JAPAN BASIC FACTS

Population
127 million (est. as of Jan. 2002)
Capital
Tokyo (population: apprx. 12 million)
Area
377, 835 sq km (slightly smaller than California)
Climate
Varies from year-round tropical in Okinawa to severe winters in northern and eastern Japan.
Government
Constitutional monarchy
Religions
Observe both Shinto and Buddhism - 84%; Others 16% (including apprx. 1% Christians)
Ethnic groups
Japanese - 99.4%; Others 0.6%
Literacy
99%
GDP
$2.95 trillion (2000 est.)
GDP Per Capital
$23,400 (2000 est.)
Japanese Industrial Sectors by Geographic Location
Apprx. 70% of Japanese industry is located in the Tokyo-Osaka corridor.
Automotive - Nagoya, Tokyo, Hiroshima areas
Aerospace - Nagoya, Tokyo area
Banking & Government - Heavy concentration in Tokyo
Consumer Electronics - Japan-wide (much has moved off-shore to Southeast Asia)
Heavy Industrial - Japan-wide with particular concentration in Kanagawa Prefecture (southwest of Tokyo)
Nuclear - Northeast of Tokyo
Semiconductors - Many plants on Kyushu Island ("Silicon Island")

Books about Japan
"A Brief History of Japanese Civilization"
by Conrad Schirokauer, International Thomson Publishing

"Kaisha: The Japanese Corporation" by James C. Abegglen & George Stalk, Basic Books

"Kaizen: The Key to Japan's Competitive Success"
by Masaaki Imai, McGraw-Hill

"Ultimate Japanese: Basic-Intermediate"
by Hiroko Storm, Living Language

"Fodor's Japan: The Guide for All Budgets"
Fodors Travel Publication English Language Japanese

Newspapers
"Asahi Shinbun"
http://www.asahi.com/english/english.html
"Mainichi Daily News"
http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/