Asia Overview
China
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Japan
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Japan
Why study in Japan?
- From tradition to modernity, there is something for everyone to explore and discover
- Natural wonders spread throughout the country and include coral reefs, snow-capped peaks, and forested hills
- Delicious food from incredibly fresh sushi to a hearty bowl of noodles
- Gracious hospitality and friendliness of locals
- Historical temples, shrines, and museums along with cultural tea ceremonies, dance performances, and festivals
- Technologically-advanced cities provide endless fascinating surroundings
- As the world's second-largest economy, Japan is home to some of the world's strongest businesses
Geography
Japan is an island country separated from the east coast of Asia by the Sea of Japan. It is approximately the size of Montana. Japan's four main islands are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku. Most of the islands are mountainous, many volcanic; for example, Japan’s highest peak, Mount Fuji, is a volcano. Japan has the world's tenth largest population, with about 128 million people. The Greater Tokyo Area, which includes the capital city of Tokyo and several surrounding prefectures, is the largest metropolitan area in the world, with over 30 million residents.
History, Culture and National Heritage
 Recorded Japanese history begins in approximately A.D. 400, when the Yamato clan, eventually based in Kyoto, managed to gain control of other family groups in central and western Japan. Contact with Korea introduced Buddhism to Japan at about this time. Through the 700s Japan was much influenced by China, and the Yamato clan set up an imperial court similar to that of China.
First contact with the West came in about 1542, when a Portuguese ship off course arrived in Japanese waters. Portuguese traders, Jesuit missionaries, and Spanish, Dutch, and English traders followed. Suspicious of Christianity and of Portuguese support of a local Japanese revolt, the shoguns of the Tokugawa period (1603–1867) prohibited all trade with foreign countries; only a Dutch trading post at Nagasaki was permitted.
Japan quickly made the transition from a medieval to a modern power. An imperial army was established with conscription, and parliamenta efforts government was formed in 1889. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, Japan succeeded ina series of offensive wars with large world powers (Russia and China), including the Pearl Harbor attack on the U.S. on Dec. 7, 1941. Japan won its first military engagements during the war, extending its power over a vast area of the Pacific. Yet, after 1942, the Japanese were forced to retreat, island by island, to their own country. The dropping of atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 by the United States finally brought the government to admit defeat. Japan surrendered formally on Sept. 2, 1945, aboard the battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Southern Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands reverted to the USSR, and Formosa (Taiwan) and Manchuria to China. The Pacific islands remained under U.S. occupation.
In 1952, Japan regained full sovereignty. Japan's postwar economic recovery was nothing short of remarkable. New technologies and manufacturing were undertaken with great success. A shrewd trade policy gave Japan larger shares in many Western markets, an imbalance that caused some tensions with the U.S. The close involvement of Japanese government in the country's banking and industry produced accusations of protectionism. Yet economic growth continued through the 1970s and 1980s, eventually making Japan the world's second-largest economy (after the U.S.).
 Much of Japan's history has contributed to its homogeneous society. The Japanese highly value group identity and social harmony, even above individual expression. Confucian and Buddhist influences also contribute to this cultural trend. The people are also said to be remarkably conscientious, meticulous, industrious, honest and technically-skilled. Since WWII, the population has become increasinlgy urban, with only 25% of the population still living in the rural mountains and rugged coastlines.
While modern Japan has been heavily influenced by other countries, many traditional elements of the culture can still be experienced in Japan. While studying abroad in Japan, you'll enjoy the exciting blend of ancient culture and modern society.
Climate and Weather
Japan's temperatures are gradually warmer in the south and cooler in the north. The average summer day is about 28°C (83°F) around the southern islands and only 23°C (73°F) near the northern island of Hokkaido. Most of the year, the climate is moderate, but in winter it's cold throughout most of the country with the exception of southern Kyushu and Shikoku. Rainfall varies across the nation but is quite regular the year round and usually just a bit heavier during the June rainy season (which misses Hokkaido).
Quick facts
Japan population: 127 million
Capital: Tokyo
Currency: The unit of currency in Japan is the Japanese yen (¥). USD $1 is roughly equivalent to ¥108.
Distance to Tokyo: New York to Tokyo: 6760 miles (10,879 km);
Los Angeles to Tokyo: 5478 miles (8816 km)
Language: Japanese
Economic profile: A major economic power, Japan has the world's second largest economy by nominal GDP. It is a member of the United Nations, G8, G4 and APEC, with the world's fifth largest defense budget. It is also the world's fourth largest exporter and sixth largest importer and a world leader in technology and machinery.
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