Japan is an ancient and fascinating country. Let’s begin with the straight facts. Don’t worry; we will only include facts that are interesting and/or worth noting. Here’s what you need to know: the capital of Japan is Tokyo, the emperor is Emperor Akihito and the prime minister is Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda. The most important date in Japan is February 11, which is National Foundation Day. This has been the case since 660 BC. The Meiji constitution was written on November 29, 1890 and the current constitution was written on November 29, 1947. The Treaty of San Francisco, which officially ended World War II was signed on April 28, 1952.
If you’re wondering why Japan was involved in the war in the first place, there are a plethora of reasons. However, the most important reason is that they knew they would be dragged into the war one way or another. To protect their nation, they chose the side they thought would win the war. Since the end of WWII, Japan has declared itself a pacifist nation.
Japan has approximately 128 million people, which makes it the 10th most populated country in the world. There are 836 people per square mile, which ranks 36th in the world. The estimated total gross domestic product for 2011 is $5.8 trillion. The average person earns $34,000 per year, which ranks 25th in the world. This might come as a surprise to some people, but Japan has been stuck in a deflationary phase since their real estate collapse in 1989.
When it comes to culture, one of the most popular activities in Japan is karaoke. The Japanese people have a deep passion for karaoke. It has even been listed as the most common activity in Japan several times. For professional entertainment, Japan’s biggest claims to fame are manga and anime. For example, Akira was a tremendous hit throughout the international film community. Other popular movies include Godzilla, Tokyo Story and Seven Samurai. Movies have been a part of Japan’s culture since 1897.
As far as sports go, sumo is the national sport. However, many people don’t realize that professional baseball has been around in Japan since 1936. Professional football has been around since 1992 and is gaining momentum.
