THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

Background: In 1603, after decades of civil warfare, the Tokugawa shogunate (a military-led, dynastic government) ushered in a long period of relative political stability and isolation from foreign influence. For more than two centuries, this policy enabled Japan to enjoy a flowering of its indigenous culture. Japan opened its ports after signing the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854 and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32, Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937, it launched a full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1941, triggering America's entry into World War II, and Japan soon occupied much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II, the country recovered to become an economic power and a US ally. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, elected politicians hold the decision-making power. After three decades of unprecedented growth, Japan's economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s, but the country remains an economic power. In 2011, Japan's strongest-ever earthquake and an accompanying tsunami devastated the northeast part of Honshu, killed thousands, and damaged several nuclear power plants. ABE Shinzo was reelected as prime minister in 2012, and he embarked on ambitious economic and security reforms to improve Japan's economy and bolster the country's international standing. In 2019, ABE became Japan's longest-serving post-war prime minister; he resigned in 2020 and was succeeded by SUGA Yoshihide. KISHIDA Fumio became prime minister in 2021.

Location: Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
Geographic coordinates: 36 00 N, 138 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 377,915 sq km
land: 364,485 sq km
water: 13,430 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: 29,751 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and the Korea and Tsushima Straits
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous
Elevation: highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m
lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m
mean elevation: 438 m
Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish
Land use: agricultural land: 12.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 0.9% (2023 est.)
forest: 68.3% (2023 est.)
other: 19% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 15,730 sq km (2014)
Major lakes (area sq km): fresh water lake(s): Biwa-ko 688 sq km
Population distribution: all primary and secondary regions of high population density lie on the coast; one third of the population resides in and around Tokyo on the central plain (Kanto Plain)
Natural hazards: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors but occasional severe earthquakes) every year; tsunamis; typhoons volcanism: both Unzen (1,500 m) and Sakura-jima (1,117 m), which lies near the densely populated city of Kagoshima, have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Asama (Honshu Island's most active volcano), Aso, Bandai, Fuji, Iwo-Jima, Kikai, Kirishima, Komaga-take, Oshima, Suwanosejima, Tokachi, Yake-dake, and Usu; see note 2 under "Geography - note"
Geography - note: note 1: strategic location in northeast Asia; composed of four main islands (the "Home Islands") -- Hokkaido, Honshu (the largest, most populous, and site of Tokyo, the capital), Shikoku, and Kyushu note 2: a 2023 Geospatial Information Authority of Japan survey detected 100,000 islands and islets, but only the 14,125 islands with a circumference of at least 100 m (330 ft) were officially counted; about 260 of the islands are inhabited note 3: Japan annually records the most earthquakes in the world; it is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes

Population: total: 123,201,945 (2024 est.)
male: 59,875,269
female: 63,326,676
Nationality: noun: Japanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Japanese
Ethnic groups: Japanese 97.5%, Chinese 0.6%, Vietnam 0.4%, South Korean 0.3%, other 1.2% (includes Filipino, Brazilian, Nepalese, Indonesian, American, and Taiwanese) (2022 est.)
Languages: Languages: Japanese
major-language sample(s): 必要不可欠な基本情報の源、ワールド・ファクトブック(Japanese)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Shintoism 48.6%, Buddhism 46.4%, Christianity 1.1%, other 4% (2021 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 12.1% (male 7,701,196/female 7,239,389)
15-64 years: 58.4% (male 36,197,840/female 35,777,966)
65 years and over: 29.5% (2024 est.) (male 15,976,233/female 20,309,321)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 71.2 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 20.8 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 50.4 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 2 (2024 est.)
Median age: total: 50.2 years (2025 est.)
male: 48.3 years
female: 51.3 years
Population growth rate: -0.45% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 6.84 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 12.04 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: all primary and secondary regions of high population density lie on the coast; one third of the population resides in and around Tokyo on the central plain (Kanto Plain)
Urbanization: urban population: 92% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: -0.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 37.194 million TOKYO (capital), 19.013 million Osaka, 9.569 million Nagoya, 5.490 million Kitakyushu-Fukuoka, 2.937 million Shizuoka-Hamamatsu, 2.666 million Sapporo (2023)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 30.7 years (2018 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 1.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 1.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 85.2 years (2024 est.)
male: 82.3 years
female: 88.2 years
Total fertility rate: 1.41 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.68 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: total: total: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 10.8% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 23.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 2.65 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Hospital bed density: 12.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: total: total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 4.3% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 8.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 1.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 1.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 5.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 15.5% (2025 est.)
male: 24.4% (2025 est.)
female: 7.2% (2025 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 50% (2020 est.)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 3.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 7.5% national budget (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 16 years (2022 est.)
male: 16 years (2022 est.)
female: 16 years (2022 est.)

Environmental issues: air pollution from power plants results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality; waste management issues; ongoing environmental clean-up in small area of Fukushima after nuclear accident in 2011
International environmental agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate: varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
Land use: agricultural land: 12.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 0.9% (2023 est.)
forest: 68.3% (2023 est.)
other: 19% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 92% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: -0.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 960.23 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 367.144 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 403.042 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 190.043 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 10.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Methane emissions: energy: 214.7 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 972.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 208.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 22.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 42.72 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 11.5% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 13.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 13 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 53 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 430 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Geoparks: total global geoparks and regional networks: 10
global geoparks and regional networks: Aso UNESCO; Hakusan Tedorigawa; Itoigawa; Izu Peninsula; Mt. Apoi; Muroto; Oki Islands; San'in Kaigan; Toya - Usu; Unzen (2023)

Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Japan
local long form: Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku
local short form: Nihon/Nippon
etymology: the English word for Japan comes from the Chinese name for the country, Cipangu; both Nihon and Nippon come from the Japanese words nichi, or "sun," and hon, or "origin," which is frequently translated as "Land of the Rising Sun"
Government type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Capital: name: Tokyo
geographic coordinates: 35 41 N, 139 45 E
time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: originally known as Edo, meaning "estuary" because of its location on a bay; the name was changed to Tokyo, meaning "eastern capital," in 1868, as a contrast to Kyoto, the previous capital to the west
Administrative divisions: 47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi
Legal system: civil law system based on German model; also reflects Anglo-American influence and Japanese traditions; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts
Constitution: history: previous 1890; latest approved 6 October 1946, adopted 3 November 1946, effective 3 May 1947
amendment process: proposed by the Diet; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority of both houses of the Diet and approval by majority in a referendum
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Japan
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Emperor NARUHITO (since 1 May 2019)
head of government: Prime Minister Sanae TAKAICHI (since 21 October 2025)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister
election results: 2025: Sanae TAKAICHI (LDP) elected prime minister on 21 October 2025; upper house vote - 125 of 171 votes (runoff); lower house vote - 237 of 386 votes2024: Shigeru ISHIBA (LDP) elected prime minister on 27 September 2024; upper house vote - 143 of 242 votes; lower house vote - 291 of 461 votes
Legislative branch: legislature name: National Diet (Kokkai)
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name: House of Representatives (Shugiin)
number of seats: 465 (all directly elected)
electoral system: mixed system
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 7/20/2025
parties elected and seats per party: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) (191); Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (148); Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) (38); Democratic Party for the People (28); Komeito (24); Other (36)
percentage of women in chamber: 15.7%
expected date of next election: October 2028
Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name: House of Councillors (Sangiin)
number of seats: 248 (all directly elected)
electoral system: mixed system
scope of elections: partial renewal
term in office: 6 years
most recent election date: 10/27/2024
parties elected and seats per party: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) (39); Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (22); Democratic Party for the People (17); Sanseito (14); Komeito (8); Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) (7); Independents (8); Other (10)
percentage of women in chamber: 29.4%
expected date of next election: June 2028
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court or Saiko saibansho (consists of the chief justice and 14 associate justices)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice designated by the Cabinet and appointed by the monarch; associate justices appointed by the Cabinet and confirmed by the monarch; all justices are reviewed in a popular referendum during the first general election of the House of Representatives after each judge's appointment and every 10 years afterward
subordinate courts: 8 High Courts (Koto-saiban-sho), each with a Family Court (Katei-saiban-sho); 50 District Courts (Chiho saibansho), with 203 additional branches; 438 Summary Courts (Kani saibansho)
Political parties: Conservative Party of Japan or CPJConstitutional Democratic Party of Japan or CDP Democratic Party for the People or DPFP or DPP Japan Communist Party or JCP Japan Innovation Party or Nippon Ishin no kai or Ishin Komeito or KomeiLiberal Democratic Party or LDP Okinawa Social Mass Party or Okinawa Whirlwind or OWParty to Protect the People from NHK or NHKReiwa Shinsengumi Sanseito PartySocial Democratic Party or SDP
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador YAMADA Shigeo (since 27 February 2024)
chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700
FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187
email address and website: emb-consulate.dc@ws.mofa.go.jphttps://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_en/index.html
consulate(s) general: Chicago
consulate(s): Anchorage (AK), Atlanta, Boston, Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville (TN), New York, Portland (OR), San Francisco, Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands), Seattle (WA)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador George GLASS (since 17 July 2025)
embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420
mailing address: 9800 Tokyo Place, Washington DC 20521-9800
telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000
FAX: [81] (03) 3224-5856
email address and website: TokyoACS@state.govhttps://jp.usembassy.gov/
consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo
consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya
International organization participation: ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, CPLP (associate), EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Quad, SAARC (observer), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Independence: 3 May 1947 (current constitution adopted as amendment to Meiji Constitution); notable earlier dates: 11 February 660 B.C. (mythological date of Emperor JIMMU founding the nation); 29 November 1890 (Meiji Constitution provides for constitutional monarchy)
National holiday: Birthday of Emperor NARUHITO, 23 February (1960)
Flag: description: white with a large red disk that symbolizes the sun without rays, in the centerhistory: the current flag was adopted in 1854, but a sun flag has been in use in Japan since at least 1184; the sun has long been a national symbol: according to tradition, the sun goddess Amaterasu founded the country in the 7th century B.C.
National symbol(s): red sun disc, chrysanthemum
National color(s): red, white
National coat of arms: the Kikumon is the Japanese emperor's family coat of arms and dates from 1183; the Imperial chrysanthemum emblem (菊の御紋, kikunogomon) is a yellow or orange chrysanthemum with black or red outlines and background; a central disc is surrounded by a front set of 16 petals; a rear set of 16 petals are half-staggered in relation to the front set and are visible at the edges of the flower
National anthem(s): title: "Kimigayo" (“His Majesty’s Reign)
lyrics/music: unknown/Hiromori HAYASHI
history: adopted 1999; unofficial national anthem since 1883; oldest anthem lyrics in the world, dating to the 10th century or earlier; some oppose the anthem because of its association with militarism and worship of the emperor
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 26 (21 cultural, 5 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area (c); Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (c); Himeji-jo (c); Shiretoko (n); Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group: Mounded Tombs of Ancient Japan (c); Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan (c); Yakushima (n); Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) (c); Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome) (c); Shirakami-Sanchi (n); Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama (c); Itsukushima Shinto Shrine (c); Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (c); Shrines and Temples of Nikko (c); Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu (c); Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (c); Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land (c); Ogasawara Islands (n); Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region (c); Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region (c); Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island (n); Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan (c)

Economic overview: second-largest East Asian economy; trade-oriented and highly diversified; high public debt levels; following years of near-zero interest rates, gradual increases to address inflation and depreciation of yen; strong rebound in tourism; aging population poses challenges to labor force participation
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $5.715 trillion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $5.71 trillion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $5.627 trillion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 0.1% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 1.5% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 0.9% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $46,100 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $45,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $45,000 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $4.026 trillion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 2.7% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 3.3% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 2.5% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 0.9% (2023 est.)
industry: 28.6% (2023 est.)
services: 69.8% (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 55.5% (2022 est.)
government consumption: 21.6% (2022 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 26.3% (2022 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.5% (2022 est.)
exports of goods and services: 21.5% (2022 est.)
imports of goods and services: -25.3% (2022 est.)
Agricultural products: rice, milk, sugar beets, vegetables, eggs, chicken, potatoes, onions, cabbages, pork (2023)
Industries: motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods
Industrial production growth rate: 1.4% (2023 est.)
Labor force: 69.382 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 2.6% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 2.6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 2.6% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 3.9% (2024 est.)
male: 4.2% (2024 est.)
female: 3.7% (2024 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020: 32.3 (2020 est.)
Average household expenditures: on food: 15.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 2.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% (2020 est.)
highest 10%: 23.9% (2020 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2024: 0.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget: revenues: $661.986 billion (2022 est.)
expenditures: $897.03 billion (2022 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2022: 215.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: $194.257 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: $156.592 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $90.21 billion (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $922.447 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $923.488 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $922.813 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: USA 19%, China 18%, Taiwan 6%, S. Korea 6%, Hong Kong 4% (2023)
Exports - commodities: cars, integrated circuits, machinery, vehicle parts/accessories, construction vehicles (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $965.047 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $996.364 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $1.081 trillion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: China 22%, USA 11%, Australia 8%, UAE 5%, Saudi Arabia 5% (2023)
Imports - commodities: crude petroleum, natural gas, coal, integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $1.231 trillion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $1.295 trillion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $1.228 trillion (2022 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: yen (JPY) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 151.366 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 140.491 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 131.498 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 109.754 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 106.775 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 361.617 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 902.769 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 41.79 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 65.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
nuclear: 8.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 10.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 7.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
geothermal: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 6.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Nuclear energy: Number of operational nuclear reactors: 14 (2025)
Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 2 (2025)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 12.63GW (2025 est.)
Percent of total electricity production: 5.5% (2023 est.)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 27 (2025)
Coal: production: 27.657 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption: 197.612 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 1.615 million metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 170.874 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 350 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 8,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 3.14 million bbl/day (2024 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 44.115 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas: production: 2.019 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 88.317 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 271.607 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
imports: 85.003 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 20.898 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 129.504 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 59.758 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 48 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 219 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 168 (2022 est.)
Broadcast media: a mix of public and commercial TV and radio stations; 5 national terrestrial TV networks including 1 public broadcaster; large number of radio and TV stations; satellite and cable services provide access to international channels (2023)
Internet country code: .jp
Internet users: percent of population: 87% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 47.9 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39 (2023 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: JA
Airports: 280 (2025)
Heliports: 3,036 (2025)
Railways: total: 27,311 km (2015)
standard gauge: 4,800 km (2015) 1.435-m gauge (4,800 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 124 km (2015) 1.372-m gauge (124 km electrified)
dual gauge: 132 km (2015) 1.435-1.067-m gauge (132 km electrified)
Merchant marine: total: 5,229 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 166, container ship 49, general cargo 1,893, oil tanker 666, other 2,455
Ports: total ports: 163 (2024)
large: 11
medium: 26
small: 54
very small: 71
size unknown: 1
ports with oil terminals: 99
key ports: Kawasaki Ko, Kobe, Mikawa, Nagasaki, Nagoya Ko, Onomichi-Itozaki, Osaka, Tokyo Ko, Wakamatsu Ko, Wakayama-Shimotsu Ko, Yokohama Ko

Military and security forces: Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF): Ground Self-Defense Force (Rikujou Jieitai, GSDF; includes aviation), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jieitai, MSDF; includes naval aviation), Air Self-Defense Force (Koukuu Jieitai, ASDF) (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 1.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 230-240,000 active Self Defense Forces (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the JSDF is equipped largely with domestically produced weapons platforms; most of its imported arms are from the US; Japan's defense industry is capable of producing a wide range of air, ground, and naval weapons systems; some domestically produced weapons are US-origin and manufactured under license (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18-32 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)
Military deployments: maintains a presence of about 400 military personnel at a permanent base in Djibouti (2025)
Military - note: the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) has a range of missions, including territorial defense, monitoring the country’s air and maritime spaces, countering piracy and terrorism, and conducting humanitarian operations; the JSDF exercises regularly with the US military and increasingly with other regional countries, including Australia and the PhilippinesJapan’s alliance with the US is one of the cornerstones of the country’s security, as well as a large component of the US security posture in Asia; the US-Japan mutual defense treaty grants the US the right to base US military forces in Japan, including aircraft and ships, in return for US security guarantees; the Japanese Government provides approximately $3 billion on average per year to offset the cost of stationing US forces in Japan; in addition, it pays compensation to localities hosting US troops, rent for bases, and costs for new facilities to support the US presence; Japan also has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperationJapan was disarmed after its defeat in World War II; shortly after the Korean War began in 1950, US occupation forces in Japan created a 75,000-member lightly armed force called the National Police Reserve; the JSDF was founded in 1954; Article 9 of Japan’s 1947 constitution renounced the use of force as a means of settling international disputes; however, Japan has interpreted Article 9 to mean that it can maintain a military for national defense purposes and, since 1991, has allowed the JSDF to participate in noncombat roles overseas in a number of UN peacekeeping missions and in the US-led coalition in Iraq; in 2014-2015, the Japanese Government reinterpreted the constitution as allowing for "collective self-defense," described as the use of force on others’ behalf if Japan’s security was threatened; in 2022, the government released security policy documents that declared Japan’s intention to develop "counterstrike” capabilities, including armed drones and cruise missiles, and outlined plans to increase Japan’s security-related expenditures to 2% of GDP (2025)

Space agency/agencies: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA; established in 2003) (2025)
Space launch site(s): Tanegashima Space Center/Yoshinobu Launch Complex (Kagoshima), Uchinoura Space Center (Kagoshima), Noshiro Testing Center (Akita) (2025)
Space program overview: has one of the world’s largest and most advanced space programs, with independent capabilities in all areas except autonomous manned space flight; designs, builds, launches, and operates the full spectrum of satellites; designs, builds, and independently launches satellite/space launch vehicles (SLVs) and other spacecraft; has a wide range of research and development programs; has an astronaut training program; participates in international programs such as the International Space Station and the Square Kilometer Array radio telescope project; leads the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum and co-leads the Global Earth Observation System of Systems; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Canada, the ESA and its member states, India, Russia, the UAE, the US; has a commercial space industry that develops space-related capabilities and technologies, including satellites, satellite payloads and subcomponents, and SLVs; in recent years, the Japanese Government has supported space startup companies (2025)
Key space-program milestones: 1966-1970 - initiated satellite launch vehicle (SLV) program and launched first domestically produced satellite (OHSUMI)1985 - launched two Halley’s Comet observation satellites (Japan’s first missions beyond Earth’s orbit)1992 - first astronaut in space on US Space Shuttle1998 - launched its first Mars orbiter (failed to enter orbit)2003 - launched world’s first uncrewed spacecraft (Hayabusa 1) to return with a sample from an asteroid (2010)2007 - launched Lunar orbiter (Kaguya) mission2010 - launched Venus orbiter (Akatsuki) mission2014 - launched asteroid probe with lander/rover (Hayabusa 2); first Japanese International Space Station commander2018 - launched joint Japan-ESA probe to Mercury (BepiColombo); began operation of a navigational/positioning satellite constellation (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, QZSS)2019 - began participating in US-led lunar orbital station and Moon exploration programs 2024 - soft-landed unmanned spacecraft (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon or SLIM) on the Moon; conducted first successful test launch of domestically produced H3 medium-lift SLV

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 60,361 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 29,244 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 505 (2024 est.)

Japan