The capital city of japan is Tokyo 12 of japans largest cities: Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kobe, Kyoto, Fukuoka,

Kawasaki, Saitama, Hiroshima, Sendai, Kitakyushu

Climate of japan in the north: Most of Japan is in the northern temperature zone of the earth and has a humid monsoon climate, with south easterly winds blowing from the Pacific Ocean during the summer and north westerly winds blowing from the Eurasian continent in the winter.

Japans four main islands: Hokkaido is in the northeast and the home of the island's capital city of Sapporo. Honshu is the largest island and the Japanese core area which includes Tokyo and OsakaKyoto. Honshu is the world's seventh largest island. Shikoku and Kyushu are in the south (Kyushu is in the extreme southwest and Shikoku is to its east). Population of japan: 127,450,460 The literacy rate of japan is: 99% Flag: Government: Parliamentary with constitutional monarchy Prime Minister: Yoshihiko Noda (elected Aug 2011) GDP: 4.34 Trillion (2008) Electric Power Generation: Conventional thermal (coal, oil, natural gas) 60%, Nuclear 29%, Hydroelectric 9%, Renewables 2%

Industries: Consumer electronics, motor vehicles, machine tools, steel, and nonferrous metals Exports: Motor vehicles, semiconductors, and office machinery Agriculture: Rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit, pork, fish Currency: Yen Life Expectancy: Average: 82, Male: 78.8, Female: 85.6 GDP per Capita: $33,800 Unemployment Rate: 4% Oil imports: 5.425 million bbl/day Internet Users: 87.5 million Environmental Issues: Acid rain; Japan is the largest consumer of Amazon rainforest timber.

History of japan: Japan likely was settled about 35,000 years ago by Palaeolithic people from the Asian mainland. At the end of the last Ice Age, about 10,000 years ago, a culture called the Jomon developed. Jomon hunter-gatherers fashioned fur clothing, wooden houses, and elaborate clay vessels. According to DNA analysis, the Ainu people may be descendants of the Jomon. A second wave of settlement around 400 B.C. by the Yayoi people introduced metalworking, rice cultivation, and weaving to Japan. DNA evidence suggests that these settlers came from Korea. The first era of recorded history in Japan is the Kofun (250-538 A.D.), characterized by large burial mounds or tumuli. The Kofun were headed by a class of aristocratic warlords; they adopted many Chinese customs and innovations. Buddhism came to Japan during the Asuka Period, 538-710, as did the Chinese writing system. Society was divided into clans, ruled from Yamato Province. The first strong central government developed in Nara (710-794); the aristocratic class practiced Buddhism and Chinese calligraphy, while agricultural villagers followed Shintoism. Japan's unique culture developed rapidly in the Heian era, 794-1185. The imperial court turned out enduring art, poetry and prose. The samurai warrior class developed at this time, as well.

Samurai lords, called "shoguns," took over governmental power in 1185, and ruled Japan in the name of the emperor until 1868. The Kamakura Shogunate (1185-1333) ruled much of Japan from Kyoto. Aided by two miraculous typhoons, the Kamakura repelled attacks by Mongol armadas in 1274 and 1281. A particularly strong emperor, Go-Daigo, tried to overthrew shogunate rule in 1331, resulting in a civil war between competing northern and southern courts that finally ended in 1392. During this time, a class of strong regional lords called "daimyo" increased in power; their control lasted through the end of the Edo period, also known as the Tokugawa Shogunate, in 1868. In that year, a new constitutional monarchy was established, headed by the Meiji Emperor. The power of the shoguns was broken. After the Meiji Emperor's death, his son became the Taisho Emperor (r. 1912-1926). His chronic illnesses allowed the Diet of Japan to democratize the country further. Japan formalized its rule over Korea and seized northern China during World War I. The Showa Emperor, Hirohito, (r. 1926-1989) oversaw Japan's aggressive expansion during World War II, its surrender, and its rebirth as a modern, industrialized nation. Facts of japan:

Interesting Facts about Japan 1. Raw horse meat is a popular food in Japan. 2. Sometimes the trains are so crowded railway staff are employed to cram passengers inside. 3. For many Japanese couples Christmas is celebrated like Valentine's Day in the western world. 4. Poorly written English can be found everywhere, including T-shirts and other fashion items. 5. More than 70% of Japan consists of mountains, including more than 200 volcanoes. 6. Mt. Fuji, the tallest mountain in Japan, is an active volcano. 7. Religion does not play a big role in the lives of most Japanese and many do not understand the difference between Shintoism and Buddhism. 8. A nice musk melon, similar to a cantaloupe, may sell for over $300US. 9. There are four different writing systems in Japan, romaji, katakana, hiragana, and kanji.

10. Coffee is very popular and Japan imports approximately 85% of Jamaica's annual coffee production. 11. Japan's literacy rate is almost 100%. 12. Sumo is Japan's national sport, although baseball is also very popular. 13. Sumo wrestlers eat a stew called Chankonabe to fatten up. Many restaurants in the Ryogoku district of Tokyo serve this nabe (Japanese word for stew). 14. Many of the western style toilets in Japan have a built-in bidet system for spraying your backside. 15. When you use the restroom in some one's home, you may need to put on special bathroom slippers so as not to contaminate the rest of the home. 16. Noodles, especially soba (buckwheat), are slurped loudly when eaten. It is often said slurping symbolizes the food is delicious, but the slurping also serves to cool down the hot noodles for eating. 17. Japan is the worlds largest consumer of Amazon rain forest timber. 18. Vending machines in Japan sell beer, hot and cold canned coffee, cigarettes, and other items. 19. When moving into an apartment it is often required to give the landlord a "gift" of money equal to two months' rent. 20. There are around 1,500 earthquakes every year in Japan.