Japan - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

Etymology

In Japanese, “Japan” is written 日本 , Japanese Nihon or , or in the administrative documents 日本国 , Nihonkoku or Nipponkoku .

The name 日本 wants to say “origin of the Sun”. Indeed, 日 means Sun and 本 means origin or root. It is during the first commercial exchanges with China (traditionally by the means of a letter of the Prince regent Shōtoku) that this C-W communication, logic from the point of view of the Chinese Western neighbor, was introduced. Initially marked “Yamato” in accordance with the name of Japan of the time, it was preferred to him, as from the time Nara (VIII^e century) the pronunciations “Nihon” or “Japanese”, names still of use nowadays. (Cf Names of Japan).

Presentation

Japan is a volcanic archipelago located between the Pacific Ocean, the Mer of Japan and the Eastern China Sea, in the east of the peninsula Korea but also at the point of contest of several tectonic plates, named " girdle feu" , at the origin of many volcanic demonstrations. The Japanese archipelago cuts out in four principal islands, Honshū, Hokkaidō, Kyūshū, and Shikoku, as well as thousands of small islands shelling itself on the ocean, which belong in particular to the Préfecture of Okinawa. Hokkaidō, historically populated by the Aïnus (or Aïnous ), was gradually built-in at the era of Japanese settlement, process which was completed with the era Meiji. The migrants settled in the plain of Yamato and trained later the first craftsmen of the Japanese culture, whereas the original people were confined in north of Honshū and on the island of Hokkaidō.

The name Japanese Japanese is used on the stamps and for the international sports events, whereas Nihon is more frequently used in Japan even. Japanese also refers to the Japanese empire and a certain ideology. Yamato (大和) is the name which one gives to the old period of the goddess Sun “Amaterasu” (which according to mythology having course before the capitulation in 1945, would have created Japan). It is in the beginning the name of the first known imperial structure which exerted its power around Nara (奈良) around the 5th century. Today, one always finds the word Yamato in expressions such as Yamatodamashii (大和魂, “the Japanese spirit”).

History

See also: History of Japan

The legend reports that Japan was founded with the VII {{E}} front century J. - C. by the Empereur Jimmu. The Chinese written form, as well as the Bouddhisme were introduced during 5th and 6th centuries, initiating one long period of cultural influence Chinese. The emperors were the leaders symbolic systems, whereas the true capacity was generally held by the powerful noble ones of the Court, regents or Shogun (general-in-chief of the armies).

As from the 16th century, tradesmen come from the Portugal, of Spain, Netherlands and of England unloaded in Japan with missionary S Christian. During the first part of the 17th century, the shogunat feared that these missionaries were the source of dangers similar to those which its neighbors underwent (such first steps of a military conquest by the European powers or a similar total destruction with that undergoes the kingdom Tibetan of Gugé in 1630 following the benevolent reception Christian missionaries by his king, reception causing the invasion of the Ladakh by its rival neighbor, which benefitted from the agitation generated by the anger of the authorities Bouddhiste S against the threat of the loss of their Monopole religious and their influence); also the Christian religion was formally prohibited in 1635 under Capital punishment under the Torture. Then, in 1639, Japan ceased any relation with the foreigner, except for certain contacts restricted with merchants Chinese and Dutch with Nagasaki (長崎), precisely on the island of Dejima (出島). This voluntary insulation lasted until the the United States, with the commodore Matthew Perry, force Japan to open with the Occident by the Politique of the drain-hole by signing the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854 after its ramming.

Into only a few years, the renewal of the contacts with the Occident transformed the Japanese company deeply. The shogunat was forced to resign and the Emperor was given to the capacity. The restoration Meiji of 1868 initiated many reforms. The system of the feudal type was officially abolished and of many Western institutions were adapted. New systems legal and of government as well as important economic reforms, social and military transformed Japan into a regional power. These changes gave rise to a strong ambition which was transformed into war against the China (1895) and against the Russia (1905), in which Japan gained the Korea, Taiwan and other territories.

The military expansionism of Japan, which began with the XXème century with the annexation from the Korea (1910), became extensive during the era Shôwa with the invasion of the Mandchourie in 1931. In 1937, the empire launched out in a invasion to great width of China which began with the strategic Bombardement from Shanghai and Guangzhou, involving a resolution of blame of the Société of the nations against Japan.

The attack on Pearl Harbor in the archipelago of Hawaii in 1941 engaged it in the Second world war. Japan built a colonial empire consequently, officially called Sphère of coprosperity of large Eastern Asia, which enabled him to be provided out of raw materials but result in innumerable exactions against the populations of the Far East. Japan was finally overcome in 1945 after the dropping of two atomic bombs, one on Hiroshima (August 6th 1945) and another on Nagasaki (August 9th 1945). It went to the the United States and its allies the August 15th 1945. The peace treaty with the Russia is always in negotiation, in payment of the problem of the islands Kouriles of the south, occupied by the latter since the end of the conflict.

Devastated Japan of post-war period, confined with the archipelago, remained under the supervision of the the United States until in 1951 (treated of San Francisco). Those imposed a new more democratic constitution and provided an financial aid who encouraged the revival of the country.

The economy is restored quickly and allowed the return of prosperity on the islands.

Towards the end of the second world war, Japan knows a economic apogee at the very least cultural and . However, this “economic miracle” will end as of the beginning of the Années 1990, date on which the Japanese Speculative bubble bursts.

See also: Japanese Forces of self-defense

Currently, although its share is relatively weak in the public purses, Japan occupies, as regards military budget, the fifth place in the world in absolute figures, but the importance of this budget does not make therefore Japan a military great power. The Japanese constitution indeed prohibited the maintenance of an army, the right of belligerency and the launching of any military operation apart from its borders other than within the framework of the Self-defense. The “ force autodéfense ” Japanese is a professional military body having average techniques advanced.

With the war in Iraq in 2003, the Constitution was arranged to be able to deploy troops out of its territory within the framework of operations in matter not strictly military (rebuilding, humanitarian aid…). This way, Japan hopes to be able to acquire a diplomatic role more in connection with its economic power.

Policy

Prefectures

Geography

Climate

The archipelago being very stretched on the North-South axis, Japan has a climate enough varied. With Sapporo, on the island of north, the summer is soft and the long and cold winter with strong snowfalls. Tōkyō, Nagoya, Kyōto, Ōsaka and Kōbe, in the center and the west of the largest island (Honshū), undergoes relatively soft winters, with little or not of snow, and of the hot and wet summers, with one rain season (Tsuyu) of at the beginning of June at mid-July.

The climate of Fukuoka (Hakata), on the island of Kyūshū, is relatively moderate with soft winters and a short summer, whereas that of Okinawa is subtropical.

The Japanese archipelago is touched by the tropical storms and the Cyclone S (called typhoons), especially between June and October. In 2004, ten cyclones fell down on Japan, among which Meari which has fact 22 died and 6 missings. The material assessment of the season 2004 is catastrophic: at least 155 billion Yen S (1,4 billion American dollars or 1,1 billion Euro S) of damage. The typhoons more the violent ones of the 20th century in Japan devastated Muroto in 1934 (3 000 dead) and the bay of Ise in 1959 (5 000 dead).

Economy

See also: Economy of Japan, List of Japanese companies

Since the Second world war during which the country underwent heavy human losses and material, Japan progressed at extraordinary intervals until becoming the second economy of the world, behind the the United States. It is what one called the Japanese Miracle (Années 1950 - 1960). The Olympic Games of Tōkyō in 1964 played a part of accelerator to this strong growth. This progress is mainly allotted to the initial presence of a Human capital important, to the co-operation between the State (MITI then METI) and the companies, with a production turned towards the exterior markets (important Exportation S towards the Asia and the America), with strong a ethical of work, with the control of high technologies, the relative weakness of the military expenditure (1 % of GDP) and with an ideology called industrial Harmony.

The economic organization of Japan refers some clean:

close links between industrialists, subcontractors, and distributers in groups called Keiretsu;
of powerful trade unions of company, few conflicts, an annual movement of salary demands ( Shuntō ) in spring.
of strong investments in the research and the development

Until recently, a big part of the employees of industry had a guarantee of employment with life, but since the bursting of the Japanese Speculative bubble, the dismissals and especially the closing of very many subcontractors skinned this myth. The crisis caused a growth of unemployment (+ from 5% it, went down again still little there to 4,1% at the end of 2006) and of poverty (multiplication of SDF).

The Industry, sector dominating of the economy (with 39 % of the GDP, against 25 % with the the United States, and 33 % of the active population, against 25 % in France), is very dependant on the imports of raw materials and energy. Indeed, the Japanese territory provides only for 3 or 4 % of the natural resources which the country needs. The agricultural sector, quite less, is strongly subsidized. The outputs are among highest of the world. Generally self-sufficing out of rice, Japan imports half of its consumption of other cereals. However food self-sufficiency reaches a maximum to 40%. Its fishing fleet is one of most important in the world and carries out almost 15 % of the total catches. During three decades, the growth was spectacular: on average and except inflation 10 % per annum in the Years 1960, 5 % in the Years 1970 and 4 % in the Years 1980. During years 1970-1980, Japanese capitalism delocalized its production of the fordist type in the remainder of Eastern Asia, in Southeast Asia and North America. The goal is triple: to circumvent the increasingly many quotas imposed by various American or European protectionisms; to reduce the production costs thanks to a cheaper labor and slightly qualified; to conquer, also, local markets and nationals thanks to an installation on the spot. Thus Japan gradually opened towards South-west and the West. In the Années 1990 the growth was definitely weaker, primarily because of over-investments at the end of the years 1980, of the Accords of Plaza of 1985, and an economic policy of austerity intended to purge former excesses of the stockmarkets and real estate. The efforts of the government to start again the growth had little success. The signature of agreements with the World Trade organization forced Japan to reduce its subsidies to the farmers, opening the way with American or Vietnamese rices (rice constitutes the food base of the meals of the Japanese). The Asian economic crisis of 1997 caused to accentuate this tended economic situation.

Since the end of 2002, a movement of recovery started, drew by the rapid development from the Chinese neighbor, and, more recently, by the inner demand (household consumption, unemployment in fall…) and the cleansing of the banking environment. This was confirmed at the beginning of 2006, when Japan officially could announce to have overcome the persistent Déflation since the beginning of the years 2000. Today in spite of a debt record (approximately 160% of the GDP!), Japan succeeded in leaving the real crisis

In the long run, the overpopulation of the livable zones and the ageing of the population are two main issues. The Robotique is one of the great forces of the long-term economy. 410 000 of the 720 000 industrial robots of the world are in Japan.

Demography

See also: Population of Japan, Cities of Japan

The Japanese company is linguistically very uniform with 98,2 % of the population speaking the Japanese for native tongue. But the Japanese come in fact from successive waves of immigration from China, of Korea, of the continent and the Pacific Islands. 1,8 % remaining being made up mainly of populations of immigrants come from Korea (700 000) and from China (350 000), as well as Vietnamese, Brazilian, American (80 000), Europeans (45 000), and small indigenous minority of the Aïnus of Hokkaidō (30 000 inhabitants). In 2005, there was less than two million foreigners on a total of 127.700.000 inhabitants.

This low level of immigrants associated with very low birth rate makes that Japan is currently in demographic serious attack: the retreat of the retirement age is with the day order, and certain elderly even start to be re-employed to fill the increasingly apparent lack of young labor. Between 1980 and 2005, the share of more than 65 years in the Japanese population doubled, to exceed the 20% in 2006, figure which would be changed to 40% in 2050.

For the first time in 2005 the population moved back losing approximately 30.000 inhabitants, that with a fertility rate of 1,25 child per woman (Tokyo is even last under the bar of the 1 with 0,98) in a country where the structures intended to accommodate the infants are non-existent or almost.

If no demographic modification intervenes in the years to come, which the futurologies of the specialists do not indicate, Japan will count nothing any more but 90 million in 2050 and less than 60 million inhabitants into 2100.

80% of Japanese are said extremely worried by this question which will have serious consequences on the level of their retirements, but also the health expenditure and the Fiscalité.

Pattern of the settlement on the Japanese territory:

The Japanese population has a heterogeneous distribution on the territory, the great majority living on the southern littoral tape of the country whereas the interior of the country and the island of Hokkaïdo are populated very little. Today, the urban areas account for 80% of the population. The Japanese megalopolis which is stretched on 1200 km of Tokyo in the north of Fukuoka concentrates more than 100 million inhabitants.

Religion

Transport

Tourism

Culture

The Japanese culture is influenced by that of China and that of Korea (although this is not always completely allowed). But it of it is also distinct. The foreign cultural influences were historically carried out via Korea because of their geographical proximity. The arrival of the Portuguese and later of the Americans somewhat modified this system.

Detailed articles: Japanese Culture ~ Cartoons ~ Manga ~ Gastronomy ~ Music ~ Contemporary art ~ tourist Sports ~ Places ~ Cinema ~ Theater ~ Japanese Astrology

Note: when the one bank holiday date falls one Sunday, it is the following day which is non-working. Example: February 11th, 2007 was one Sunday, on February 12th, 2007 was thus non-working.

See also: Japanese Festivals and bank holidays

National symbols

Japanese (name of the country): one finds the sun in the official name of Japan, which is Japanese, in Japanese Nihon , that is to say the " country of the sun levant". In France, the " country of the sun levant" Japan, derived from English Japan , term is named which would come doubtless from the Chinese transcription Riben (that one pronounces Jipen ).
Kimi Ga Yo , national anthem
Chrysanthemum. See this site for the folklore, the legends and the symbolic system
Dragonfly: “Akitsu Shima” (Islands of the Dragonflies) is an old designation of Japan. See for the legend
Cherry tree of Japan

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