the granary and Treasury in prehistoric Japan. Ise Jingu, located in Mie Prefecture, is a typical example of this style. Its inner palace is dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu. The outer palace is dedicated to the goddess of food, the Great God of Abundance.

With the introduction of Buddhism, the nature of Shinto worship also changed; The shrine architecture borrows some features from Buddhist architecture. For example, many shrines are painted in the Chinese style: red columns and white walls. ^[75]

Modern architecture

Kaichi School, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture

With the Meiji Restoration in 1867, Japan began to introduce modern building techniques. The first buildings that resulted from this effort combined traditional Japanese wood construction techniques with Western building methods and design concepts. The Kaichi School (1876) in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture is a typical example of this hybrid approach to school architecture. ^[75]

Yoyogi National Arena

In the years after World War II, there was a constant effort to harmonize traditional and modern architecture. Kenzo Tanshita One of the most famous and influential post-war architects, he managed to combine traditional Japanese architecture with the advances of modern technology. In the 1950s and 1960s, he designed several large and impressive buildings, including the Yoyogi National Arena for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. ^[75]

Tokyo Tower

Tokyo Tower, located in Tokyo Shiba Park, Japan, is a landmark building and tourist attraction in Tokyo. Modeled after the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, it was officially named Japan Radio Tower, which is also the old name of its operating organization, designed by architect Takaku Naito and Nikko Construction Co., LTD., and completed on October 14, 1958. In addition to sending TV, radio and other broadcast signals, the tower also sends JR train stop signals when a major earthquake occurs, and has functions such as navigation beacon, wind direction and speed measurement, and temperature measurement.

The tallest free-standing tower in Japan is the highest point in Tokyo. The pyramid shaped tower is supported by four legs, and the tower body is painted in bright yellow and milky white colors. 150 meters above the tower, there is a 2-story observation deck for visitors to climb and enjoy the view. A special observation deck, 250 meters high, offers panoramic views of the Tokyo metropolitan area and, on a clear day, Mount Fuji. The lighting is hosted by the world famous lighting designer, Ishii, and the lighting time is between sunset and midnight. The color of the lights changes with the seasons, white in summer, orange in spring, fall, and winter. ^[76]

Kasumigaseki Building, Tokyo (Middle)

Japan is an island country with frequent earthquakes, and the design and development of buildings with seismic function has always been a major problem in the field of architecture. Kasumigaseki Tower was Japan's first skyscraper when it was completed in 1968, using the most advanced seismic technology at the time. Since then, a large number of skyscrapers have been built, including the huge building in West Shinjuku in Tokyo (1970s) and the landmark building in Yokohama (1993; 296 meters high). ^[75]

Yokohama Landmark Building

During the rapid development of the 1980s, some famous foreign architects were invited to work in Japan, and the office of domestic architects was also full of tension and busy atmosphere. In the early 1990s, with the collapse of the "bubble economy", the development speed of Japan's construction industry began to slow down. However, many Japanese architects still have a high status in Japan and elsewhere, and a large number of foreign architects have discovered the commercial market that exists in Japan, and this trend has even spread to rural areas.

Tokyo metropolitan government

Outstanding architectural works of the 1990s include RafaelVinoly's Tokyo International Convention Center (1997) and Kenzo Tanshita's Tokyo Metropolitan Government (1991). The 1980s and 1990s saw an increase in the number of projects designed and built by Japanese architects abroad. These include Isozaki's new Los Angeles Art Museum (1986), Kenzo Tanshita's "Huatian Bank Tower" in Singapore (1986), Noriko Kurokawa's Delfonse Pacific Building in Paris (1992), and Tadao Ando's Meditation Chamber for UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France (1995).

Kenzo Tanshita It is especially popular abroad. He has received several international design awards, such as the Pritzker Architecture Prize from the Hyatt Foundation in 1995 and the RIBA Gold Medal from the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1997. ITO was also awarded the Gold Medal by the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2006. In 2010, Sejima and Nishizawa received the Pritzker Prize. The "SANAA" architectural project jointly created by Ogasawara Museum (Iida City, Nagano Prefecture, 1999) and Kanazawa 21st Century Art Museum (Ishikawa Prefecture, 2004) was well received. ^[75]

Tokyo Sky Tree

In 2012, the world's highest self-standing radio tower Tokyo Skytree (634 meters high) opened, which is characterized by the use of traditional Japanese architecture "concave arc" and "convex arc" techniques, from the top of the tower to the bottom of the tower presents a soft curve. Depending on the Angle of view and location, the new landmark will take on a variety of expressions. ^[75]

New National Arena, natural wood and plant friendly integration

He was the architect who designed the Kabukiza Theater in 2013 and the main venue of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (New National Arena) Kengo Kuma It is known for its use of many eco-friendly natural materials, such as wood, paper and earth. The exterior of the new National Arena has the beauty of Japanese zephyra, this "Forest Stadium" It has a distinctive Kengo Kuma style, which fully demonstrates the characteristics of localization and low-carbon environmental protection. From a distance, the entire stadium is surrounded by trees, and the stadium itself is actually a huge collection of slender wooden blocks, all built with wood sourced from 47 prefectures and cities in Japan. The facade consists of overlapping multi-storey eaves inspired by Japanese temple eaves construction techniques, while small-diameter wooden shutters recreate the traditional beauty of Japanese architecture in a modern way. ^[75]

garden

In addition to trees and trees, Japanese gardens are artistically decorated with rocks, gravel, rockeries, ponds and flowing water. Unlike the geometric layout of Western gardens, Japanese gardens in the traditional sense are mostly modeled on nature, creating as simple a landscape as possible.

Japanese courtyard

The designers of the garden followed three basic principles in their composition and layout: miniaturization, symbolization, and "landscape borrowing." The first is to miniaturize the mountains and rivers of nature and concentrate them in a limited area. This means that one can even create an idealized view of a mountain village in the city. Symbols contain abstract meanings, such as the use of white sand to signify the sea. Designers use the method of "landscape borrowing", incorporating the background outside the garden or far away, such as mountains or oceans, into the design composition, so that the two are integrated.

Japanese gardens are generally divided into two categories: "Tsukiyama" (mountain rock garden), which consists of rockeries and ponds, and "Hirata" (flat garden), which has flat areas without rockeries and ponds. At first, the "mountain" style was usually used for the main garden of the high house compound, while the "flat court" style was used for limited space. The latter type, however, became increasingly popular with the introduction of the tea ceremony and the tea house (the room where the tea ceremony was performed). ^[81]

Ancient garden

The earliest known Japanese gardens date from the Asuka Period (593-710) and the Nara period (710-794). In Yamato (now Nara Prefecture), the designers of the Royal Garden and the Royal Family Garden created seascape gardens with large ponds dotted with islands and surrounded by "coasts." It was also at this time that Buddhism spread from the mainland to Japan through the Korean Peninsula. Immigrants from there added mainland influences to Japanese gardens, such as rockery fountains and stone Bridges that originated in China. ^[81]

Garden in the style of "bedhouse"

In 794, the capital of Japan was moved from Nara to Kyoto, beginning the Heian Period (794-1185). As the Fujiwara family became entrenched in power, a local aristocratic style of art and culture developed. These nobles lived in luxurious palaces built in the style of "Nidangao". The gardens of that time were equally magnificent. ^[81]

Garden in the style of "bedhouse"

There are several rivers in the city, and they are dug to run the water through various parts of the city. The summers in Kyoto are hot and humid, so people build ponds and waterfalls to add coolness. A stream known as the "detachments" swirls between the buildings and through the private gardens. In this "boat tour" (cruise boat) style, the pond, usually designed as an oval shape, is large enough to be rowed for pleasure; A pavilion was also built in the water and connected to the other buildings of the mansion by a covered cloister for easy fishing. Between the main building and the pond is an open area covered with white sand. With its unique scenery, it is the ideal place to hold all kinds of formal celebrations.

Another type of garden, called a shuyu (walking), has a path along which the rambler can walk from one scene to another, choosing the best position to see different views from different angles. Gardens of this type can often be found in temples and grand buildings of the Heian, Kamakura, and Muromachi periods. The garden of Nishiyoji Temple in Kyoto, designed and built by the Muromachi period monk Mengshu Shuishiki, is famous for its typical "wandering" garden. The design of the garden naturally blends the pond with the mountains in the background to make an impressive impression. ^[81]

Pure land style garden

Phoenix Hall of the House of Equality

In the 10th century, the Japanese nobility became increasingly devout in Buddhist activities. With the spread of people's belief in a paradise known as the "pure land", Japanese gardens were gradually imitated into the image of the "pure land" described in scriptures and teachings. It crystallizes some of the oldest Japanese garden themes.

Equalcourtyard garden

In this type of garden, the focus is on the pond, with an arch bridge protruding from the water to an island in the center of the pond. The Keiwon Garden in Uji (near Kyoto) is the best example of a "pure land" garden. The temple was originally the site of Fujiwara Doyonaga, a powerful figure at that time. Because of the great interest of the elite of the society at that time in garden architecture, these buildings became the subject of many excellent critical works, the earliest of which is the Book of Zuo Ting (a discussion of garden construction). ^[81]

Zen-like garden

In the ensuing Kamakura period (around 1185-1333), the style of the houses and gardens began to change due to the rise of the samurai class and the influence of Chinese Zen monks. Grand celebrations in gardens were not the custom of these samurai elites. Instead, they preferred to view their gardens from the inside of their houses, and these gardens were designed primarily for pleasing use. It was during this period that the monk designers, or "shiliang" (literally, the monk who laid out the stone) began to attract attention. ^[81]

Kyoto Datokji Temple (representative of Zen garden)

Heavily influenced by Zen Buddhism, these gardens are highly abstract: groups of rocks represent mountains or waterfalls, while white sand is used to represent flowing water. This form of garden may have been influenced by Chinese ink landscape paintings depicting barren mountains and dry waters, and cannot be seen anywhere in the world. Such gardens include Ryuan-ji Temple and Otokji Temple in Kyoto. The former is also a typical "patio" garden, built out of 15 rocks and white sand on a single flat area.

"Travelling" garden

During the Edo period (1603 ~1867), the "Huigu" (Doraku) garden, built for feudal lords, epitomized the various garden styles of Japan over the centuries. The garden uses fine stone and trees to reproduce famous landscapes in miniature form. People stroll among the small gardens, admiring the view of the pond in the middle of the garden. ^[81]

Katsura imperial palace

Built in the early Edo period, the garden is a typical "traveling" garden, with a pond in the center and several teahouses standing beside the water. The garden was made famous through the work of the German architect Bruno Tautt. Another famous garden in Kyoto is the courtyard of the Kyoto Imperial Palace. Built in the 17th century, the garden is called Yuchiting, which means "pond garden". A large pond occupies most of the garden, dotted with small islands covered with pine trees. ^[81]

Koishikawa after paradise

Built in 1629, Koishikawa Gokuen Garden is one of the most spectacular "traveling" gardens in Tokyo. It was originally recruited by Tokugawa Ryifang, the first Lord of Mito, to use the ancient trees in the garden to design a Japanese-style garden with mountains and water. Koishikawa Later Paradise, formerly known as Koishikawa Later Paradise, was designated by the Japanese government as a national historic site and scenic spot, in order to distinguish it from the Okayama Prefecture Later Paradise, the name was named Koishikawa Later Paradise. In 1952, Koishikawa Gokuen Paradise was designated as a "Special historical site and special scenic spot" by the Japanese government. The garden architecture of Koishikawa Garden is a combination of Chinese and Japanese gardens, with the pattern of pavilions and Bridges in the south of China, and the natural and small style of Japanese gardens with winding paths. ^[81]

Koishikawa after paradise

The main designers of the Koishikawa Garden were sages from China Zhu Zhiyu . When designing the new garden, Zhu Shunshui on the one hand respected the Japanese style of the original garden, and on the other hand incorporated many Chinese garden scenes, architectural styles and Confucian culture into this exotic garden. In addition to the design, Zhu Shunshui also personally participated in and guided the construction of some scenic spots and buildings. The reconstructed garden is a "wandering rockery spring garden" centered on the pool water (Big spring water) because a tributary from the upper water of Kanda leads into the garden. Many scenic spots in the garden are named after Chinese scenic spots, such as West Lake Causeway, Small Lushan Mountain, Penglai Island, etc., and many buildings are named after Han De Pavilion, Eight Triguan Hall, etc., which reveals Zhu Shunshui's cultural atmosphere of embellishing the garden with Confucian thought. The garden is also planted with a variety of plants, so that the year presents a different scenery. ^[80]

Koishikawa after paradise full moon bridge

A small temple was built on an island in the lake in the garden to worship the "Day of arguing wealth". "Arguing for money" was originally an Indian goddess and one of the "seven gods of good fortune" in Japan. The stone bridge leading to the island is called "Full Moon Bridge" because of its semicircle shape. The stone bridge forms a complete circle with its reflection in the water. ^[81]

The Full Moon Bridge, located in the north of the garden, is a Chinese-style stone arch bridge that looks like a rainbow from a distance. The bridge is located between the two mountains, the north side of the mountain built the eight diagrams hall, the south side of the mountain built the Rentang, the stream under the bridge flows from west to east. It is said that when the water is long, the semicircular arch of the bridge is reflected on the water surface, just like the full moon, hence the name. ^[80]

Hamaki Palace Grace Park

Hamagomiya Grace Park is another famous "wandering" garden in Tokyo. The most famous feature of the garden is the tidal pond built in the Edo period, which is crossed by three stone Bridges, each covered with wisteria, and each leading to an island. The layout of ponds, lawns and racetracks creates the ambience of a feudal Lord's villa during the Edo period. ^[81]

Okayama after paradise

The so-called three great gardens in Japan - Mito Kairakuen in Ibaraki Prefecture, Kanazawa Kanaguen in Ishikawa Prefecture, and Okayama Goku Paradise in Okayama Prefecture - are also of this type. ^[81]

Flower way

Large flower way in Japan

The term "Hando" is often translated as "the Japanese art of flower arrangement," but the materials used in "hando" can include freshly cut branches, vines, leaves, grasses, berries, fruits, seeds and flowers, as well as dried plants. In fact, one can use any natural substance in the flower path. In the contemporary "flower path", one can also use glass, metal and plastic products. As one of Japan's traditional arts, "Ikebana" has developed into a symbolic language and decorative concept, and the use of natural, ephemeral flowers and foliage makes the temporal dimension an integral part of the creative activity. The relationship between the materials, the arrangement and distribution patterns, the size, shape, texture, capacity and color of the containers, and the place and occasion where the "flower path" is displayed are extremely important factors. ^[79]

Hanamichi

In its 500-year history, the flower Path has taken a wide range of forms: from small objects for home decoration to huge landscape paintings and innovative sculptures that can fill an entire exhibition hall. With the diversification of contemporary works, traditional forms are constantly being studied and innovated. In addition, "flower path" (or "flower arrangement") is pursued as a meditation on the passing of the seasons, the passage of time and the process of change. The religious roots of "flower Way" and the close connection between "flower Way" and the natural cycle of growth, decay and regeneration of all things give "flower Way" a deep spiritual connotation.

The diversity of Japan's natural landscape and ancient agricultural lifestyle provide a good environment for the development of Ikebana. A decisive influence on Ikebana was the introduction of Buddha from China to Japan in the 6th century AD, and the resulting custom of presenting flowers to Buddha and the dead, called kuge. The three stems of the offering are arranged in simple symmetry. By the early 17th century, however, the shape had evolved into the rikka, literally "standing flower", a new flower created by the monks of the Ikefong school. ^[79]

Hanamichi

People use long-necked vases and express this exquisite art form with great skill. The main part, symbolizing "heaven" or "truth," is usually asymmetrical, stretching and bending to the left or right, and then the top of the main part returns to the vertical shaft in the center. Numerous other branches protrude from the center of the bouquet (the center of the imaginary sphere), each with its own symbolic and decorative function. On the whole, Tachibana works show the miniature landscape of the whole universe through the image of mountains and rivers. Its main features, such as asymmetry, symbolism and spatial depth, have had a significant impact on the development of Ikebana in Japan.

"Flower" in Japan is still a favorite art of many ordinary people, they do not belong to any particular school, engaging in "flower" activities has become an integral part of their daily life. Various flower arrangements always decorate the home life of ordinary people, and in some special occasions and festivals, people will choose some specific materials. Evergreen pine, a symbol of "eternity", is the preferred material for decoration, and it is usually paired with green bamboo, which symbolizes youth and vitality, and apricot flower branches, which pray for health and longevity. ^[79]

diet

Japanese food is generally called washoku or Japanese cuisine, which can be summarized as "five tastes", "five colors" and "five methods". The "five tastes" are: bitter in spring, sour in summer, good in autumn, sweet in winter and astringent. The "five colors" are: green spring, Zhu summer, white autumn, dark winter, and then the wide use of yellow. The so-called "five methods" refers to cooking methods: steaming, burning, boiling, frying, and eating raw. ^[101]

More than two thousand years after the introduction of rice cultivation techniques in Asia, Japan's rice-centered food culture gradually developed. By the Edo period (1603-1867), the traditional form of rice with seasonal vegetables, aquatic products and seafood was maturing and perfecting, becoming the most dynamic form of cooking in Japan's own food culture, and has been inherited to this day. However, in the century and a half since Japan reopened to the West, its food culture has developed further, taking on an extraordinary variety of forms, including not only its own cooking style, but also the introduction of a wide range of foreign cuisines, some of which cater to Japanese tastes and habits, while others have not changed much. The delicate Japanese cuisine, which displays the beauty of nature and the changes of the seasons with a wide variety of fresh ingredients, enricfies the food culture of the Japanese people while being closely linked to the various festivals of the year.

Buddhism was introduced to Japan in the 6th century. In the centuries that followed, Japanese laws and edicts gradually prohibited almost all animal and poultry meat from eating. A vegetarian style called "kinzu" was later popularized by the Zen sect, and by the 15th century many of the foods and ingredients that Japanese eat today, such as soy sauce, miso, tofu, and other soy products, were already available. Around the same time, formal, elaborate banquet cooking developed in Japan, which was derived from the cooking of the court aristocracy. This type of cooking is known as "Honsu cuisine" and is one of the three basic forms of cooking in Japan, along with "tea kaiseki" and "Kaiseki".

Appetizers served first, such as "sashimi" (sashimi), "suckers" (clear soup), "siyaki" (grilled food), "steamed food" (steamed food), "boiled food" (stewed food), and "wami" (salad-like food with seasoning), Then there is "miso soup", "mochi" (kimchi), rice, Japanese sweets and fruit. Finally, tea. Although most Japanese rarely have the opportunity to experience a full kaiseki banquet, the type of food served in Kaiseki and the order in which it is served are the basis for the whole process of contemporary Japanese cuisine.

Japanese diet

Authentic Japanese meal is more standard, a family-style "Japanese meal" is generally white rice, plus "miso soup" and "pickled" kimchi. The variety of dishes that go with these three foods depends heavily on the region, the season and family preferences, but they range from prepared vegetables, tofu, grilled fish, sashimi and beef, pork and chicken cooked in a variety of ways.

While many Japanese families still eat a home-cooked meal every night, the biggest change in Japanese eating habits in recent decades has been to buy meals prepared outside the home, eliminating the need to cook at home. They can enjoy sushi, Chinese and Japanese pastas, and Japanese boxed "bento" lunches at food delivery outlets throughout town, and now they can order pizza and much else. In addition, people can buy sushi in supermarkets, tempura Fried chicken and other kinds of cooked food and bring it home. Convenience stores have almost extended to the most remote areas of Japan, so almost all Japanese people can enjoy the convenience and speed of various "bento" style food. ^[68]

Dining out

Traditional Japanese sushi restaurant

Japan's most famous contribution to world food culture: sushi It's usually eaten at a sushi restaurant. There, guests sit around the counter and order portions from sushi chefs. There is also a "conveyor belt" sushi restaurant (revolving sushi) is also popular, you can take two small plates of sushi from the conveyor belt in front of you, if there is no sushi you want, you can ask the master to customize it for you. Unlike Japanese restaurants abroad, which often serve a range of different types of Japanese food, domestic Japanese restaurants typically serve a single item, such as sushi, tempura, hotpot (thin slices of beef boiled in a boiling broth), hokuyaki, unagi (grilled eel), soba, and udon. In contrast, family-style restaurant chains typically offer a range of Japanese, Western and Chinese meals.

There are two types of restaurants that are abundant throughout Japan, but they are not what people think of as "authentic Japanese" restaurants: ramen restaurants and yakiniki restaurants. Ramen houses serve large portions of Chinese noodles, which are served in large bowls filled with soup sauce (seasoned with soy sauce, miso, salt and other seasonings), slices of grilled meat and various vegetables (bean sprouts, green Onions and so on), and many guests also ask for separate dumplings to go with the noodles. The barbecue house, on the other hand, focuses on Korean-style barbecue food, with guests sitting around tables grilling bite-sized beef and other meats and vegetables on charcoal or gas grills. Most big cities in Japan also have a large number of exotic restaurants serving French cuisine

Compared with sophisticated "Kaiseki Pavilion" and French restaurants, the cheapest are the civilian food stalls. These stalls are still a familiar sight in some urban areas and during holidays, as well as outdoor events with large crowds. Some of the most popular stalls serve chow mein (fried soba noodles), yakitori (skewers of grilled chicken pieces), assorted pan-fried rice cakes (pancakes made with vegetables and toppings), frankfurters and baked potatoes with cream. It serves French, Italian, Indian, Chinese, Korean and other specialties. In Tokyo, people can taste delicious food from almost all over the world. ^[68]

Food safety

Japan has formed a complete regulatory system in the field of food safety, and is one of the most stringent countries in the world for imported fresh agricultural and sideline products and food safety inspection.

Japan has long attached great importance to the safety of imported food. The Japanese government has not only formulated a series of laws, regulations and related systems, but also built a complete organizational structure, and based on effective food safety testing system, formed an efficient, scientific and flexible food safety management system.

The Cabinet Office of Japan has a Food Safety Committee, which is the highest decision-making body of the government responsible for food safety, and supervises and directs risk management agencies such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. In practice, the real exercise of food safety supervision power is the Ministry of Health, Labor and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare mainly supervises food hygiene in import, export and domestic markets; The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is mainly responsible for the safety and quarantine of fresh agricultural and sideline products in the import, export and domestic markets.

According to the types of imported products, Japan is generally divided into three categories: plant, animal and food hygiene. The health and safety testing of imported products is very perfect and strict both in terms of system and testing methods. In particular, the inspection and quarantine of imported agricultural products and food is not only strict but also cumbersome. All imported animal and plant agricultural products and processed foods must first pass the quarantine of animal and plant quarantine offices under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and then undergo the inspection of food quarantine offices under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Japan's registration requirements for hot processed food companies are very strict, and it must be approved by the Japanese official on-site assessment. Even if the agricultural products and food products passed the phytosanitary and animal quarantine and passed the inspection procedures of the food quarantine office, there is no guarantee that they will also pass the inspection. ^[101]

Tea ceremony

The tea ceremony, or "the Way of tea," is a ritualized art of making and serving tea with powdered green tea demonstrated in front of guests. The full tea ceremony includes refreshments and two courses of tea and lasts about four hours. Throughout the tea ceremony, the host concentrates on creating an atmosphere that makes the guests feel beautiful, wise and physically and mentally happy, and makes people gain peace of mind. To get there, hosts and hostesses may have to spend decades mastering standard procedures for serving tea to guests, and learn to appreciate art, craft, poetry, and calligraphy; In addition, they should learn to arrange flowers, cook and garden. At the same time, develop a trait of grace, selflessness and thoughtfulness.

In Japan, millions of people learn the tea ceremony. In every corner of Japan, there are millions of Japanese - men and women, rich and poor - who belong to more than one hundred schools of tea ceremony. Every week for a year, they go to the tea ceremony teacher to learn the art with three or four other students for two hours at a time. They each took turns making tea and playing the role of guest. And then they go home, and the next week they do the same thing, and many people do it for the rest of their lives.

After the introduction of green tea from China to Japan, starting around the 12th century, green tea gradually became the drink in the mansions of the monks, nobles and samurai elite. People originally drank tea as a medicine, and monks also drank tea as a way to refresh their minds during zazen. The earliest forms of the tea ceremony were often held in stately halls to show off valuable utensils, or at noisy parties to allow guests to guess the origin of various teas. Finally, under the influence of the Zen masters of the 14th and 15th centuries, the process of serving tea to guests evolved into a form of edifying the sentiments for which millions of students today study the various styles of tea ceremony. ^[78]

When receiving tea at a tea party, certain rules should be observed, such as: "before the hand" or "before the construction", which are to express gratitude for the host's warm hospitality. The procedure of drinking strong tea and weak tea is also different, but no matter what kind of tea, the front of the tea bowl should face the guest, and the front refers to the most beautiful part of the pattern or glaze, which is the best part of the tea bowl. The guest took the tea bowl, after enjoying the most wonderful part of the tea bowl, he avoided this part of the tea, indicating that he could not bear to dirty the most beautiful part of the tea bowl.

When serving strong tea, all guests drink tea from a tea bowl that is passed around. When receiving tea, place the cup between yourself and the next guest and bow to the host. Take the cup of tea with your right hand, place it on the palm of your left hand, then slightly raise the cup and bow in gratitude. To keep your lips away from the front of the bowl, rotate the bowl clockwise inwards twice, then sip gently, then place the bowl on the tatami mat in front of you, remove a tissue from the front of the kimono and dab the area touched by your lips, then return the tissue to the kimono. Then pick up the tea bowl with the right hand, put it on the palm of the left hand, turn the front side of the tea bowl back to the original position, and then pass it to the next guest, and then bow to the host again.

Weak tea is made individually for each guest. As with strong tea, when receiving tea, you should place the tea between yourself and the next guest, bowing to them to show your apology for drinking first. The cup is then placed in front of the knee and thanked for the host's hospitality. Then rotate the tea bowl to yourself twice, so that you will not drink tea with the front of the bowl. After drinking tea, wipe the tea part with your fingers, and turn the front of the tea bowl to face yourself. Place the tea bowl on the tatami mat in front of you, hold it and enjoy it with your elbows above your knees. When returning the cup, be sure to turn the front side back towards the owner. Guests take a piece of origami paper, should first place the dessert on the paper, and then eat. Soft, wet desserts are cut with a special fork and eaten, while dry desserts are picked up with your fingers and fed into your mouth. ^[78]

Festivals

A national holiday in Japan
name	date	paraphrase
The first day of the lunar year	January 1st	Celebrate the beginning of the New Year.
Adult festival	The second Monday in January	A festival to celebrate young people turning 20.
National Foundation Day	February 11th	A festival commemorating the accession to the throne of Japan's legendary first emperor, Emperor Jimmu.
The emperor's birthday	February 23rd	On this day in 1960, Emperor Reiwa was born.
Vernal equinox	Around March 21	It is a time for family reunion and worship of ancestors.
Green knot	April 29th	It was the birthday of the late Emperor Showa. After his death, it was designated as a day to protect Japan's green plants.
Constitution Day	On May 3rd	A holiday commemorating the entry into force of the Japanese Constitution in 1947.
Children's Day	The fifth of May	Wish children health and happiness of the holiday.
Sea Festival	The third Monday in July	It's a holiday to thank the sea for its blessings.
Mountain Day	August 11th	A festival that allows people to get close to the mountains and express their gratitude for the blessings they have given them.
Day for Respecting the Aged	The third Monday in September	A day to honor the elderly.
Autumnal equinox	Around September 23	A festival for family reunions and ancestor worship.
Motor festival	The second Monday in October	Established in 1966 to commemorate the opening of the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, it is a day to promote health and physical exercise.
Cultural festival	November 3rd	A festival that organizes cultural activities to foster the ideals of peace and freedom as expressed in the Constitution of Japan (enacted on November 3, 1946).
Hard Work Appreciation Day	November 23rd	A festival to celebrate labor and harvest.

animation

Animated film

Japan's major animated films can generally be classified as original works or TV animated series. The latter began with films such as Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy and Zeroshi Matsumoto's Yamato and Galaxy Railway 999. Japan regularly produces and releases popular television series such as "Crayon Shin-Shin," "Doraemon" and the hugely successful "Pokemon." ^[67]

Classic Japanese animation
Yamato	Galaxy Railway 999	Macross	Mobile Suit Gundam
New Century Evangelion	Saint Seiya	Skywar	The Iron Train Man
Ghost in the Shell	The Cat's Eye Sisters	Astro Boy	The Wise Ikkyu
One Piece	Inuyasha	Naruto	Seven Dragon Balls
Chibi Maruko-chan	Detective Conan	Doraemon	Crayon New
Sailor Moon	Pokemon Go	Digimon	China's Little Master
Slam Dunk	Yu-Gi-Oh	Sakura Magic Card	Four Wheel Drive Brothers

Director Hayao Miyazaki has dominated the original animation market for more than a decade. Miyazaki combines humor, social criticism, environmental activism and poetic lyricism to create a slew of artistic and box office hits, including "Nausicade of the Valley of the Wind" (1984), City in the Sky (1986), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1997), Spirited Away (2001; Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003), and Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Bo Girl on the Cliff (2008), The Wind Rises (2013), etc.

In 2016, director Makoto Shinkai released an animated film Your Name About a teenager and a teenage girl who switch bodies, the film became one of the few Japanese films besides Hayao Miyazaki to achieve international fame. ^[67]

Famous Japanese cartoon characters (not made into an animated series, only independent characters)
Hello Kitty	Kumamoto	queer	Lazybear
Black and white pig	Mario	Melody	Big-eared dog

Ultraman

Ultraman (ウルトラマン), also known as "the original Ultraman", is a giant transformation hero in the Japanese Ultraman series (ウルトラマンシリーズ). He first appeared in the first episode of the Japanese Tokusatsu drama Ultraman, "Operation Otter No. 1" (July 17, 1966). He is a giant of light from the M78 nebula who came to Earth in pursuit of the runaway cosmic monster, Bermura. While pursuing Bermura over Lake Longsen, he accidentally collided with the plane taken by Hayata, a member of the scientific search team, resulting in his crash and death. In order to atone for his mistakes and save Hayata's life, Ultraman gives his life to Hayata and reanimates him with one heart. After that, Ultraman and Hayata together, in order to defend the earth and many violent monsters and evil cosmic people launched a fierce battle, Ultraman is the first appearance of Ultraman warriors in the history of the series, known as the origin of the giant.

The image of Ultraman was designed by the late Japanese artist and sculptor Haru Narita (1929-2002). He is also the designer of classic monsters such as Baltan, Gomorra, King Red, and Jadon. Altman originally designed a space man in a suit similar to Western armor, but the playwright Tetsuo Kanejo (1938-1976) requested that he "want a space man with a handsome and beautiful posture" and redesigned it. Later, Narita redesigned Ultraman according to the idea that the opposite of chaos is order. If the monster with complex shape designed by combining various elements is chaos, then the order with simple and pure beauty must be taken as the opposite hero. By the Japanese god Tokusatsu Eiji Tsetani Since the 1960s, the director's "Round Valley Production Company" (Yen valley プロダクション, formerly known as: Round Valley Co., LTD.) has launched a series of fantasy toyama series of TV dramas, movies, comics, stage plays and other works, since then, Otman has become popular around the world, and the image of Ultraman continues to introduce new ideas. ^[72]

Classic Ultraman image
King of OTT	Father of OTT	Mother of OTT	Zoffi Ultraman	The original Ultraman
Severn Altman	Jack Altman	Esaltman	Tyro Ultraman	Leo Altman
Ediotman	Greg Altman	Ah, Asaltman	Aguru Ultraman	Nicholas Altman
Dija Ultraman	Dana Altman	Gaia Ultraman	Gauss altman	Justys Altman
Naios Ultraman	Severn 21	Max Altman	Monbius Altman	Celo Ultraman

caricature

After World War II, with the writer and illustrator Osamu Tezuka So-called "story manga" or manga-type, illustrated publications developed in their own rather unique way in Japan. Japanese manga accounts for 33.8% of all books and magazines sold, and influences people with its diverse art forms and representative cultural characteristics. While some comic stories are aimed primarily at children who are just beginning to read, others cater to young boys and girls as well as general readers. In 1959, two weekly children's comics, Teen MAGAZINE and Teen SUNDAY, were launched, laying a solid foundation for today's comic culture.

Since the early 1990s, Japanese manga exports to Europe, the United States and Asia have grown significantly. As of 2017, Naruto, a manga series based on Shonen JUMP, featuring a teenage ninja, has been published in more than 30 countries. Naruto has been released in more than 80 countries. The other major manga serialized in Shonen JUMP is The Nautical King, a story of ocean adventures featuring a teenage pirate. Voyager has been adapted into animated series, movies and games and has been distributed in more than 35 countries and territories. Another comic strip in the journal Oolong Dispatch Has gained global recognition. ^[67]

movie

In 1951, Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon (1950) won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, which greatly stimulated international interest in Japanese films. The most influential director of the 1970s was Yoji Yamada, whose Torasan series was an overwhelming success. In 1997, the international film world paid great attention to Japanese non-animation films. It is especially worth mentioning that the film "Flower Fire" directed by the famous Japanese comedy master Takeshi Kitano won the "Golden Lion" at the 54th Venice International Film Festival; Imamura's "Unagi" won the Palme d 'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Naomi Kawase's "Secret Crush" won the Best Cinematography award at the same festival. Tokyo Nocturne, directed by Joon Ichikawa, won the "Best Director Award" at the Montreal International Film Festival.

In 2009, Japan won two Academy Awards, directed by Yojiro Takita The Undertaker Won the best Foreign Language Film Award; It was directed by Hisato Kato Memories of the Wooden House Won the award for Best Animated short story. In 2018, Shoplifters It won the Palme d 'Or at the 71st Cannes International Film Festival and was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. ^[67]

game

The debut of Cosmic Invaders in 1978 was a milestone in the history of Japanese video games. In 1983, when the Nintendo and other video game consoles first hit the market and entered homes, the video game culture began to mature, and then Contra and Super Mario Bros. came out. In 1996, a video game called "Pokemon" captured the hearts of many children, and the game eventually evolved into a variety of commercial forms, including sets of Pokemon cards, comics, several animated television series and multi-feature animated movies, becoming a blockbuster Pokemon phenomenon.

In order to Konami launched Silent Hill Serial sum CAPCOM launched Resident Evil Serial sum Devil May Cry On behalf of the new era, the emergence of large Japanese games, gradually mature. ^[67]

celebrity

Political celebrity
Emperor Jimmu	Emperor Tyko	Meiji Emperor	Showa Emperor
Toyotomi Hideyoshi	Oku Poly Tong	Kenobu Uesugi	ITO Hirobumi

litterateur
Murasaki Shikibu	Izumi style Ministry	Nishizuru Ihara	Morikaki
Kato Nagai	Matsumoto Seicho	Junichi Watanabe	Kenzaburo Oe
Yukio Mishima	Edogawa Rampo	Natsume Soseki	Osamu Dazai
Kawabata Yasunari	Ryunosuke Akutagawa	Haruki Murakami	Higashino Keigo

Musician
Seiji Ozawa	Jou Hisaishi	Kitaro	Ryuichi Sakamoto

Comic writer
Fujiko F. Fujio	Miki Miura	Eiichiro Oda	Yoshito Usui
Naoko Takeuchi	Osamu Tezuka	Yumiko Takahashi	Nishimoto
Inoue Yuhiko	Aoyama Tsuyomasa	Miyazaki Jun	Makoto Shinkai

Sports personality
Yuzuru Hanyu	Fukuhara Ai	MAO Asada	SAO Kato
Yasuto Sakamoto	Kei Nishikori	Naomi Osaka	Kendou Momota
Kosuke Kitajima	Ichiro Suzuki	Shohei Otani	Satori Yoshida
Kohei Uchimura	Yoshijun Ishikawa	Rihanko Ikeie	Naoya Inoue

kabuki

Kabuki is one of the four classical forms of Japanese theatre, the other three being "Noh", "Guyan" and "Bunraku" puppet shows. In 2008, it was included in the list of intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Unlike several other classical dramas, Kabuki has always been popular with the public and is regularly staged in theaters such as Kabukiza in Tokyo, Minamiza in Kyoto, and Matsutakeza in Osaka, attracting large and enthusiastic audiences. Kabuki plays are divided into three main categories: "time objects" (historical dramas), "world words objects" (life dramas) and "things done" (dance dramas). About half of the plays still performed today were originally works of puppet shows. ^[77]

East Kabukiza

Kabuki was developed during the 250 years of the Edo Period (1603 ~1867) when Japan was prosperous and prosperous. The taste of commercial culture that developed during this period is expressed in the flamboyant costumes and scenes of Kabuki, as well as in the scripts of Kabuki in which legendary heroes and ordinary people strive to unite their personal desires and social responsibilities into a harmonious one.

Kabuki actors are mostly female. Kabuki is said to have its origins in dance and the operetta first performed in Kyoto, Japan, in 1603 by Aguni, a chambermaid of Izumo Daisha. The term "kabuki" has connotations of gaudy, heretical, and fashionable, and has come to refer to the performances of popular opera clubs in the country and their imitators. Because the onna kabuki (female actors) troupe had a prostitution side business, this form of performance was not approved by the Tokugawa shogunate, and the troupe was banned in 1629, making it illegal for women to perform on stage. "Wakami Kabuki" (played by young men) became popular. By 1652, however, the performance was also banned because the erotic activities of young male actors had a negative effect on civic morality. ^[77]

Traditional kabuki performance

With the banning of female actors and then teenage male actors, Kabuki became a genre for mature male actors. In the century since male actors were allowed to perform, Kabuki has evolved considerably. Although Kabuki retains its traditional cultural roots in both the staging of plays and the genre to which the industry belongs, today it has become a vibrant and integral part of the Japanese entertainment industry.

Kabuki's star performers are some of the most prestigious figures in Japan, and they frequently appear in Japanese films and TV dramas, playing both traditional and modern roles. For example, the famous "female shape" actress Tamzaburo Sakato The Fifth (born 1950) has acted in a number of non-Kabuki plays and films, playing almost all female roles. He has also directed several films. In 1998, Takako Kataoka (born 1944) accepted the famous stage name "Kataoka Hitozuemon XV" in the "taking over the stage name" ceremony, which became a major event reported by the Japanese media at that time. In 2005, Kabuki actor Kanjuro Nakamura received the title of the 18th Kanzaburo Nakamura. ^[77]

In 2007, at the age of 2, she followed her grandfather to the stage for the first time

Representatives of the new generation of kabuki actors are Fujima Sai Because of his handsome appearance in Japan, quite attention, on March 27, 2005, Fujima Sai was born in Japan for more than 300 years of Kabuki family Koryaya. His father and grandfather were both "Kabuki" artists, the national treasures of Japan. Even before he was born, his grandfather and father had planned his life for him, and he was the first in his family to inherit Kabuki. In 2007, at the age of 2, he followed his grandfather to the stage for the first time and appeared in public. Since then, his every move has gripped the hearts of the Japanese people. Four-year-old Fujima Sai became four generations of Meimatsu Principal Taro (family stage name inherited). ^[77]

Fujima and Father

In January 2018, Fujima Saisai took the name Yataimeku Ichikawa Dygoro, and the ceremony of three people taking the name at the same time with his father and grandfather attracted tens of thousands of Japanese people to watch. ^[77]

Military affairs

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EDITOR

After Japan's defeat and surrender in 1945, the army was disbanded and military institutions dismantled. In 1950, Japan established the "Police Reserve", which was later renamed the "Security Force"; in 1952, it established the "Maritime Guard"; and in 1954, it established a new Air Self-Defense Force. In July, the Law on the Establishment of the Defense Agency and the Law on the Self-Defense Force were promulgated, which renamed the Security Force and the Maritime Guard into the Land Self-Defense Force and the Maritime Self-Defense Force respectively, and officially named the Army, Navy and Air Force as the Self-Defense Force. The Defense Department and the Joint Chiefs of Staff were set up, and the commander-in-chief command structure was improved. With the rapid increase of Japan's economic strength, Japan's military construction has made great progress, under the guidance of "quality over quantity" and "air and sea priority", the Self-Defense Force has developed into a well-equipped, well-trained and strong combat capability of the armed forces. In 2007, the Defense Agency was upgraded to the Ministry of Defense. On December 17, 2013, the Japanese government officially adopted the National Security Strategy, the first comprehensive approach to foreign and security policy since World War II, at the Cabinet meeting, and based on this, the National Defense Program Outline and the Medium-term Defense Force Preparation Plan (2014-2018) were determined. On July 1, 2014, the Japanese government passed a Cabinet resolution on the limited lifting of the ban on collective self-defense, the core content of which is that if a country with close relations with Japan is attacked by force, Japan's exercise of force to the minimum extent necessary as a self-defense measure should be allowed under the Constitution. In July and September 2015, Japan passed new security bills in the House of Representatives and the Senate respectively, significantly strengthening the activities of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces in many aspects. On December 18, 2018, the Japanese government officially adopted the new version of the National Defense Program Outline and the Medium-Term Defense Force Readiness Plan at the Cabinet meeting. The new National Defense Program Guidelines reaffirm the basic principle of adhering to exclusive defense and not becoming a military power, while pointing out that Japan's surrounding security environment has "rapidly increased in severity and uncertainty." The Japanese Self-Defense Force should further strengthen its defense capabilities in new fields such as space and information, and build a "cross-domain" combat system. On December 16, 2022, the Japanese government officially adopted the revised National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, and Defense Readiness Plan at the Cabinet meeting, which clearly stated that Japan would develop a "counterattack capability", which is another major shift in Japan's security policy after allowing the exercise of "collective self-defense". On December 20, 2023, Japan officially delivered a new air warning radar to the Philippines, which is Japan's first export of finished weapons and equipment. On December 22, the Japanese government revised the "Three Principles of Defense Equipment Transfer" and its application guidelines at the Cabinet meeting and the National Security Council, which will allow Japan to sell Patriot missiles back to the United States. ^[117-118] In 2024, Japan has officially announced its accession to the" Orcus "The Alliance. ^[129]

The supreme commander of the SDF is the Prime Minister, and the highest military decision-making body is the Cabinet Council. The Security Council is the highest military deliberative body of the Cabinet. It consists of the Prime minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Finance, the Chief Cabinet Secretary, the Chairman of the National Public Security Commission, and the Minister of Defense. It is responsible for reviewing national defense policies, military building plans, and dealing with various emergencies. The Ministry of Defense is equivalent to the Ministry of Defense. The Joint Chiefs of Staff, composed of the Chairman and the chiefs of staff of the Army, Navy and Air Force, is responsible for drawing up and adjusting operational, training and logistics plans of the three services, collecting and studying military intelligence, and implementing unified command when conducting joint operations and exercises of more than two services.

Japan's Self-Defense Forces practice voluntary military service. The defense budget for 2023 will be 6.8 trillion yen, increasing for 11 consecutive years.

traffic

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EDITOR

highroad

A relatively complete road network has been established throughout Japan. By the end of 2021, the total length of highways will be about 1.225 million kilometers. Among them, there are about 185,000 kilometers of national and provincial roads and 8,922.9 kilometers of expressways. By the end of 2021, according to the total number of tons and kilometers, automobile transport accounted for about 51% of the total domestic cargo transport, and by tons it reached about 92%, and highways played an important role in the transportation system. To this end, Japan invests a lot of money every year to maintain and build the road system. ^[56]

Japan Metropolitan area high-speed network

Japan began building expressways (toll roads) in the 1950s. The Minami Expressway, which connects Nagoya and Kobe, was built in 1965 and is the first expressway in Japan. It was soon connected to Tokyo via the Higashina Expressway. In the past few decades, Japan has built Sekoetsu, Tohoku, Changpan and other long-distance highways. On April 14, 2012, about 162 km of highway was opened between the Midamba Interchange and Mitsuritsu Interchange, the first time in Japanese road history that 162 km of highway was opened at one time. Tokyo and other major urban areas maintain an extensive and ever-extending network of highways that connect the city center with its suburbs.

The frequent congestion of urban roads has become a major problem of urban traffic. In Tokyo, although the branch system of highways and ordinary roads radiates out from the city center, the city's chronic traffic congestion persists due to delays in the construction of the ring line. ^[71]

railway

Passenger service on Nippon Railways began in 1872 with steam locomotives linking Tokyo's Shin-bashi station to the nearby city of Yokohama, ushering in a new phase in the construction of Japan's national railway network. It took Japan more than 17 years to connect the major cities along the old Tokaido by rail, so that by July 1889 people could travel directly from Tokyo to Kobe by train. At that time, there was only one train per day, and the 589.5 km journey took about 20 hours. The successive use of internal combustion and electric trains reduced the travel time on this busy line to less than seven hours, and later Shinkansen (high-speed trains) eventually reduced the journey time to less than four hours.

In 1987, Japan National Railways (JNR) began to privatize its railways and split into a number of independent regional railway companies. Prior to this, the country's passenger and freight rail networks were operated by Japan National Railway. The successor to Japan National Railway currently consists of six passenger railway companies, one freight railway company and several affiliated companies of the JR (Japan Railways) Group. In 1988, the Seikan Tunnel opened, connecting the northern island of Hokkaido with Honshu, and the Seto Bridge connected Honshu with Shikoku, thus finally connecting Japan's four major islands by rail.

Subway is the main means of daily transportation in Japan. Tokyo subway network is developed, with 13 lines, 285 stations, a total length of 304.1 kilometers, and an average daily passenger flow of 10.4 million people, ranking first in the world. Twelve cities in Japan now have subway lines. Japan's first subway was a section of Tokyo's Ginza Line, which opened in 1927. Tokyo has 13 subway lines, many of which are also connected to suburban rail lines, extending service to the suburbs. ^[71]

Shinkansen

Japan Shinkansen It is a high-speed railway operating system consisting of seven regular lines (Tokaido Shinkansen, Sanyo Shinkansen, Tohoku Shinkansen, Kamikoshi Shinkansen, Hokuriku Shinkansen, Kyushu Shinkansen, Hokkaido Shinkansen) and two lines commonly referred to as "small Shinkansen" (Akita Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen).

Trains on regular lines operate only on Shinkansen tracks, while "small Shinkansen" trains operate on both Shinkansen tracks and standard slow tracks. In this way, the Shinkansen, which connects major cities from Aomori in the northernmost part of Honshu to Kagoshima in the southernmost part of Kyushu with a maximum speed of more than 300km per hour, plays an important role as the main artery of Japan. Several additional Shinkansen lines have been planned since 1973, and some sections of these lines are still under construction.

Shinkansen train N700S

The Tokaido Shinkansen runs along the 552.6 km Tokyo Shin-Osaka Corridor, which has long been regarded as Japan's transportation artery. Trains on the line can run up to 285 kilometers per hour, and the minimum travel time between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka is now 2 hours and 22 minutes. Since its opening in 1964, the Shinkansen has maintained an extraordinary record of high-speed operation, safety, traffic volume and punctuality. Each Shinkansen route runs an average of up to 14 trains per hour each way, maintaining accuracy within an average delay of 0.6-1 minutes. Since its opening, there has not been a single fatal collision, derailment or other accident, creating an admirable record in terms of safety. ^[71]

On March 26, 2016, the Hokkaido Shinkansen was opened, covering almost all of Japan's new trunk line network from Hokkaido to the main island of Kyushu in the south. ^[56]

Air freight

Japan's aviation industry is well developed. With Narita and Haneda airports in Tokyo and Kansai Airport in Osaka as the center, it forms an extensive air transport network. The main airlines are Japan Airlines (JAL), All Nippon Airways Co. (All Nippon Airways Co., referred to as "All Nippon Airways") and so on.

According to the data of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Japan, the domestic passenger transport of major Japanese airlines in 2021 will be 43.92 million passengers, down 6.0% year-on-year, and the domestic air cargo transport will be 462,000 tons, down 7.7% year-on-year. The number of passengers transported on international routes was 1.41 million, down 67.7 percent year-on-year, and the volume of international air cargo transport was 1.77 million tons, up 38.6 percent year-on-year. Many Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Dalian, Qingdao, Wuhan, Chongqing and Taipei have opened international flights with airports in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan. ^[56]

Tokyo Haneda International Airport

The largest passenger traffic in Japan is at Tokyo International Airport in Haneda, Tokyo. Tokyo International Airport is often referred to as Haneda Airport. Haneda Airport, opened in 1931, was Japan's first commercial airport and operated domestic and international routes until the new Tokyo International Airport opened in 1978. After the opening of Narita Airport, Haneda Airport became an airport focused on domestic routes, and the opening of a fourth runway in 2010 has expanded international routes. In addition to Asian cities such as Seoul, Shanghai and Hong Kong, there are direct flights to major European and American cities such as Los Angeles, New York and Paris. Haneda Airport also began operating 24 hours a day in October 2010. ^[71]

Tokyo Narita International Airport

New Tokyo International Airport, also known as Narita Airport, is located about 66 kilometers (41 miles) east of Tokyo. Since its official operation in 1978, Narita Airport has welcomed many overseas travelers as the gateway to Japan. In 2009, the runway was expanded and more flights were added. Narita Sky Access express train, which only takes 36 minutes to reach the center of Tokyo, is becoming more and more convenient.

Osaka International Airport is also known as Itami Airport. Until Kansai International Airport opened in September 1994, it handled most domestic flights and all international flights to the Kansai region. It is mainly used for domestic flights. ^[71]

Kansai International Airport

Kansai International Airport is located on an artificial island in Osaka Bay. In addition to providing extended operations and inbound and outbound services for more international air operators, the airport is also the first aviation institution in Japan to operate 24 hours a day. The total number of takeoffs and landings in 2016 was about 177,109. The airport is equipped with the latest technology automatic control system, which can automatically stop the air conditioning operation when there are no passengers, and the lifting system can automatically measure subsidence and correct problems before they occur. ^[71]

Water transport

Japan is a typical island country, and more than 99% of its import and export goods need to be completed by sea transportation. However, since the 1990s, with the rapid rise of Asian ports such as Shanghai Port in China and Busan Port in South Korea, the international status and competitiveness of Japanese ports began to decline. The container throughput of Tokyo and Yokohama, the major ports in the world, has gradually declined from the peak of 12th and 8th in 1995.

In this context, Japan successively issued the "Super hub port" plan in 2004, the "International Container Strategic Port" plan in 2010, and the "International bulk strategic port" plan. By selecting a number of international strategic ports, it gave more resources and preferential policies, and implemented the port privatization management reform. In order to enhance the international competitiveness of Japanese ports and cope with the challenges of ship upsizing.

As of April 2021, there are 993 ports in Japan, including 5 international strategic ports, 18 international hub ports, and 102 important ports, the main ports are Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kobe, Chiba, Nagoya, Kitakyushu and so on. ^[56]

society

broadcast

EDITOR

Science and technology

After the end of World War II, Japanese science and technology developed rapidly. The Basic Science and Technology Plan, which is formulated by the government every five years, lists life sciences, information and communication, environmental protection, new materials, energy, manufacturing technology, and space development as Japan's scientific and technological strengths. Annual research spending accounts for about 3.7% of GDP, ranking first among developed countries.

Japan's scientific research expenditure in 2020 is about 19.24 trillion yen, down 1.7% year-on-year, accounting for about 3.6% of GDP. Among them, the natural science research expenditure was about 17.84 trillion yen, accounting for 92.7% of the total scientific research expenditure. In 2020, enterprise scientific research expenditure will be 13.86 trillion yen, down 2.5% year-on-year. In terms of industry classification, "manufacturing" accounted for 89.9% of scientific research funding, followed by "academic research, professional and technical services".

According to the evaluation criteria formulated by the Science and Technology Policy Institute of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Japan's comprehensive science and technology index value ranks second after the United States. ^[56]

education

The Japanese government has always focused on education. In 1947, Japan implemented the Basic Law on Education and the Basic Law on Education. School education act ".

Japan spends about 3.59% of its GDP on research each year. Japanese school education is divided into preschool education, primary education, secondary education, higher education four stages, the school system is 6 years of primary school, 3 years of junior high school, 3 years of senior high school, 4 years of university, of which primary school to junior high school for 9 years of compulsory education. There are national universities, public universities and private universities. Famous national universities include the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, and famous private universities include Waseda University and Keio University. Japan attaches great importance to social education, correspondence, evening school, radio, television education and so on are more common. ^[56]

Medical treatment

In 1961, Japan implemented the "National Health insurance" system for all citizens, realizing that everyone has medical insurance and establishing a relatively complete medical security system. In principle, regardless of region, income and age, the insured can freely choose a medical unit for treatment, and adopt a unified fee system, and the proportion of personal expenses is generally not more than 30%. According to the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Japan's total medical and health expenditure in 2019 was 43.4 trillion yen, an increase of 0.8% year-on-year, accounting for 7.91% of GDP. Among them, the public medical expenditure is about 3.17 trillion yen (7.3% of the total expenditure), and the medical insurance expenditure is about 19.73 trillion yen (45.5%). The per capita medical expenses are 343,000 yen. In 2019, the average life expectancy was 81.41 years for men and 87.45 years for women.

Japan has a large number of public and private hospitals and clinics, the medical level ranks among the world's leading, and has a sound medical insurance system. Japanese nationals and foreigners who have lived in Japan for more than three months and are enrolled in various types of medical insurance can enjoy excellent and affordable medical services.

Japan's medical insurance system is a universal insurance system. Japan's health insurance is generally divided into three categories: first, the union health insurance, the insured people are large enterprises and government workers and their immediate families; The second is health insurance, which is directly administered by the government and covers employees of small and medium-sized enterprises and their immediate family members. The third is national health insurance, which covers sole proprietors and pensioners. Among them, health insurance is the most popular medical insurance in Japan. When an insured person visits a hospital due to injury or illness, he or she only has to pay 30% of the total medical expenses.

It should be noted that foreigners who come to Japan for a short period of time cannot join and enjoy Japanese medical insurance. Therefore, if a person falls ill in Japan in the short term, if there is no higher income, it will cause a heavy economic burden to the person concerned. It is recommended that Chinese citizens who are coming for a short period of time accept a formal physical examination before going abroad, ensure that their physical conditions allow them to travel before they travel, and join an overseas travel accident insurance policy in case of accidents.

In general, the sanitary conditions in Japan are very good. However, due to different living habits, Chinese citizens traveling to Japan should not be careless. In order to ensure a healthy and happy short journey abroad, it is especially necessary to pay attention to maintaining your health from various aspects such as drinking water, food, personal hygiene, and living rules. Although the quality of tap water in Japan is more guaranteed, the tourists who have just come to Japan also have a process of adapting to its water quality, so it is best to drink mineral water, pure water or boil raw water before drinking. The Japanese diet accounts for a large proportion of fresh food, such as sashimi, sushi, raw egg bibimbap, etc., is respected as a delicacy in Japan. Many Chinese people are not used to eating raw fish and need to pay particular attention to their diet. In Japan, the four seasons are humid and the food is perishable, so the food sold in stores in Japan is marked with strict quality and freshness period according to the requirements of the law. You should avoid eating expired food to avoid causing mold infection. March to April is the cherry blossom season in Japan, and it is also the season when the pollen concentration is very high, if someone is sensitive to pollen, they should bring the necessary medicine before going. ^[101]

The major infectious diseases in Japan are AIDS, Japanese encephalitis (Japanese encephalitis), rubella, measles, diphtheria, new bird flu, dengue fever, norovirus and so on. ^[56]

medium

Japan's press and publishing industry is developed, with a large circulation of newspapers and periodicals and wide coverage of radio and television, which ranks among the leading countries in the world.

There are 5 national newspapers (Yomiuri Shimbun, Asahi Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Sankei Shimbun), 3 regional newspapers (Japan Shimbun, Hokkaido Shimbun, West Japan Shimbun), and more than 100 major local newspapers. It publishes about 1,900 monthly magazines and about 1,000 weekly magazines. More than 70,000 titles have been published. More influential magazines are: "Central Public Opinion", "Oriental Economics", "The Economist", "Literary Spring and Autumn" and so on.

Kyodo News Agency is the largest news agency in Japan, referred to as Kyodo News Agency, its predecessor was established in January 1936. Jiji Press, the second largest news agency, was founded in November 1945.

There are more than 100 radio stations in the Japanese Broadcasting Association (NHK) and four series of private radio stations. NHK is a semi-official "public broadcasting and television station" founded in March 1925.

The main television stations are the semi-official "public television station" NHK and more than 100 private TV stations belonging to five major newspapers, as well as private satellite TV stations and private cable TV stations. Main television station: NHK began broadcasting in 1953, which is semi-official; Tokyo Broadcasting Corporation (TBS), founded in 1951; Japan Television Network (NTV), founded in 1952; Television Asahi (TVASAHI), founded in 1957; FUJITV Television was founded in 1957.

Physical education

Before the introduction of Western sports, the traditional Japanese sports known as "budo" have been greatly developed. Japanese budo originated in the 12th century AD and was mainly popular among the samurai class at that time. These include "kendo", "Jujitsu" (now called "Judo"), "Kundo" and other sports.

During the Edo period (1603-1867), these sports were established as martial arts sports, emphasizing their spiritual connotations. The word "Dao" in "Martial Dao" means "way and method", which requires learners to master the profound essence contained in this sport. The traditional "martial arts" has been passed down from generation to generation and is still widely prevalent among the people. Judo and karate have become international sports.

After the Meiji Restoration (1868), various Western sports were introduced to Japan. Baseball was introduced to Japan by an American in 1872. Athletics and football were introduced to Japan in the 1870s, followed by ice skating and rugby in the 1890s. In 1911, an Austrian introduced skiing to the Japanese army. At that time, Western sports were rarely taken up, but through the Japanese education system, they were eventually spread throughout the country. While Western sports were initially emphasized as a form of self-cultivation, the Japanese have adopted them as recreational activities. ^[82]

Sports in Japan today

Japanese men, women and children are passionate about sports, both as participants and as spectators. In Japan, sport is seen as a wholesome pastime that fosters discipline, improves character, encourages fair play and fosters competitive spirit. Win, lose or draw, the Japanese will enthusiastically cheer for the tenacity and hard work of the athletes.

Modern sports began in the early 1870s, when the Japanese school system was established. With the institutionalization of education in Japan, schools added physical education subjects to the curriculum. The first sports to be introduced in universities and secondary schools were track and field, rowing, baseball and tennis.

Children are encouraged to participate in a variety of school club activities, including baseball, judo, archery, football, swimming, gymnastics and track and field, among other sports. Many children develop an interest in sports that stays with them well into adulthood. ^[82]

sumo It is a kind of wrestling, known as the "national skill" of Japan. In addition to the colorful belly bands of sumo wrestlers and their distinctive "ginkgo knot" hairdo that evokes images of ancient sumo wrestlers, sumo retains many traditions, such as the Towaramono (a circular piece of sand raised above the ground surrounded by straw), the Shino system, and its association with Shinto rituals. The word sumo in Chinese means "to collide with each other".

Although the history of sumo goes back to ancient times, it did not become a professional sport until the Edo period (1603-1867). Today, the sport is played mainly in high school and university clubs and amateur sumo associations, and it is an almost exclusively male sport. However, both in Japan and abroad, sumo has long been known as a spectator professional sport. ^[83]

baseball It is one of the most popular spectator sports in Japan. Baseball was introduced to Japan from the United States around 1872. The sport quickly gained popularity in Japan as schools formed their own baseball teams to participate in club events. While professional baseball is the sport with the largest audience in Japan, the sport remains a strong draw for amateurs, especially in secondary schools and universities. During the baseball season, late professional baseball games are broadcast almost every day in Japan. Ever since Nomo Hero After becoming a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, many Japanese became interested in professional baseball. The "All Japan High School Baseball Tournament" is held every summer and attracts millions of baseball fans.

With the formation of the "Japan Professional Football League" (J.Luague) in 1991, the popularity of football grew. Football has become the second most attended sport for elementary school boys in Japan after swimming. Football matches held by the Japan Professional Football League also attract large crowds. ^[82]

Multisport conference

In order to revive sports in Japan after the Second World War, improve the morale of the people, to get them out of the depressed mental state, the Japan Amateur Sports Association organized the first "National Sports Congress" in 1946. These summer and fall games later developed into an annual sporting event. Japan's first Winter Games, held in 1948, have since grown into an annual event.

The "National Sports Congress", affectionately known as the "National Body", is held annually in all prefectures of the country in three seasons (winter, summer and autumn). Since 2006, the summer and autumn conferences have been combined into the main conference. The main events of the winter conference are skating, ice hockey, skiing, and the main conference events are swimming, track and field, and various ball skills. The prefecture with the highest total score will be awarded the Emperor's Cup. The Queen's Cup is awarded to the county or city with the highest total score by a female player.

International sports events

In 1913, Japan participated in the first Far East Games held in Manila. The Japanese government first provided financial assistance for the 5th Far East Games held in Shanghai in 1921. After World War II, these regional competitions were renamed the Asian Games. In 1951, Japan participated in the first Asian Games held in New Delhi. The excellent performance of the 65-member Japanese national team quickly sparked enthusiasm for international competition.

Tokyo hosted the third Asian Games in 1958. In 1994, the 12th Asian Games was held in Hiroshima. The first Winter Asian Games were held in Sapporo in 1986, and the second Winter Asian Games were still hosted there in 1990. In 2020, the Summer Olympics will be held again in Tokyo.

The 2019 Rugby World Cup will be held across Japan from September 20 to November 2, the first time the Rugby World Cup will be held in the Asian region.

The largest sporting events Japan has ever hosted are the Tokyo Olympics, Paralympics and two Winter Olympics. In the summer of 1964, Tokyo hosted the first Olympic and Paralympic Games. In 1998, Nagano Prefecture hosted the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. In 2021, Tokyo will again host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. ^[82]

communication

Postal service

Japan developed a developed postal industry very early on. According to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, as of the end of April 2022, there were about 23,715 post offices in operation across Japan. Since October 2007, Japan Post has been privatized, and the original postal group has been split into several companies, including postal, postal savings, and simple life insurance.

telephone

Fixed-line telephony has basically covered the whole country, and mobile telephony has developed very rapidly. According to statistics, the number of smartphone users in Japan in 2020 is close to 100 million, and the penetration rate is 78.54%. According to Statista's forecast data, the scale of Japanese smartphone users will reach 115 million people in 2026, and the penetration rate will reach 92.94%. It has a population of 125.05 million.

Internet

Japan is a highly urbanized country, with 91.8% of its total population of 126.3 million as of March 31, 2021, with 93% Internet penetration and 93.8 million active social media users, representing 74.3% of the total population. ^[56]

electricity

Due to the heavy damage to equipment in Tokyo and the Northeast electric power supply area in the earthquake, the shutdown of nuclear power plants around the Fukushima nuclear crisis has led to a decline in power generation across Japan in recent years. According to the Statistical Yearbook of World Energy (2021), Japan will generate 1,083.6 billion KWH of electricity in 2020.

On October 22, 2021, the Japanese Cabinet announced the decision on the sixth Basic Energy Plan, setting a path for the implementation of energy policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 46% by 2030 compared with 2013 and strive for a 50% reduction and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. In the process of global decarbonization, Japan should accelerate technological innovation for decarbonization, lead the formulation of international rules, and improve international competitiveness, the plan said. In addition, it is necessary to overcome the challenges faced by Japan's energy supply structure, and strive to ensure the security and stability of energy supply under the premise of ensuring security, and maximize the economic benefits of energy.

As of January 2022, only 10 of Japan's 15 nuclear power plants are in operation, with a total installed generating capacity of 5.836 million kilowatts. In March 2011, after the Fukushima nuclear power plant nuclear leakage accident, the four nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant were declared obsolete. In April 2021, Fukui Prefecture agreed to restart the operation of Mihama Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 and Takahama Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 and 2. In January 2022, Unit 3 of the Ikata Nuclear Power Station resumed operation. ^[56]

Public security

Japan's social security situation is good, but there are also cases involving theft, violence, drugs, murder, rape, robbery, Internet fraud, commercial fraud and other types of cases. ^[101] 2023年以来，首都东京市区商铺、住宅遭遇抢劫的报道频繁见诸媒体。据日本朝日电视台报道，珠宝店聚集的上野地区从3月下旬到4月中旬接连发生多起抢劫，其中最严重的一起损失约1亿日元（约合500万元人民币）。涩谷、池袋、新宿等商业区也是重灾区。日本警察厅4月发布的数据显示，2023年今1月到3月，日本全国发生的刑事犯罪案件数量约为15.5万件，比去年同期增加近3万件，增幅为23.7%，其中抢劫案件比去年同期增加28%。

日本刑事犯罪案发量从2022年开始就处于上升状态。2022年比前一年增加近6%，是20年来首次增加。日本警察厅数据显示，日本2022年总计发生逾60.1万起刑事犯罪案件，比2021年增加5.9%。警察厅说，日本前首相安倍晋三去年7月8日在奈良市街头遭枪击身亡和一系列经由社交媒体雇人实施的连环抢劫等严重犯罪案件令民众产生不安全感。

2022年10月，日本警察厅通过网络进行了一项有关日本国民安全感的民调，结果显示，大约有24.9%的人对日本治安状况不满，比2021年上升了4.4个百分点。有67.1%的民众认为，过去10年来日本的治安状况有所恶化，给日本民众带来不安全感最强的四项主要犯罪是：无差别伤害、电信诈骗、儿童虐待和网络犯罪。 ^[102]

灾害

日本全境位于地震带上，火山地震及海啸等自然灾害频发。全球有1/10的火山位于日本，1/5的地震发生在日本。

2011年3月11日，日本东北地区近海发生里氏9.0级特大地震，并引发海啸和核电站泄漏事故；2016年4月14日和16日，日本熊本地区接连发生里氏6.5级和7.3级地震，造成巨大破坏；2022年3月16日、17日，日本福岛近海接连发生里氏6.0级和7.4级地震，造成3人死亡，导致日本多地大规模停电，有列车发生脱轨事故。

台风、雨雪、泥石流等灾害也频发，2019年10月12日，第19号台风“海贝思”在日本伊豆半岛登陆，造成86人死亡和巨大经济损失；2021年7月3日，日本静冈县热海市伊豆山山体发生大规模泥石流，造成1000多户当地居民停水停电和26人死亡。

日本中央防灾会议预测，东京地区30年内发生里氏7级直下型地震概率为70%，南海海沟30年内发生里氏8级以上超大型地震概率为70%；若日本海沟和千岛海沟两处地点发生巨大地震，最坏情况将分别有19.9万人和10万人死亡。 ^[56]

物价

自20世纪90年代末，日本经济一直处于通货紧缩状态。2012年后，物价开始出现上涨倾向。新冠肺炎疫情期间消费品价格基本保持稳定。部分个人防护用品曾发生缺货和涨价，2020年5月后回归正常。2021年剔除生鲜食品的核心消费价格指数（CPI）同比下降0.2%，连续两年物价下降。

进入2022年，受俄乌冲突局势影响，原材料价格大涨，4月份日本CPI上涨2.1%。小麦等食品原料价格和物流费大幅上涨，加之日元贬值等因素，日本食品企业生产成本上升。日本帝国数据银行发布报告，以105家食品企业为调查对象的统计结果显示，截至2022年6月1日，2022年度已上调和计划上调售价的食品已达到10789种，平均上调比例为13%。目前，国际谷物等食品原材料价格仍然维持高位，今后日本食品市场价格有进一步上涨可能。 ^[56]

工薪

据日本国税厅公布的2020年全国职员薪资基本统计调查结果，全国年平均工资436万日元，同比减少1%。其中，男性年平均工资540万日元，女性年平均工资296万日元。据日本贸易振兴机构测算，目前，企业社保税费负担额度为15.345%（40岁以上员工的企业负担税率为16.24%）。厚生劳动省统计，2020年日本全国平均最低工资为902日元/小时。日本政府已提出目标，要将全国平均最低工资提高到1000日元/小时。 ^[56]

劳动力

日本劳动力素质较高，全国基本普及高中教育。因生育率下降，人口高龄化趋势增强。当前，日本一些劳动密集型产业已需要引进外国劳务。日本经济产业省估算认为，随着高龄劳动者退休，医疗、幼儿保育、看护、新能源等增长型产业将出现劳动力短缺。此外，日本务农劳动力急剧减少，未来将严重短缺。

日本一直不对外开放劳务市场，包括中国在内的一些国家，只能以“派遣人员学习技术”名义，向日本派遣技能实习生。日本与印尼、菲律宾签有EPA，可有条件接受其护士、护理师。另外，因软件开发等技术人才缺口较大，日本对这类技术型人才持欢迎态度。日厚生劳动省统计，至2020年10月底，在日外国劳动者达172.43万人，同比增加4%。从国籍来看，来自越南、中国、菲律宾的人数分别为44.40万人、41.94万人、18.48万人。 ^[56]

外交

播报

编辑

外交政策

日本外交政策的基本取向是坚持以日美同盟为基轴，重视多边协调。以亚洲为战略依托，重视发展大国关系。重视加强日美安全合作，同时致力于稳定对韩关系，深化与东盟关系，加强对欧关系，改善日俄和日朝关系。积极参与地区和国际政治、经济和安全事务，力争成为联合国安理会常任理事国。2023年1月1日起成为2023年至2024年度联合国安理会非常任理事国。 ^[93] 成为了安理会2023年1月轮值主席。 ^[94]

对外关系

日中关系

中日是重要近邻。1972年9月29日，双方签署发表《中华人民共和国政府和日本国政府联合声明》，实现邦交正常化。1978年8月12日，双方于北京缔结《中日和平友好条约》，同年10月23日，双方于日本东京互换批准书，条约正式生效。此后，双方先后于1998年11月和2008年5月发表《中日关于建立致力于和平与发展的友好合作伙伴关系的联合宣言》和《中日关于全面推进战略互惠关系的联合声明》。上述四个政治文件构成中日关系的政治基础。

2014年11月10日，国家主席习近平应约会见来华出席亚太经合组织第二十二次领导人非正式会议的日本首相安倍晋三。

2015年4月22日，国家主席习近平在印尼亚非领导人会议期间应约会见日本首相安倍晋三。2015年5月23日，国家主席习近平出席日本各界3000人访华团同中方共同举行的中日友好交流大会并发表重要讲话。2015年11月1日，国务院总理李克强在中日韩领导人会议期间，应约同日本首相安倍晋三举行会晤。

2016年7月15日，国务院总理李克强在蒙古亚欧首脑会议期间应约会见日本首相安倍晋三。2016年9月5日，国家主席习近平应约会见来华出席二十国集团领导人杭州峰会的日本首相安倍晋三。

2017年5月16日，国家主席习近平会见率团来华出席“ 一带一路 ”国际合作高峰论坛的自民党干事长二阶俊博。2017年7月8日，国家主席习近平在二十国集团领导人汉堡峰会期间，应约同日本首相安倍晋三举行会晤。2017年11月11日，国家主席习近平在亚太经合组织第二十五次领导人非正式会议期间会见日本首相安倍晋三。2017年11月13日，国务院总理李克强在东亚合作领导人系列会议期间会见日本首相安倍晋三。

2018年5月8日至11日，国务院总理李克强赴日出席第七次中日韩领导人会议并正式访问日本。2018年9月12日，国家主席习近平在符拉迪沃斯托克出席第四届东方经济论坛期间会见日本首相安倍晋三。2018年10月25日至27日，日本首相安倍晋三对中国进行正式访问，国家主席习近平、国务院总理李克强、全国人大常委会委员长栗战书分别同其举行会见、会谈。2018年11月30日，国家主席习近平在二十国集团领导人布宜诺斯艾利斯峰会期间会见日本首相安倍晋三。

2019年4月24日，国家主席习近平会见率团来华出席第二届“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛的日本首相特使、自民党干事长二阶俊博。2019年6月27日，国家主席习近平在出席二十国集团领导人大阪峰会期间会见日本首相安倍晋三。2019年10月21日至25日，国家副主席王岐山作为习近平主席特使出席日本天皇德仁即位庆典并对日本进行友好访问。2019年12月23日至25日，日本首相安倍晋三来华出席第八次中日韩领导人会议，国家主席习近平、国务院总理李克强分别同其举行会见、会谈。

2020年9月25日，国家主席习近平应约同日本首相菅义伟通电话。 ^[55]

2021年10月8日，国家主席习近平应约同日本首相岸田文雄通电话。

2022年8月22日，国家主席习近平就日本首相岸田文雄感染新冠病毒致慰问电。

2022年9月29日，国家主席习近平、李克强总理分别同日本首相岸田文雄就中日邦交正常化50周年互致贺电。

2022年11月17日，国家主席习近平在泰国曼谷会见日本首相岸田文雄。

Japan-united States relations

In international relations, Japan's closest Allies are America Because of Japan's stranglehold on Northeast Asia Pacific The island chain has been the front line of the United States in Asia, and the U.S. military has military bases in Japan. Japan is an important military stronghold of the United States in Asia. As the world's third largest economy, Japan strives for a role on the world stage equal to its economic power.

Japan and the United States signed the treaty in 1951, five years after the end of World War II Us-japan security treaty Japan can rely on the United States as a "shield" to focus on economic development, and many Japanese companies have close ties with American companies. Japan needs the protection of the United States, the United States needs the support of Japan, and both sides have common interests.

Japan-india relations

Throughout history, Japan and India have maintained stable relations. India and Japan have had a long history of cultural exchanges for centuries, beginning with Buddhism India It was introduced into China and indirectly into Japan. During World War II, Japan supported Chandra Bowes the Indian National Army Against the British Army. India is the largest recipient of development aid from the Japanese government. Both Japan and India are at critical points in their respective histories.

Since India's independence, the two countries have maintained moderate political relations. Economically, Japanese companies such as SONY , Toyota , Honda With the development of India's economy, India has gradually become the most important market for Japanese companies. In fact, Japanese companies were among the first to invest in India. The most representative Japanese company is the auto giant Suzuki One of its joint ventures in India is the country's largest automaker.

Japan-australia relations

January 6, 2022, Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Yuwa Australia Sign the" Reciprocal access agreement ". ^[51]

Japan-russia relations

March 16, 2022 news, Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida Said, Japan because Ukraine Events decided to cancel "most-favored-nation" status for Russia. ^[52]

In March 2022, Russia Announcing the suspension of peace treaty negotiations with Japan, Fumio Kishida lodged a strong protest. ^[53]

Cambodia-japan relations

On April 23, 2022, Cambodia Prime minister Hun Sen The bilateral meeting followed the attendance of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the fourth Asia-Pacific Water Summit in Kumamoto. ^[54]

Japan-ukraine relations

On March 21, 2023, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. The two agreed to upgrade bilateral ties to a "special global partnership." Mr. Kishida also announced an additional $470 million in free aid in areas such as energy. ^[95]

Japan-british relations

According to CCTV news, according to Japan's Kyodo News Agency reported on September 15, 2023 local time, the Japanese government Cabinet meeting decided on the same day that the "reciprocal access Agreement" between Japan and the United Kingdom took effect on October 15. The agreement will simplify the procedures for personnel and equipment to enter each other's countries during joint military exercises and disaster relief. ^[104]

Japan-vietnam relations

According to a report by Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun on October 16, 2023, Vietnam and Japan are discussing to elevate bilateral relations to the highest level of "comprehensive strategic partnership", on the same level as Vietnam-US relations. ^[106]

Sri Lanka-Japan relations

In November 2023, according to Cabinet Approval No. 23/1885/602/023 of October 24, 2023, Sri Lanka will introduce a free visa regime for Japanese nationals as a pilot scheme to rebuild the tourism industry. The scheme came into effect on November 28, 2023 and is valid until March 31, 2024. ^[108]

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Main attraction

Fujiyama Mt. Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan.

Tokyo Tower Located in Tokyo, it was built in 1958. It's a fake France Paris the Eiffel Tower Built, 333 meters high, pyramid body, yellow, white, red three colors.

Kinkakuji The villa was originally built in the 14th century by Minister Kyokenori Nishiondera and was later owned by shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and underwent extensive renovation and expansion. It is as high as three floors, the second and third floors of the outer walls with gold foil paste, from a distance, glittering gold, so called "golden Pavilion Temple". The first layer is Heian period The aristocratic style, the second layer is Muromachi period The samurai style, the third layer modeled after China Tang Dynasty The "exactly top". In front of the temple is the garden centered on the Mirror Lake Pool, and the magnificent golden Pavilion is reflected in the Mirror Lake pool, which is called the representative landscape of Kyoto.

Ginkakuji : Silver Pavilion Temple is located Kyoto Higashiyama The foothill, built in 1482 by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, grandson of Muromachi shogun Yoshimitsu Ashikaga, is an elaborate two-story attic in the shape of Kinkaku-ji.

Tang Zhaoti Temple : Located in Nishikyo Five Street, Nara City, Japan, 759 Tang Dynasty Chinese monk Jianzhen Built by.

Osaka Castle : Anto Momoyama era The building of... The Tenshou Pavilion in Osaka Castle has historical value as it stores precious historical materials about Catholicism.

Assu volcano : Todaiji , Itsushima Shrine , Heian Shrine (Worship Emperor Hwanmu and Emperor Takamin , one of the must-see places in Kyoto), Nazhi Falls , Kiyomizu Temple , Toxunbou , Sakurashima , Himeji Castle .

Odaiba : Or Odaiba, located on artificial land in Tokyo Bay, southeast of Tokyo, is Tokyo's newest Entertainment venue Centrally.

Sensoji Temple Founded in 628, it is the oldest temple in Tokyo. Edo period general Tokugawa Ieyasu Designate this as Office of the shogun The house of Prayer.

Places of interest in Japan
Fujiyama	Tokyo Tower	Kinkakuji
Tang Zhaoti Temple	Osaka Castle	Sensoji Temple

World heritage site

Japan has a colorful natural landscape and unique history and culture. Various historical buildings and natural landscapes complement each other, leaving valuable wealth to the world. As of 2021, there are 25 sites on the World Heritage List in Japan. ^[70]

World Heritage Sites in Japan (20)
Serial number	name	Locations	Selection time
1	Buddhist monuments in the Horyuji area	Turicho, Nara Prefecture	The year 1993
2	Himeji Castle	Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture	The year 1993
3	Ancient Kyoto Historical Sites (Kyoto, Uji, Otsu)	Kyoto Prefecture	The year 1994
4	Shirakawa-go and five mountain ancient villages	Gifu Prefecture	The year 1995
5	Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (Original Explosion Dome)	Hiroshima City	The year 1996
6	Itsushima Shrine	20th city, Hiroshima Prefecture	The year 1996
7	Ancient Nara monuments	Nara	The year 1998
8	Sunlit shrines and temples	Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture	The year 1999
9	Ryukyu imperial palace ruins and related heritage groups	Okinawa Prefecture	The year 2000
10	Holy places and pilgrimage routes in the Kyi Mountains	Wakayama Prefecture	The year 2004
11	Shimi Silver Mountain and its cultural landscape	Ota City, Shimane Prefecture	The year 2007
12	Pingquan - Temples, gardens and archaeological sites representing the pure land of Buddhism	Hiraizumi, Iwate Prefecture	The year 2011
13	Mount Fuji, a sacred place and source of artistic inspiration	Shizuoka	The year 2013
14	Tomioka Silk Factory and related industrial heritage	Gunma-ken	The year 2014
15	Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution: Steel, shipbuilding, and coal mining	Kyushu 8 prefecture, Japan	The year 2015
16	Le Corbusier's architecture - an outstanding contribution to the modern movement	Tai-dong District, Tokyo	The year 2016
17	"The Island of Kanjuku" Zong Statue Okinoshima Island and related heritage Group	Fukuoka Ken	The year 2017
18	Nagasaki has an implicit Christian heritage associated with the Sky Meadow region	Nagasaki prefecture	The year 2018
19	Hundred-tongued birds and Ancient tombs: Ancient Japanese tombs	Osaka	2019
20	Jomon historical Site in northern Japan	Hokkaido/Aomori/Iwate/Akita	The year 2021

World Natural Heritage Sites in Japan (5)
Serial number	name	Locations	Selection time
1	Yakushima	Kagoshima Prefecture	The year 1993
2	Baishen mountain	Aomori Ken	The year 1993
3	Shikoji	Hokkaido	The year 2005
4	Ogasawara Islands	Ogasawara Village, Tokyo	The year 2011
5	Amami Oshima Island, Tokushima Island, northern Okinawa Island, West Table Island	Kagoshima/Okinawa Prefecture	The year 2021

Honor received

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December 2023, in the" United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change "Fossil Award" at the twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties. ^[110]

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