constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
parliamentary democracy
Independence date
660 B.C. (traditional date of the founding of the nation by Emperor JIMMU)
Religions
observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)
Roman Catholic 61.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 6%, Pentecostal 5.6%, Baptist 4.1%, Methodist 3.7%, Church of God 1.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.2%, other Christian 7.7%, Rastafarian 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.6%, none 6.1% (2001 census)
Languages
Japanese
English (official), French patois
Exports
transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical machinery, chemicals
External Debt
$3,024,000,000,000 $
Exchange Rate
yen (JPY) per US dollar - 103.58 (2008 est.), 117.99 (2007), 116.18 (2006), 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.000%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
25
0
Location
Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about half way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago
Area
377,915 km sq
751 km sq
Coastline
29,751 km
148 km
Climate
varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
