Japan

Population: 127 million (July 2014 est.)

Geography: More than half of Japan is mountainous and covered by forest. The country experiences frequent earthquakes as it is situated on four tectonic plates.

Climate: Japan has four distinct seasons, similar to Australia, and during the winter months there are snowfalls in the mountainous areas.

World heritage sites: Fujisan, Himeji-jo, Itsukushima Shinto Shrine, Yakushima

Capital city: Tokyo

Language(s): Aynu itak, Ryukyuan, Eastern Japanese, Western Japanese

Official language: Japanese

Political system: Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Value of Australia exports: AUD$47.5 billion (2013)

Australia and Japan

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website – background information about India and its connections with Australia

Travel advisory information – travel advice about Japan

Australian Embassy in Tokyo – advice about Japan and news about current events

Japan Embassy in Canberra – news and events about Japan and its connections with Australia

Japan and the media

The Japan Times

Japan Today

BBC country profiles

The Economist topic index

CIA World Factbook

Japan news and facts from The New York Times

Other links

World Student Japan – Visiting Japan for the first time: a guide for students