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Japan


Japan flag

Country Overview
Japan is made up of a chain of islands in North East Asia. There are four major islands, and literally thousands of smaller ones. They are located off the coasts of North and South Korea, and are surrounded by the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean.

Japan covers some 234,000 square miles, and is home to 125 million people. The capital, Tokyo, is the largest city with 8 million residents.

The chief unit of currency in Japan is called yen.

The official language is Japanese. The Japanese language has one of the most complex writing systems in the world, with over 3,000 characters and three different scripts. Pronunciation of Japanese is somewhat easier to master; it is not a 'tonal' language as many other Asian languages are.

Japan is a constitutional monarchy. The monarch, Emperor Akihito, is greatly revered, but holds little power. The true head of state is the prime minister.

Japan is one of the world's economic superpowers, due mostly to enormous economic growth after World War II. Recently, economic growth in Japan has stalled. Nevertheless, Japan remains a world leader in the production of automobiles, electronics, and technology.

Japan's landscape is dominated by a number of volcanic mountains. These volcanic mountains provide Japan with numerous hot springs and spectacular scenery, but also put it at risk for devastating earthquakes and tsunami (tidal waves). Japan experiences an average of 1,000 earthquakes per year, most of which are too small to be felt.

Japan's size, position, and topography are responsible for the country's complex climate, which ranges from hot and humid in some parts, to heavy snow in others.

Japan is famous for many things: flower arranging, the tea ceremony, sushi, Kabuki (a type of traditional play), electronic goods, cars, sumo wrestling, pottery, and animation.

Perhaps the most unique aspect of Japanese culture is the love of precise physical composition. This aesthetic is evident in all facets of Japanese culture, from manicured gardens to small functional homes, from haiku poetry to beautifully arranged traditional foods.

A typical Japanese diet includes fish, rice, green tea, vegetables, noodles, and many soy-based products such as tofu, miso (fermented soy bean paste), and soy sauce. Traditional desserts are often made from sweet bean paste. Although the traditional Japanese diet is one of the healthiest in the world, western influence has made fast-food like hamburgers and pizza available and popular in Japan.

School
Students in Japan must receive a total of nine years compulsory education -- six years of elementary school and three years of junior high school.

After these nine years, 90% of students go on to high school or the equivalent. Forty percent of those students go on to universities or other higher education.

Japanese students must pass entrance exams for each level of education. These exams are very competitive and have come under harsh criticism in recent years. Because so much emphasis is placed on these exams, many students enroll in juku (cram school) to prepare themselves.

Most students in Japan wear uniforms. Teachers are very highly respected, and are never considered 'friends'. Education is taken very seriously.

The school schedule changes every day -- classes stay together, and the teachers move from room to room.

Teenagers
Most Japanese teenagers participate in some type of sports club. They also play musical instruments. The most popular sports are soccer, baseball, basketball, and tennis. Piano and guitar are popular instruments.

Japanese teens are very fashion-conscious. There is a very distinct 'youth culture' in Japan -- a teenaged girl would never wear the same clothes as her mother!

Most teens start dating around 16 to 18. Younger teens tend to hang out in groups, and there is some less- serious dating.
Sex, birth control, and AIDS are topics covered in school, but most young people do not discuss them openly.

Curfews vary from family to family. Most Japanese teens are too busy with schoolwork during the week, so they tend not to go out on weeknights. On weekends, however, most teens are allowed to stay out quite late as long as their parents know where they are.

The drinking age in Japan is 20, but most teens have tried drinking before they reach this age. Drinking age laws are not as strictly enforced in Japan as they are in the U. S. There are, however, very harsh penalties for drinking and driving.

Community
There are 7 television stations in Japan, and American dramas are sometimes shown. Some people have cable TV. Most teenagers watch 1 to 3 hours of TV per day.

Typical business hours are 9 am to 5 pm. Many people work longer hours, and some offices are open on Saturdays.

The public transportation system in Japan is very good. Most people use trains, subways, busses, and bicycles as well as private cars to get around.

Japan has a very low crime rate. It is not unusual for Japanese to carry large amounts of cash, or for women to walk alone at night.
The Family In about a third of Japanese families, both parents work. Typical families have two children. The divorce rate is fairly low, between 5 and 10.

Pets are very popular in Japan, especially dogs, cats, birds, and fish. Most Japanese people live in urban apartments, so they tend to keep small house pets.

After high school, many Japanese students continue to live with their parents. Very few colleges or universities have dormitories, so college students often live in apartments.

It is rare for a Japanese family to have a maid.

There is much respect for the elderly in Japan, however, it has become less common for elderly people to live with their grown children.

Customs When strangers meet for the first time, they bow. Bows vary by the age and social or professional standing of the person being greeted. For example, when young people greet their grandparents, they bow very reverently. This is a sign of respect. Good friends greet each other by saying 'hello.'

Japanese people often eat with chopsticks, but also may use a knife and fork. It is proper to slurp noodle dishes, and to drink miso soup from the bowl.

Hygiene is the same in Japan as it is in the United States. Bathing rituals are somewhat different. Japanese people have a shower area where they wash themselves before entering the bath. No soap is ever used in the bathtub. The bathtub is a place for a relaxing soak, in very clean water. Often the water will be reused.

Japanese homes are very clean. Shoes are never worn indoors.

There are many religions in Japan. The native religion of Shinto, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Christianity all play a role, and are not exclusive of each other. Many Japanese do not practice any organized religion. Seven percent practice Christian religions.

The Japanese celebrate many different holidays and festivals, too many to name. New Year's Day is important, and is celebrated by going to Shinto temples and eating traditional soba noodles.

On Coming of Age Day in January, all the teens who will celebrate their 20th birthdays that year dress in traditional attire for feasts to mark the occasion.

Also celebrated are Respect for the Elderly Day (Sept. 15), the Autumnal Equinox (Sept. 23) and Children's Day (May 5).

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