Japan | History, Flag, Map, Population, & Facts | Britannica

Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos Japan Introduction & Quick FactsLandReliefGeologic frameworkThe major physiographic regionsDrainage and soilsDrainageSoilsClimateTemperaturePrecipitationPlant and animal lifeFloraFaunaThe environmentPeopleEthnic groupsLanguagesReligionSettlement patternsTraditional regionsRural settlementUrban settlementDemographic trendsEconomyGeneral considerationsBackgroundThe role of governmentAgriculture, forestry, and fishingAgricultureForestry and fishingResources and powerMineralsMining and quarryingPowerManufacturingFinanceBankingSecuritiesTradeExternal tradeExportsImportsInternal tradeLabor and taxationTrade unions and employers’ associationsTaxationTransportation and telecommunicationsRoadsRailwaysPort facilitiesAir transportTelecommunicationsGovernment and societyConstitutional frameworkLocal governmentJusticePolitical processElectionsPolitical partiesSecurityArmed forcesPoliceHealth and welfareHealthWelfareHousingEducationDevelopment of the modern systemSystem organizationPrimary and secondary educationHigher educationContinuing educationCultural lifeCultural milieuInfluencesAestheticsThe artsTraditional formsWestern formsCultural institutionsDaily life and social customsPopular cultureCuisineSocial customsSports and recreationMedia and publishingBooks and magazinesThe pressRadio and televisionHistoryAncient Japan to 1185Prehistoric JapanPre-Ceramic cultureJōmon culture (c. 10,500 to c. 300 bce)The Yayoi period (c. 300 bce–c. 250 ce)Chinese chroniclesThe Tumulus (Tomb) period (c. 250–552)The unification of the nationThe Yamato courtRise and expansion of YamatoThe Yamato polityYamato relations with Korean statesYamato decline and the introduction of BuddhismThe age of reform (552–710)The idealized government of Prince ShōtokuThe Taika reformsThe ritsuryō systemThe Nara period (710–784)Beginning of the imperial stateCulture in the Nara periodThe Heian period (794–1185)Changes in ritsuryō governmentAristocratic government at its peakGovernment by cloistered emperorsThe rise of the warrior classMedieval JapanThe Kamakura period (1192–1333)The establishment of warrior governmentThe Hōjō regencyThe Mongol invasionsSamurai groups and farming villagesKamakura culture: the new Buddhism and its influenceDecline of Kamakura societyThe Muromachi (or Ashikaga) period (1338–1573)The Kemmu Restoration and the dual dynastiesThe establishment of the Muromachi bakufuMuromachi government structureThe growth of local autonomyTrade between China and JapanThe Ōnin War (1467–77)The Sengoku (“Warring States”) periodThe emergence of new forces.The arrival of the EuropeansThe establishment of warrior cultureEarly modern Japan (1550–1850)UnificationThe Oda regimeThe Hideyoshi regimeAzuchi-Momoyama cultureThe bakuhan systemThe establishment of the systemThe enforcement of national seclusionThe Tokugawa status systemCommerce, cities, and cultureThe weakening of the bakuhan systemPolitical reform in the bakufu and the hanThe growth of the northern problemNew learning and thoughtHeterodox Confucian schoolsShintō and kokugakuWestern studiesGrowth of popular knowledgeReligious attitudesThe maturity of Edo cultureThe last years of the bakuhanThe Tempō reformsThe opening of JapanJapan from 1850 to 1945The Meiji restorationThe fall of the TokugawaFrom feudal to modern stateAbolition of feudalismConstitutional movementThe emergence of imperial JapanForeign affairsThe Sino-Japanese WarThe Russo-Japanese WarJapanese expansionismConstitutional governmentSocial changeThe rise of the militaristsThe weakening of party governmentAggression in ManchuriaThe road to World War IIEvents in ChinaForeign relationsWorld War II and defeatPrologue to warEarly successesJapan on the defensiveThe end of the warJapan since 1945The early postwar decadesOccupationPolitical reformEconomic and social changesEducational reformsPolitical trendsThe era of rapid growthEconomic transformationSocial changePolitical developmentsInternational relationsThe late 20th and early 21st centuriesEconomic changePolitical developmentsSocial changeInternational relationsEmperors and empresses regnant of JapanPrime ministers of Japan References & Edit History Facts & Stats Images, Videos & Interactives At a Glance Japan summary Quizzes The Country Quiz Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz Which Country Is Larger By Population? Quiz Which Country Is Larger? Quiz Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz Related Questions What was the cause of World War II? What were the turning points of World War II? How did World War II end? How many people died during World War II? print Print Please select which sections you would like to print: CITE verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan Feedback External Websites Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. External Websites CRW Flags - Flag of Japan Official Site of the Embassy of Japan in Denmark Central Intelligence Agency - The World Factbook - Japan Britannica Websites Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Japan - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11) Japan - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) Japan (more) Japan Ask Anything Quick Summary Homework Help Also known as: Nihon, Nippon Written by Takeshi Toyoda Historian. Professor, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, and Hōsei University, Tokyo. Author of A History of Pre-Meiji Commerce in Japan and others. Takeshi ToyodaAll Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Feb. 27, 2026 •History Britannica AI Ask Anything Quick Summary Table of Contents Table of Contents Quick Summary Ask Anything Top Questions What is Japan? Where is Japan located in the world? What are some major cities in Japan? What language is spoken in Japan? What are some important traditions or festivals in Japan? How has Japan influenced the world through its technology and culture? Show more Show less News • 30 years after Pokémon's release, fans are still trying to catch 'em all • Feb. 27, 2026, 1:24 AM ET (AP) ...(Show more) The worst day for Nvidia's stock since last spring drags Wall Street lower • Feb. 26, 2026, 5:51 PM ET (AP) Japan demands the swift release of a Japanese national detained in Iran • Feb. 25, 2026, 3:15 AM ET (AP) Asian stocks gain after optimism about AI sends Wall Street higher • Feb. 24, 2026, 10:28 PM ET (AP) Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani set to play a couple of Cactus League games before joining Japan for WBC • Feb. 21, 2026, 5:03 PM ET (AP) Show less Japan, island country lying off the east coast of Asia. It consists of a great string of islands in a northeast-southwest arc that stretches for approximately 1,500 miles (2,400 km) through the western North Pacific Ocean. Nearly the entire land area is taken up by the country’s four main islands; from north to south these are Hokkaido (Hokkaidō), Honshu (Honshū), Shikoku, and Kyushu (Kyūshū). Honshu is the largest of the four, followed in size by Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku. In addition, there are numerous smaller islands, the major groups of which are the Ryukyu (Nansei) Islands (including the island of Okinawa) to the south and west of Kyushu and the Izu, Bonin (Ogasawara), and Volcano (Kazan) islands to the south and east of central Honshu. The national capital, Tokyo (Tōkyō), in east-central Honshu, is one of the world’s most populous cities.1 of 2JapanLocator map of Japan.(more)2 of 2Mount FujiMount Fuji from its northern side, Yamanashi prefecture, east-central Honshu, Japan.(more)The Japanese landscape is rugged, with more than four-fifths of the land surface consisting of mountains. There are many active and dormant volcanoes, including Mount Fuji (Fuji-san), which, at an elevation of 12,388 feet (3,776 meters), is Japan’s highest mountain. Abundant precipitation and the generally mild temperatures throughout most of the country have produced a lush vegetation cover and, despite the mountainous terrain and generally poor soils, have made it possible to raise a variety of crops. Japan has a large and, to a great extent, ethnically homogeneous population, which is heavily concentrated in the low-lying areas along the Pacific coast of Honshu. Quick Facts See article: flag of Japan Audio File: National anthem of Japan Head Of Government: Prime Minister: Sanae Takaichi (Show more) Capital: Tokyo (Show more) Population: (2026 est.) 122,587,000 (Show more) Currency Exchange Rate: 1 USD equals 153.367 Japanese yen (Show more) Form Of Government: constitutional monarchy with a national Diet consisting of two legislative houses (House of Councillors [242]; House of Representatives [475]) (Show more) Official Language: none1 (Show more) Official Religion: none (Show more) Official Name: Nihon, or Nippon (Japan) (Show more) Total Area (Sq Km): 377,975 (Show more) Total Area (Sq Mi): 145,937 (Show more) Monetary Unit: yen (¥) (Show more) Population Rank: (2026) 11 (Show more) Population Projection 2030: 120,984,000 (Show more) Density: Persons Per Sq Mi: (2026) 840 (Show more) Density: Persons Per Sq Km: (2026) 324.2 (Show more) Urban-Rural Population: Urban: (2018) 91.6% Rural: (2018) 8.4% (Show more) Life Expectancy At Birth: Male: (2022) 81.1 years Female: (2022) 87.1 years (Show more) Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate: Male: 100% Female: 100% (Show more) Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000): (2023) 4,899,335 (Show more) Gni Per Capita (U.S.$): (2023) 39,350 (Show more) Symbol Of State: Emperor: Naruhito (Show more) Japanese is the national language. See all related content Show More Kinkaku TempleThe Kinkaku Temple (Golden Pavilion) in Kyōto, Japan, was originally built in the 15th century; the present structure dates to the 1950s.(more)Complexity and contrast are the keynotes of life in Japan—a country possessing an intricate and ancient cultural tradition yet one that, since 1950, has emerged as one of the world’s most economically and technologically advanced societies. Heavy emphasis is placed on education, and Japan is one of the world’s most literate countries. Tension between old and new is apparent in all phases of Japanese life. A characteristic sensitivity to natural beauty and a concern with form and balance are evident in such cities as Kyōto and Nara, as well as in Japan’s ubiquitous gardens. Even in the countryside, however, the impact of rapid Westernization is evident in many aspects of Japanese life. The agricultural regions are characterized by low population densities and well-ordered rice fields and fruit orchards, whereas the industrial and urbanized belt along the Pacific coast of Honshu is noted for its highly concentrated population, heavy industrialization, and environmental pollution.Humans have occupied Japan for tens of thousands of years, but Japan’s recorded history begins only in the 1st century bce, with mention in Chinese sources. Contact with China and Korea in the early centuries ce brought profound changes to Japan, including the Chinese writing system, Buddhism, and many artistic forms from the continent. The first steps at political unification of the country occurred in the late 4th and early 5th centuries ce under the Yamato court. A great civilization then developed first at Nara in the 8th century and then at Heian-kyō (now Kyōto) from the late 8th to the late 12th century. The seven centuries thereafter were a period of domination by military rulers culminating in near isolation from the outside world from the early 17th to the mid-19th century.The reopening of the country ushered in contact with the West and a time of unprecedented change. Japan sought to become a modern industrialized nation and pursued the acquisition of a large overseas empire, initially in Korea and China. By late 1941 this latter policy caused direct confrontation with the United States and its allies and to defeat in World War II (1939–45). Since the war, however, Japan’s spectacular economic growth—one of the greatest of any nation in that period—brought the country to the forefront of the world economy. It now is one of the world’s foremost manufacturing countries and traders of goods and is a global financial leader. Britannica Quiz Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz Akira Watanabe Gil Latz Land Japan is bounded to the west by the Sea of Japan (East Sea), which separates it from the eastern shores of South and North Korea and southeastern Siberia (Russia); to the north by La Perouse (Sōya) Strait, separating it from Russian-held Sakhalin Island, and by the Sea of Okhotsk; to the northeast by the southern Kuril Islands (since World War II under Soviet and then Russian administration); to the east and south by the Pacific; and to the southwest by the East China Sea, which separates it from China. The island of Tsushima lies between northwestern Kyushu and southeastern South Korea and defines the Korea Strait on the Korean side and the Tsushima Strait on the Japanese side. Relief 1 of 2Japan(more)2 of 2Tōjimbō PointCliffs at Tōjimbō Point on the coast of the Sea of Japan (East Sea), Fukui prefecture, central Honshu, Japan.(more)The mountainous character of the country is the outcome of orogenic (mountain-building) forces largely during Quaternary time (roughly, the past 2.6 million years), as evidenced by the frequent occurrence of violent earthquakes, volcanic activity, and signs of change in sea levels along the coast. There are no sizable structural plains and peneplains (large land areas leveled by erosion), features that usually occur in more stable regions of the Earth. The mountains are for the most part in a youthful stage of dissection in which steep slopes are incised by dense river-valley networks. Rivers are mostly torrential, and their valleys are accompanied by series of river terraces that are the result of movements in the Earth’s crust, as well as climatic and sea-level changes in Holocene times (i.e., the past 11,700 years). Recent volcanoes are juxtaposed with old and highly dissected ones. The shores are characterized by elevated and depressed features such as headlands and bays, which display an incipient stage of development. Explore Britannica Premium! The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners. SUBSCRIBE The mountains are divided into many small land blocks that are separated by lowlands or deep saddles; there is no long or continuous mountain range. These land blocks are the result of intense faulting (movement of adjacent rock masses along a fracture) and warping (bending of the Earth’s crust); the former process is regarded as dominant. One consequence is that mountain blocks are often bounded by fault scarps and flexure slopes that descend in step formation to the adjacent lowlands. Coalescing alluvial fans—cone-shaped deposits of alluvium that run together—are formed where rivers emerge from the mountains. When the rivers are large enough to extend their courses to the sea, low deltaic plains develop in front of the fans; this occurs most frequently where the rivers empty into shallow and sheltered bays, as in the deltas of Kantō (Kwanto), Nōbi, and Ōsaka. In most places, however, fan surfaces plunge directly into the sea and are separated by low, sandy beach ridges. Dissected plains are common. Intense disturbances have caused many former alluvial fans, deltas, and sea bottoms to be substantially uplifted to form flat-topped uplands such as those found in the Kantō Plain. Frequently the uplands have been overlain with volcanic ash, as in the Kantō and Tokachi plains.