Japan
Asia Β· Capital: Tokyo
How it is run: Japan has an emperor for tradition, but the real decisions come from a parliament called the Diet and a prime minister chosen by it.
Japan is home to 123.4 million people in Eastern Asia, where people speak Japanese.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
123.4 million people
That is 1.5% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
377,930 kmΒ²
Bigger than Texas β a long road trip from one side to the other.
ποΈ How crowded
About 326 people per square kilometre β busy towns with countryside in between.
π Size in its region
6th most people in Asia
17th largest by land in Asia.
π£οΈ Official languages
Japanese
π° Money
Japanese yen (Β₯)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
84 years on average
One of the healthier countries β good hospitals and clean water make a big difference.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$35,951
An upper-middle-income country: growing cities, and more families joining the middle class.
π’ Living in cities
92.3% of people
Mostly a city country β think buses, trains and apartment blocks.
π Kids under 15
11.2% of the population
An older country β there are more grandparents than schoolchildren.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+81
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.jp
π§ People here are called
Japanese
π·οΈ Name at home
ζ₯ζ¬
Also written: Nippon, Nihon.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Asia and the Pacific Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Japan has no land borders at all. It is surrounded by water, so boats and planes are the way in and out.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
JapΓ³n
French
Japon
Arabic
Ψ§ΩΩΨ§Ψ¨Ψ§Ω
Chinese
ζ₯ζ¬
Japanese
ζ₯ζ¬
Russian
Π―ΠΏΠΎΠ½ΠΈΡ
Portuguese
JapΓ£o
German
Japan
Put it in perspective π
- India β the most populated country in Asia β has about 11.9Γ as many people as Japan.
- Japan covers roughly 3,599 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Japan lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 61,683 km.
Country snapshot π
π₯ People
123 million people
πΊοΈ Size
377,975 kmΒ² β a chain of about 14,000 islands
π£οΈ Languages
Japanese
π° Money
Japanese yen (Β₯)
ποΈ Government
Constitutional monarchy with a parliament (the Diet)
ποΈ Leader
Prime Minister
ποΈ United Nations
Joined the UN in 1956
πΌ Economy
Cars, robots, electronics and video games
π Climate promise
Net-zero greenhouse gases by 2050
π School life
Students clean their own classrooms every day instead of hiring janitors.
𧩠Biggest challenge
More grandparents than grandchildren β the population is shrinking.
β¨ Did you know?
Japan has more vending machines per person than any other country on Earth.
Who decides here? ποΈ
Constitutional monarchy with a parliament (the Diet)
Today Japan's constitution only allows self-defence. The Diet must approve sending any troops, and the Prime Minister leads the discussion.
Flags through time π
A flag is a country telling you what it believes. Scroll the timeline and watch Japan change.
Tokugawa era banners
Japan was run by shoguns (military rulers). Each clan flew its own crest banner instead of one national flag.
Rising Sun naval ensign
When Japan modernised, the sun disc with rays became the navy's flag during a time of empire and war.
NisshΕki β the sun disc
The simple red circle on white means 'origin of the sun'. It became the official national flag by law in 1999.
War room simulations βοΈ
Step into the room where the decision was made. You will see who really had the power β generals, a president, a parliament or a king β and what each choice cost.
The Pacific War (part of World War II)
Japan's military leaders expanded across Asia and the Pacific. The war ended after enormous destruction, including the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Who was in the room? In the 1930s the army and navy had more power than the elected Diet, so a small group of officers made the biggest choices.
Sit in the decision room ποΈ
You will face 2 real moments. Choose, then see what actually happened.
Policies today π
Aiming for net-zero carbon by 2050
Japan wants to stop adding extra greenhouse gases to the air by 2050. It is building more solar farms and restarting some nuclear plants to burn less coal and gas.
Paying families to help with children
Fewer babies are being born, so the government gives money and free childcare to families to make raising kids easier.
Robots and AI in daily life
Japan funds robots that help nurses and farmers because there are not enough workers for every job.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Because of where Japan sits, the school day there starts many hours before or after yours does.
π·οΈ Official name
Japan
ποΈ Capital
Tokyo
π Region
Asia Β· Eastern Asia
π€ Country code
JP
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Japan π
Fushimi Inari shrine
Thousands of orange gates line a mountain path. Each one was donated by a family or business hoping for good luck.
See it in Street Viewπ§ Where on the map
36.0Β° N, 138.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+9 β when it is noon in London it is about 21:00 in Tokyo.
- π―π΅ is the flag of Japan. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is JP.
- Japan sits in the temperate zone, the belt where most of the world's farms and big cities are.
- Because of where Japan sits, the school day there starts many hours before or after yours does.
- Japan is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- Japan sits in Eastern Asia, in the northern and eastern half of the globe.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Japan has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Japan can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Japan spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Japan?
Tokyo
Which money do people spend in Japan?
Japanese yen (Β₯)
How many countries share a land border with Japan?
None β no land neighbours at all.
Roughly how many people live in Japan?
123.4 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.