Japan (Japanese: 日本, Nippon [ɲippoꜜɴ] (listen) or Nihon [ɲihoꜜɴ] (listen)) is an island country of East Asia in the northwest Pacific Ocean. It borders the Sea of Japan to the west and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south. Japan is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire and comprises an archipelago of 6,852 islands covering 377,975 square kilometers (145,937 sq mi); its five main islands, from north to south, are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa. Tokyo is the country's capital and largest city; other major cities include Osaka and Nagoya.
Japan
Anthem: "Kimigayo" (君が代)
("His Imperial Majesty's Reign")
Japanese territory in dark green; claimed but uncontrolled territory in light green
Capital
and largest cityTokyo
35°41′N 139°46′ENational languageJapaneseGovernmentUnitary parliamentary
constitutional monarchy• EmperorNaruhito• Prime MinisterShinzō AbeLegislatureNational Diet• Upper houseHouse of Councillors• Lower houseHouse of RepresentativesFormation• Emperor Kinmei539 AD[b]• First constitutionNovember 29, 1890• Current constitutionMay 3, 1947Area• Total377,975 km2 (145,937 sq mi)[2] (61st)Population• 2020 estimate 125,960,000[3] (11th)• 2015 census127,094,745[4]• Density334/km2 (865.1/sq mi) (24th)GDP (PPP)2020 estimate• Total $5.888 trillion[5] (4th)• Per capita $46,827 (28th)GDP (nominal)2020 estimate• Total $5.413 trillion[5] (3rd)• Per capita $43,043 (22nd)Gini (2015)33.9[6]
medium · 78thHDI (2018) 0.915[7]
very high · 19thCurrencyJapanese yen (¥) (JPY)Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)Driving sideleftCalling code+81ISO 3166 codeJPInternet TLD.jp
Japan is the 11th most
nice place