Japan for short,capitalTokyo is a city located inthe pacific oceanThe arc island country extending from northeast to southwest on the west bank, including four big islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and more than 6800 small islands, covers a total area of 378000 square kilometers, and is composed of 1 capital, 1 highway, 2 prefectures and 43 counties (provinces).As of April 2023, the total population is about 124.43 million, making it the only developed country with a population of more than 100 million outside the United States. The main ethnic groups areDaiwa family, GeneralJapanese。The main religions areShintoismAnd Buddhism.
In the middle of the third centuryYamato。In 645, Japan learned from China's Tang DynastyDahua Renovation。In the late 12th centuryShogunateThe era of rule.In the 1850s, he gave up the policy of locking the country and signed a series of unequal treaties.In 1868, Japan learned from European and American powers and implementedMeiji Restoration, establish the Great Japanese Empire and quickly become one of the imperialist powers.In 1894 and 1905Sino Japanese War、[119]Russo Japanese WarWin,[121]It has consolidated its position as a world power.[120]Launched in 1937the Second World WarAnd embarked on the road of war expansion.In 1945,World War IIThe defeat declared unconditional surrender.After the war, the new constitution was implemented and the line of "emphasizing economy and light armaments" was followed. Since the late 1960s, it has become the second largest economic country after the United States.[112]
Japan is a highly developed modern country and one of the four largest economies in the world,[123]SameGroup of SevenThe only Asian country in China,[124]By the end of 2022, Japan was the world's largest creditor country for the 32nd consecutive year.[113]There are obvious global competitive advantages in automobile, steel, machine tools, shipbuilding, electronics, machinery, semiconductors and robots,[114][116]Scientific research, aerospace, medical care, education, manufacturing and other industries are among the top in the world. In addition, cultural industries led by animation, music and game industries and developed tourism are also important symbols,[115]So far, it has preserved Japanese traditional culture such as tea ceremony, flower ceremony and calligraphy.[56]
In 2023, the GDP will be about 591.482 trillion yen.[123]
aboutJapanese archipelagoThe human history that was confirmed in the last chapter can be traced back to about 30000 to 100000 years ago.About 12000 years ago, becauselast Glacial After that, the island began to warm up sharply, which made great changes in people's culture and life, and the whole island entered the nextRope writing era。About 12000 years ago, it began to be called the rope writing era.It is divided into six periods: initial stage, early stage, early stage, middle stage, late stage and late stage.At this time, people made Shengwen pottery and moved towards settlement in the early days. Most of them lived inSemi cave house(Vertical cave dwelling).Use bow and arrowhunting、BeizukaFishing, plant collection and other business life, usechip a stone implement、Millstone、Angular apparatuswait.It is also cultivated from late to laterice。[3]
In the second half of the second century, civil wars were frequent in small countries, and it was not until the middle of the third century that major civil wars emerged“Yamato”After a long period of expansion, he gradually conquered most parts of central Japan. His leader was initially called "King" and later renamedemperor of Japan。[6]
Kofun period
The distribution of ancient tombs is basically universalHonshu IslandSouth, toNara、OsakaDahe Basin,HokkaidoIs not found.The tombs of this period were huge cave mounds surrounded by trenches. The "front and back round" tomb system was the most representative. The hollow clay statues surrounded the tombs. These tubular clay figurines may be used for burial, called“Disc wheel”。It costs a lot of money to build these tombs, which only a few ruling classes can afford. As of 2013, 71 ancient tombs were found, with keyhole shaped tombs being the most common. Osaka's Osaka Tomb, also known as Osaka Tomb“Rende Heaven Mausoleum”It is the largest ancient tomb in Japan.[7]
There are usually many bronze mirrors, jewelry and other items in the ancient tombs. In the later period, there are weapons anda helmet and armor。Kofun period It can be divided into early stage, middle stage and late stage.Since the beginning of the 8th century,CremationIt is popular, and the ancient tombs gradually decline and openBuddhist architectureThe era of.
In 592, Feng Yushi, a royal female who was related to Suwo by marriage, was enthroned asEmpress Suiko 。She nominatedPrince Shengde(Prince of the Stables Gate) carried out a political reform for the regent with the strengthening of imperial power as the core.Prince Sainte de has established the 12th order crown andSeventeen Article Constitution ；At the same time, envoys and international students are also sent toSui Dynastystudy.[8-9]Soga Iruka He killed Prince Shanbei, the son of Prince Shengde. In 645, he was the prince of the middle brother（Emperor Tenji ）AndMiddle minister's sickle foot（Fujiwara sickle foot）The conspiracy to assassinate Su Wuru is overSuwoThe monopoly of.In the same year,Emperor Kotoku To enthrone, issue the Dahua Reform and New Imperial edict, and promoteDahua Renovation。[10]
672,Emperor Tenji His son, Big Friend, and Prince ascended the throne when he diedEmperor Hongwen。The younger brother of the Emperor Tianzhi, the Prince Hairen, fought for the throne with him, and the war broke outRenshen Rebellion。710,Empress Gemmei The era of flying birds ended when the capital was moved to Pingchengjing.
Nara era means Nara（Heijokyo ）The era of metropolis.Since 710（And copperThree years) to 784（Extended calendarThree years) move the capitalChanggangjing74 years in total.It is the flourishing period of the legal system society, which is manifested in the political and economic system, class relations, culture and foreign relations.[11]Emperor GuangrenandEmperor Kammu During the period, the court tried to rectify the chaotic political situation, reduce financial expenditure, reform the military system, expand its territory to the northeast, and seek to reshape and re strengthen the legal system.The earliest history books of Japan《Ancient notes》、《nihon shoki 》At this time, they were compiled one after another, thus entering the historical era of Japan.
Since the era of peacePing'an Beijing(Kyoto) was the capital of the historical era, which began in 794 (the 13th year of the calendar extension) when Emperor Huanwu moved his capital to Ping'an, and ended in 1185 (the first year of Wenzhi)Kamakura Bakufu It has been established for 400 years.Manor systemReclamationCultivators permanently own farmland. They combine into interest groups and annex manors by force, gradually becoming a source of strength for local martial artists.[12-13]
Yuan Lai ChaoPingdingPing'sAfter, createSickle barnThe era of Wujia regime, the political center of the country.Since 1185 (the first year of Wenzhi)Kamakura Bakufu After 149 years of establishment, the shogunate was finally destroyed in 1333 (the second year of Zhengqing and the third year of Yuanhong).In the beginning, there were also theories in 1180, 1183 and 1192 (Yuan Lai Chao took officeThe Grand General of Yizheng）。[14]
PedisHe was originally a member of the Ueno family, but also a general of the Kamakura shogunateYuan Lai ChaoOf the same family, the Zun Zun Zun Zun ZunkyotoMuromachi opened the shogunate forMuromachi bakufu 。[17]The unification of the Northern and Southern Dynasties is the third generation of generalsAshikaga Yoshimitsu After his unification, he tried to usurp the throne.But after his death, the fourth generation generalFull benefit and righteousnessPrevented it.Because at the beginning, Lee'sSouthern DynastiesThe shogunate must be set up in Kyoto, while the government office was set up in Kamakura, which led to the chaos in Kanto.In the eighth generation of generalsJustice and justiceWhen he was in power, the problem of inheritance broke outnin War Since then, the authority of the shogunate has been declining.Originally granted by the shogunateshugo daimyō , some are graduallyGuardian generation(Adjutant)Family ministersThe Chinese usurped power, and some could maintain power until the Warring States Period.From the Yingren Rebellion to the demise of the Zuli Shogunate, it is calledSengoku。[11]
Azuchi-Momoyama period
In the first year of Tianzheng (1573),Oda NobunaExile the last generalFull profit and justice，ashikaga shogunate Declare doom.Later, he gradually became the most powerful military leader in the country, and began to actively expand the ruling territory until the tenth year of Tianzheng (1582)Kai nameTakedaUp to now, it has almost completely controlledKinkiAndEast China Sea, and extend influence toLocal China、Jiaxinyue、Shikoku region as well asBeilu DistrictAt this time, the actual political center of the country also shifted to AntuchengZhitianOn hand.In the same year, the Ministry GeneralWise Light ShowlaunchChange of Instinctive Temple, Zhitian Xinchang died (or disappeared), his eldest son and Zhitian Family SupervisorZhitian XinzhongDefeatedWise Light ShowAfter committing suicide, the entire Zhitian family immediately fell into chaos.[18]
In 1584,Yuchai XiujiAnd local names in the East China SeaTokugawa JiakangThe war broke out. After a confrontation, the two sides reconciled and formed an alliance. In the same year, Osaka City was completed, and Yuchai Xiuji began to carry out the plan of unifying the country based on this.After four large-scale crusades, Xiuji, who was granted the surname of Feng Chen by the emperor, completed the general unification of the country in 1590. In 1598,Fengchen XiujiAfter his death, the whole country fell into chaos again.
The shogunate was forced by European and American countries to start the country at the end of the year, and signed Japan and the United States via Matthew PerryConvention of Kanagawa And other unequal treaties made the locked country collapse.[21-22]With the founding of the country andHonor the king and fight against the barbariansThe thought was strong, the shogunate was assassinated, andSa Ying WarThe shogunate's authority plummeted, and finallyTokugawa Yoshinobu The regime and territory were returned to the imperial court successively, which was known as "the return of the great policy" in history.[23-24]
After the king's restoration order andBoshin War Later, the vassals who supported the imperial court established MeijiGreat Japanese EmpireGovernment.The old vassals lived in hardship under the New Deal, which evolved intoSouthwest War, and then gradually restored order.[25-28]
Culturally, Japan introduced new knowledge and art from Europe and the United States;With individualistic novels that have never appeared in Japan, literature began to appear, and different cultures developed before the Edo era.In religion, change the past phenomenon of the confluence of gods and Buddhas（Separation of God and Buddha）, the suppression of Buddhism appeared（Abolish Buddhism and destroy Buddhism）[32]And so on.
DazhengThe period from 1912 to 1926 is calledDazheng Era。Meiji EmperorWhen he died in 1912, Zi Jiaren succeeded to the throne and was renamed Dazheng, which was the era of Dazheng.In the first year of Dazheng, the first constitutional movement (namely:Taisho Democratic Movement, Japanese: Dazheng, party politics began to appear.[33]
In the early days of the Taisho era, the First World War took place, which was the peak of Japan's national strength since the Meiji Restoration. However, in 1921, the emperor of Taisho was sent by the crown prince due to illnessHirohitoRegent, 1923Great Kanto earthquake ，[34]And the international peace conference after World War I,[35]Making Japan increasingly difficult.
The dignitaries and political parties fought against each other constantly, and the second constitutional protection movement took place, and universal suffrage was implemented (1925).Also by the only elderPublic View of Xiyuan TempleRecommend the Prime Minister and advocate "the common way of constitutionalism".
On December 25, 1926,Emperor TaishoDeath, Crown PrinceHirohitoSuccession is forShowa era。the First World WarDuring this period, Japan's economy developed rapidly.The domestic political situation isControl cliqueSoldier knocks downHuangdao SectSoldiers thus control military and political power.Since then, Japan has carried out large-scale aggression against East Asian countries, including China, due to the idea of controlling the army to change the national regime from the outside to the inside.Japan becamethe Second World WarThe main invaders in the Far East and the Pacific.
On December 13, 1937, the Japanese invaders captured Nanjing, and carried out a bloody massacre in Nanjing and its surrounding areas for more than 40 days. They killed more than 300000 unarmed Chinese civilians and soldiers who laid down their weapons by collective shooting, burying alive, chopping, burning and other cruel means, resulting in the horrendous Nanjing Massacre.[105]
After the war, political parties sprang up like mushrooms.The fall of the coalition government.Yoshida MaoOnce again, he made a new appearance and formed a cabinet four times in a row, the first time in the history of Japan.
Heisei period
ShowaEmperor Yu Zhaohe died on January 7, 1989Akihito He succeeded to the throne and changed the year to "Heisei" from the next day (January 8),[1]It is called the Heisei era.
the Democratic Party of the United StatesRepresentative (Party Leader)Yukio Hatoyama(September 2009) Elected as the 93rd Prime Minister of Japan in the nomination election of Prime Minister of the Special Congress on 16, and completed the formation of cabinet on the same day.The establishment of the new cabinet marks that the Japanese political arena has officially entered the era of the Democratic Party in power, and Japan has achieved the real "regime change" since the war for the first time.
On December 8, 2017,Emperor AkihitoThe abdication date is set for April 30, 2019.[37]
Order and era
April 1, 2019, then JapanChief Secretary Kan YiweiAnnouncing that“Reiwa”It was selected as the Japanese New Year's Day, and the "Order and" will be used as the year's day from May 1, 2019.[2]
November 4, 2022, according to JapanJiji news agency , Defense Minister of JapanYasuhiro HamadaAt the press conference, Japan said that it will strengthen cooperation with other countries in the future by formally joining the NATO Network Defense Center.[73]
On July 12, 2023, it was reported that Japanese Prime Minister Takeo Kishida held talks with NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg in Lithuania.The two sides released a new document, "Individual Targeted Partnership Plan" (ITPP), and decided to expand cooperation in the Indo Pacific region[99]；At 13:00 local time on August 24, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station started discharging the nuclear contaminated water into the sea[103]。
On December 1, 2023, the 33rd General Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) held a new election of members in London, UK, and Japan was elected as a Category A member of the IMO.[109]
On January 9, 2024, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan signed a memorandum of cooperation on decarbonization with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, which will use Japan's environmental technology to support the introduction of renewable energy in both countries.[111]
On March 19, 2024, the Bank of Japan ended its two-day monetary policy meeting and decided to lift the negative interest rate policy.[127]
Japan is located in the Pacific Rim volcanic seismic zone, with frequent seismic and volcanic activities.One tenth of the world's volcanoes are located in Japan, and one fifth of earthquakes occur in Japan.[56]
topographic features
Fuji
About three quarters of Japan's territory is covered by mountains.The central part of Honshu is known as the "roof of Japan". Many mountains are more than 3000 meters above sea level.Located at the junction of Yamanashi and ShizuokaFuji, 3776 meters above sea level, the highest mountain in Japan.Beiyue in Yamanashi Prefecture, 3193m above sea level, is the second highest peak in Japan.Osui Gaoyue, located in Nagano County and Gifu County, is 3190 meters above sea level, and the mountain between Yamanashi County and Shizuoka County is 3190 meters above sea level, becoming the third highest peak.
Topographic map of Japan
Due to its location in the circum Pacific volcanic belt, Japan has several volcanic regions from the northernmost to the southernmost - usually seven.Among all volcanoes, about 110 are active volcanoes, including Sanyuan Mountain on Izu Island, Asama Mountain at the junction of Nagano County and Qunma County, and Asu Mountain in Kumamoto County.Although Japan only accounts for 1/400 of the world's land area, it accounts for almost 1/10 of the 1500 active mountains in the world.
Many rivers have played a great role in shaping the topography of Japan, creating large and small valleys and basins, and forming fan shaped deltas near the estuary of rivers.Most of Japan's plains are small.The biggest isGuandong PlainIncluding some Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo and Kanagawa.Other relatively large plain areas include Yuehou Plain (located in Niigata County), Ishikawa Plain (located in Hokkaido), and Nagao Plain (located in Aichi and Gifu counties).[58]
climate
Japan has a temperate marine monsoon climate, which is mild and humid all the year round.One of the characteristics of climate is that the temperature changes clearly in four seasons.Japan spans about 25 latitudes from north to south. In winter, it is affected by the monsoon from Siberia, and in summer, it is affected by the monsoon from the Pacific Ocean.
Despite its small size, Japan has four different climatic characteristics.Hokkaido belongs to the sub Arctic climate type, with an annual average temperature of only 9.45 ℃ and an annual average precipitation of about 1205mm.From the northeast area in the north of Honshu to Kyushu, the area on the Pacific side belongs to the temperate zone. Affected by the monsoon from the Pacific Ocean, the summer is very hot;The wet and cold monsoon blowing from the mainland is blocked by the central Alps and other mountains in the middle of Japan like a ridge in the process of advancing, causing a lot of rain and snow on the side facing the Sea of Japan.The southwest island of Okinawa County has a subtropical climate, with an annual average temperature of more than 22 ℃ and precipitation of more than 2000mm.[58]
natural resources
Japan is poor in natural resources. Except for a small amount of mineral resources, other major raw materials and fuels for industrial production need to be imported from overseas.[56]
water resource
There are many rivers in Japan.Most rivers flow rapidly, and the river flows into the sea soon after flowing out of valleys and basins.The "rapidity" of the river flow is an excellent proof of the Heibu River. The river flows down from its source, the Japanese Alps, 2900 meters above sea level, and flows into the Sea of Japan after only 85 kilometers.
The longest river in Japan is Shinokawa, which starts from the mountains in the central region, crosses Niigata Prefecture, and runs 367 kilometers all the way to the Sea of Japan.Reagan River is the second largest river, which flows through the Kanto Plain into the Pacific Ocean.The third largest river is Ishikawa in Hokkaido, with a total length of about 268km.[57]
There are not many lakes in Japan.The largest lake in Japan is located in Shiga CountyLake BiwaIts area is 670.3 square kilometers.Biwa Lake is a tectonic lake with a long history and diverse ecosystems. It is also an important water source in the Kansai region.The deepest lake isAkita OfTianze LakeThe maximum water depth is 423.4m.The highest lake isYumu CountyZhongchansi Lake, 1269 meters above sea level.Due to the frequent volcanic activity in Japan, there are many crater lakes and fault lakes in Japan, such asQu Xie Lu Hu、Zhihu Lake、Dongye Lake、Shihetian LakeEtc.In coastal areas, some lakes areHaiji Lake, such ashachirogata 、Xiapu、Binming Lake, China Shipping, etc.For the purpose of power generation and river development, Japan has also built many reservoirs[39]The larger ones areHeibu ReservoirAnd Deshan Reservoir, etc.[40]
Forest resources
The forest coverage rate accounts for 67.7% of the land area, which is one of the countries with the highest forest coverage rate in the world. However, the self-sufficiency rate of wood is only about 20%, making it the country with the most imported wood in the world.The benefits of forestry in Japan's land protection and water conservation are extremely significant.Japan has the highest forest coverage in the world, but its annual timber imports account for about 75% of the total demand.Japan has a large temperature difference between north and south, and is rich in tree species, of which coniferous forests account for 2/3 and broad-leaved forests account for 1/3.Wood is widely used in Japanese houses and furniture, and the "wood" culture plays an important role in Japanese life.However, due to the low income of forestry operation and the aging of forestry employment population, Japan's forestry production has made slow progress.Japan's main timber import places are the United States, Russia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Sweden, Chile, Finland, Indonesia and China.
fishery resources
Japan's exclusive economic zone is about 10 times the size of its territory and is rich in fishery resources.Hokkaido and the Sea of Japan are world famous fishing grounds, rich in more than 700 kinds of fish.[56]
plant resources
There are many kinds of plants in Japan.There are about 5560 species of plants (4720 angiosperms, 40 gymnosperms and 800 ferns) native to Japan.About 1950 angiosperms and gymnosperms are native plants in Japan, accounting for 35% of all angiosperms and gymnosperms in Japan.This shows that Japan has more native plants than other countries.About 1600 angiosperms and gymnosperms are native plants in Japan.
The number of plants reflects the diversity of Japan's climate, which has become a major feature of the Japanese archipelago, which stretches about 3000 kilometers (1864 miles) from north to south.The most significant climatic characteristics are large temperature difference and abundant precipitation, which provide favorable conditions for the flourishing growth of plants.
Japanese plants are mainly distributed in the following five regions, all of which are located in the East Asian temperature zone: (1) subtropical zone, including Ryukyu Islands and Ogasawara Islands;(2) The temperate zone of evergreen broad-leaved forest covers most areas of southern Honshu, Siguo and Jiuzhou.The typical tree species are Koch (shii) and Cyclobalanopsis glauca (kashi), both of which belong to the oak family;(3) The cold temperate zone of deciduous broad-leaved forest covers the central and northern parts of Honshu and the southeastern part of Hokkaido, where Japanese beech trees and other common trees grow;(4) Subalpine zone, including the middle and north of Hokkaido.Typical plants include fir (Sakhalan) and yesso;(5) Alpine belt, located in the central highlands of Honshu and the central part of Hokkaido, is typical of alpine plants, such as komakusa (Dicentraperegrina).[57]
Animal resources
Japan's large and small islands are also inhabited by animals from different climate types: tropical animals in Southeast Asia, temperate animals in South Korea and China, and sub arctic animals in Siberia.
There are a large number of colorful tropical coral fish, sea turtles and sea snakes growing in the tropical ocean of Ryukyu Islands, which is also the home of dugongs and black finless porpoises.In the waters north of the central part of the state, we can also see sea lions, sea seals and beaked whales.Animals in the Arctic, such as walruses, sometimes visit the sea area on the Hokkaido side facing the Sea of Okhotsk.
On the Ryukyu Islands, the southernmost part of Japan, most of the inhabitants are tropical animals, such as the crowned snake hawk, the fox bat, and the chameleon.On the local islands of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, there are civet cats (tanuki), sika deer and mandarin ducks. They come from the deciduous forests of South Korea and the central and northern regions of China.Grizzly bears, hazelnut chicks and common lizards come from Siberian coniferous forests.The lack of continuity in the distribution of animals is the result of the separation and integration of Japanese islands and Asian mainland for many times in history, which makes the migration of animals extremely complicated.
Some of these animal species are endemic to Japan, such as Japanese dormouse, Japanese macaque, white bellied golden pheasant, Japanese giant salamander, and primitive dragonfly.Some scholars believe that the Ryukyu Islands separated from the Asian mainland much earlier than Japan itself. Ant bulbules and amami hedgehogs also grow on these islands.The Lower North Peninsula at the northern end of Honshu is the northernmost habitat of all anthropoids in the world.
In the deep sea, people can find the living fossils of limulus, conch, frilled shark and other animals.There are also some other Japanese aquatic animals, such as the giant spider crab (the largest crustacean in the world) and the Japanese giant salamander (the largest amphibian on the earth, which is said to have a life span of nearly 50 years) living in fresh water.[57]
administrative division
Announce
edit
Zoning Details
Japan is divided into 1 capital (Tokyo), 1 capital (Hokkaido), 2 prefectures (Osaka Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture) and 43 counties, with cities, towns and villages.Cities, roads, prefectures and counties are parallel administrative regions directly under the central government, but all cities, roads, prefectures and counties have autonomy.
Japan's "prefectures" correspond to China's first level administrative unit "provinces", and Japan's "counties" are higher in administrative divisions than China's "counties".The city where the government of each prefecture or county is located is called the city where the prefecture or county hall is located, which is equivalent to the capital city of China.The location of most local county offices is similar to the county name.For example, the county hall of Nara County is located in Nara City, and the county hall of Saitama County is located in Saitama City.[59]
In Japan, however, the concept of division called "eight local divisions" is often used.According to the historical, cultural and economic characteristics of various regions, Japan is naturally divided into these eight regions:Hokkaido、northeast region、Guandong、Central region、Kinki、Local China、Shikoku region AndKyushu region 。Among them, Guandong Prefecture, including 1 capital and 6 counties, is the political, economic and cultural center of Japan.[59]
Eight regional divisions in Japan
Hokkaido
Hokkaido
/
/
/
/
northeast region
aomori
Iwate Prefecture
Miyagi
Akita
Yamagata County
Fukushima Prefecture
/
/
/
/
Guandong
Ibaraki Prefecture
Yumu County
Gunma County
Saiyu County
Chiba County
Kanagawa Prefecture
Tokyo Metropolitan
/
/
/
Central region
Niigata Prefecture
Fushan County
Shichuan County
Fukui
Yamanashi County
Nagano County
Gifu County
Shizuoka Prefecture
Aichi
/
Kinki
Sanzhong County
Shiga County
Kyoto Prefecture
Osaka Prefecture
Hyogo County
Nara Prefecture
Wakayama County
/
/
/
Local China
Birtori County
Shimane Prefecture
Gangshan County
Hiroshima Prefecture
Shankou County
Shikoku region
Tokushima Prefecture
Xiangchuan County
Ehime County
Kochi County
/
Kyushu region
Fukuoka Prefecture
Saga County
Nagasaki Prefecture
Kumamoto-ken
Dafen County
Miyazaki Prefecture
Kagoshima Prefecture
Okinawa Prefecture
/
/
major city
Tokyo
Tokyo Scenery
Tokyo is the capital and largest city of Japan, the national political, economic, cultural, educational center and transportation hub, one of the global financial centers, and a world-class metropolis.Located in the middle of the Japanese archipelago, it is composed of land, Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Yutanagawa, Arakawa, etc. flow through the urban area, covering an area of 2188 square kilometers,The population is about 14.1 million (December 2023).Tokyo is the economic center of Japan, and the service industry is developed.The main industries include precision machinery, automobile manufacturing, electronics, chemicals, motors, metallurgy, shipbuilding, food, publishing, printing, etc.It has gathered many domestic and foreign large enterprises and bank headquarters.Small and medium-sized enterprises play a very important role in the local economy of Tokyo Metropolitan, accounting for more than 90% of the total number of enterprises in Tokyo Metropolitan.
Tokyo Ginza
Tokyo has a sea, land and air transportation network extending in all directions and an urban transportation network with rail transit as the main body.Among them, the passenger volume of rail transit accounts for more than 85% of the total passenger volume of urban transportation.Tokyo is the center of Japanese education and culture, with 1/3 of the universities and more than half of the college students, 80% of the publishing houses and numerous museums, art galleries, libraries, etc.[84]As an international metropolis, Tokyo often holds various international cultural activities, such as the Tokyo Music Festival and the Tokyo International Film Festival.Famous scenic spots include Tokyo Tower, Ginza and Asakusa.Many traditional activities and festivals in Japan are held in Asakusa, which still retains the style and features of old Tokyo.Tokyo consists of 23 administrative districts, 27 cities, 5 towns and 8 villages in the urban area of Tokyo.[60]
Tokyo Metro Line Map
The subway is the main means of transportation in Tokyo for daily travel. Tokyo has a well-developed subway network, with 13 lines, 285 stations, a total length of 304.1 kilometers, and an average daily passenger flow of 10.4 million people, ranking first in the world in terms of subway passenger flow.[56]
Osaka
Osaka Scenery
Osaka is located in the middle of Honshu Island, close to Osaka Bay, in a long north-south distribution, and is the administrative, economic, cultural and transportation center of Western Japan.It is also an industrial center, especially in the chemical industry, machinery, steel and metal industries.
Osaka is an important economic, financial, commercial center and transportation hub in western Japan, with convenient material circulation and profound cultural heritage.In history, Osaka has been designated as the capital of the country several times, sending envoys from the Sui Dynasty and Tang Dynasty to and from Osaka's port, making great contributions to trade and cultural exchanges.Osaka is a "city on water" with numerous rivers running through the city and its main stream originates from Lake Biwa.
Osaka Scenery
Osaka's industry and commerce account for the main part of economic activities, with rich and diverse types of industries, concentrated small and medium-sized enterprises, and strong strength. Its flexible business mode is known as "Osaka Commercial Law" in Japan.Especially in business, wholesalers account for a high proportion, and the same industry gathers together to form a wholesale street.In addition, since ancient times, Osaka has been known as the "kitchen of the world" and is famous for its delicious food.
Osaka hosted the World Expo in 1970, the International Flower Expo in 1990, and the APEC APEC Summit in 1995.[85]
Yokohama.
Yokohama scenery
Yokohama is located in the Kanto region in the southeast of Honshu, Japan. To the east is Tokyo Bay, to the south is Yokosuka Port, and to the west is Japan's famous Mount Fuji and Hakone, a tourist resort. It is only 20 kilometers away from the capital Tokyo. It is connected by expressway, and 1930 kilometers away from Shanghai by sea.With a total area of 434.98 square kilometers, it was opened as a port in 1859 and built as a city in 1889.
Yokohama is the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, a city designated by Japanese government decrees (a city allowed to have special cases in terms of distribution of things, administrative supervision, organization, finance, etc.), and the center of Japan's important industrial zone, the Kyohama Industrial Zone.
Yokohama scenery
Yokohama is an important industrial base in Japan, ranking third in the country after Tokyo and Osaka.The economy is based on the Jingbin industrial zone and the international trade port, and has established a cutting-edge technology industrial base.The Zhonghua Street on the south side is a residential area for overseas Chinese. Built in 1863, it has more than 500 stores and restaurants. Many Japanese people from all over the world come here to taste Chinese food.There are 13 colleges and universities in Yokohama.
Yokohama scenery
Yokohama Port is the largest international trade port in Japan and the symbol of Yokohama City. It has trade relations with more than 100 countries in the world.Yokohama Port is one of the few trading ports in the world and plays an important role in Japan's economy.[86]
kyoto
Scenery of Kyoto
Kyoto is located in the south of Honshu Island, Japan, about 370 km from Tokyo and 45 km from Osaka. It is the largest inland city in Japan, with a total area of 827.9 square kilometers and an existing population of about 1.467 million (as of August 1, 2019).At the end of the eighth century, Emperor Huanwu of Japan established his capital in Kyoto, which was called Ping'an Beijing at that time.From 794 to 1868, Kyoto was the capital of Japan and the residence of the Emperor of Japan. Many temples, shrines and other historical sites made Kyoto famous. In fact, it was officially designated as the "warehouse" of national property and important cultural relics. The ancient Kyoto site was listed as a world cultural heritage in 1994.
Scenery of Kyoto
Jingdu is a famous ancient capital and tourist city in Japan. Its 17 temples, including Qingshui Temple, Jinge Temple, Yinge Temple, Shanghe Mao Shrine, Xiaya Shrine, Ertiaocheng, and Nippon Wish Temple, are listed as world cultural heritage by UNESCO.Every year, about 900000 foreign tourists and 35 million domestic tourists visit Kyoto for sightseeing.
Jingdu used to be the largest manufacturing city in Japan, and many electrical machinery enterprises such as precision machinery, semiconductor components, batteries, etc. have a high market share in the country.The service industry including wholesale, retail and catering also accounts for a large proportion.
As the birthplace of Japanese culture, Kyoto has many academic and research institutions.There are 38 universities, including National Kyoto University, Kyoto Prefectural University, Ritsumeikan University and Gay Association University, with 124000 students.[89]
Nara
Nara Park
Nara City is located in the central part of Japan, in the north of Nara Prefecture, and is the seat of the county hall of Nara Prefecture.It was once the political and cultural center of Japan.With a population of 355000 and an area of 276.94 square kilometers, it is a famous historical city and international tourist city in Japan.From February 1, 1898, Nara implemented urban local government management.Later, the surrounding areas were merged and expanded into the current urban area.It takes 1.5 hours to get to Kansai International Airport by tram or bus in Nara, and it takes about 30 minutes to get to Osaka and Kyoto.It takes about 3 hours by Shinkansen to Tokyo.At present, it has developed into a residential city in Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe, with a sharp increase in population.
Nara has 166000 employed people.The primary industry of agriculture, forestry and fishery accounts for 1.8%, the secondary industry of mining, construction and manufacturing accounts for 24.48%, and the tertiary industry accounts for 71.85%.Agriculture in NaraIt is a suburban agriculture.The cultivated area is 1947.67 hectares, and the main crops are rice, strawberries, mushrooms, flowers, vegetables, fruits, etc.
As a tourist city, Nara has about 12.96 million tourists every year[107], including 189000 foreign tourists.Representative world heritages include Dongda Temple, Xingfu Temple, Chunri Society, Chunri Mountain Primitive Forest, Yuanxing Temple, Herbalist TempleToshodai Temple Pingcheng Palace Site.There are 125 national treasure level cultural heritages and 568 important cultural heritages.Nara has unique customs and many traditional crafts and industries with a long history.Representative products include lacquer ware, ancient music noodles, fans, pottery, tiles, one knife carving (wood carving), Nara bleached cloth, pens, ink, antler craft, etc.[90]
Sapporo
Sapporo Scenery
sapporo It is the capital of Hokkaido, Japan, located at the western edge of Ishikari Plain and its connected hilly area, with an area of 1118 square kilometers and a population of about 1.8 million. It is the fifth largest city in Japan and one of the 12 designated cities by government decree.Sapporo is taken from the indigenous Ainu language, meaning "vast and dry area".Sapporo has a marine climate, characterized by cool summer, cold winter snow, and four distinct seasons.
Sapporo Scenery
Sapporo, as the economic center of Hokkaido, mainly relies on the service industry, mainly the branches of Japanese national companies, and relatively few real local enterprises.The industry focuses on food, printing, linen textile, machinery manufacturing and metal products.The famous Sapporo beer tastes delicious and mellow, and is one of the world famous beers.
As the political and economic center of Hokkaido, Sapporo has a very complete transportation construction, including the intersection of two expressways, three railway lines under the JR system, and two airports.In terms of urban transportation, Sapporo Transportation Bureau has operated three subway lines, three road tram lines of Sapporo city electricity, and assisted by multi line urban buses, forming a complete mass transportation network.
Sapporo Scenery
Sapporo is the cultural center of Hokkaido.Famous universities includeHokkaido UniversityHokkaido University of Arts, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo Agricultural College, etc.Cultural facilities include Modern Art Museum, Sapporo Sculpture Museum, Sapporo City Museum, etc.
Sapporo Scenery
Sapporo has beautiful scenery. There are many parks and scenic spots in the city. There are many peaks and hot springs in the mountain area with an altitude of about 1000 meters.Xushan Park in the southwest of the city is built according to the geometric shape, while Nakajima Park is a typical Japanese garden.Others include the Eight Window Temple built in the Edo era, the Hokkaido Shrine built in the early Meiji era, and the Bell Tower, the only remaining Russian building in the city.The Hokkaido Pioneering Memorial Hall and Hokkaido Kaiji Centennial Memorial Tower located in the outskirts of the city record the life history of the Ainu people and the historical facts of the Japanese people's exploration of Hokkaido.The algal rock mountain in the southwest of the city is 531 meters high, and 420 kinds of trees are planted.At night, you can overlook the night view of Sapporo here, and ski sports can be carried out here in winter.There is also Yeporo Forest Park in the eastern suburb of the city.
Scenery of Sapporo
Sapporo in winter is covered with snow, which is a northern scenery.Datong Park in the center of Park Avenue is the place where Sapporo's traditional annual "Snow Festival" is held.The Snow Festival is a mass winter activity widely participated by the people of the whole city.Since the winter of 1949, when the students of technology science in Sapporo Industrial High School used ice and snow sculptures, Sapporo people have held a snow festival every year in early February, exhibiting various ice and snow sculptures, including animal images such as pandas, characters in mythological stories such as "Tao Taro" and "Journey to the West", and models of various famous buildings.These ice and snow statues are carefully carved and lifelike.At night, these ice and snow statues are more magnificent, fantastic and charming under the glow of colored lights.In February 1972, the 11th Winter Olympic Games was held in Sapporo.[92]
Hakodate
Night view of Hakodate
Hakodate, located in the south of Hokkaido, is famous for its beautiful night, covering an area of 677.81 square kilometers.Hakodate is the third most populous city in Hokkaido, second only to Sapporo and Asakawa. It is the administrative, economic and cultural center of the Daonan region. Now it isZhonghe City。
Hiroshima
Hiroshima, Japan, built in 1589, is located in the southwest of Honshu, Japan, facing the Seto Inland Sea, with a long history.It covers an area of 905 square kilometers.It governs 8 districts, including Central District, East District, South District, West District, Anzuo South District, Anzuo North District, Anyi District, and Zuobo Deng District.
Hiroshima is rich in natural resources such as sea and mountains. Agriculture and fishery are flourishing. Hiroshima Port is formed by the junction of Songshan area.It is called Japanese miniature.Hiroshima has developed manufacturing and retail industries,MazdaThe company is headquartered in this city.Hiroshima has now developed into the largest city in China in western Honshu, Japan, and is one of the famous industrial cities in western Japan.The head office and headquarters of the manufacturing industry are mostly set up here, forming the Hiroshima metropolitan area.The site of the Hiroshima atomic bombing has been included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.[87]
Nagano
Nagano is located in the middle of Honshu, Japan, and in the north of Nagano Prefecture. It is the seat of Nagano Prefecture Hall, with an area of 404 square kilometers.
The industry of Nagano City is mainly information industry, and the main products are electronic computers, televisions, etc.The income of fruit trees in Nagano City ranks first in its agricultural income, followed by rice, vegetables, etc.The city is rich in apples, grapes and other fruits, as well as sake, buckwheat noodles and other local products.Changye has beautiful scenery and beautiful environment;You can climb mountains in spring and autumn, avoid summer heat in summer, and ski in winter.Nagano successfully held the 18th Winter Olympic Games in February 1998, which played an important role in expanding the city's international influence and driving the local economic development.The city has Japanese national treasure level buildingsSanguang TempleWaiting for a batch of historic sites is a good place to travel.[88]
National symbol
Announce
edit
Country name
Japan, first known as "He" or "Wo" (both pronounced yamato, Chinese translationEvil Horse Terrace）The name "Japan" was used in the late 7th century.Its origin is not clearly recorded in Japanese history books, but China's《New Tang Dynasty Book》Then load track:“XianhengIn the first year (670), he sent envoy He PingKorea。Later, he learned Xia Yin, hated Japanese names, and even called Japan.The messenger said to himself that he was famous for his recent work. "[41]MeaningTang GaozongThe first year of Xianheng (670),Ue-kok Send envoys to congratulate the peaceful Tang DynastyGoguryeo Because he knew a little Chinese, he hated the name "Wo", so he changed the country name to Japan. The envoy claimed that it was named because of its geographical location near the sunrise.
North Korea《Samguk sagi 》Wenwu KingThe record of December in 670 years is also consistent with this: "Japan is the name of the Japanese nation, which claims to be famous recently".[42]Zhang Shoujie of the Tang Dynasty recorded that "Wu Hou changed Japan into Japan".[43]
The name "Japan" was first found in archaeology in China in 2011Xi'anOf《Epitaph of Your Army》, the epitaph was completed in 678.[44]It can be seen that the name "Japan" was used no later than the late 7th century.Historically, Japan once hadDaiwa、Japan、Hibiscus rosa sinensisAlternative name.
national flag
Japanese flag (orBolus of the sun, Japanese pill), also known asJapanese national flag, rectangular in shape, with a length to width ratio of 3:2 (standard length of the national flag).The flag is white with a red sun in the middle.The white background symbolizes purity, while the red sun in the middle symbolizes loyalty.Legend has it that Japan isHeliosCreated by, the emperor is the son of the sun god, from which the sun flag comes.The Japanese flag has existed since ancient times. As an official national flagMeiji Three years (1870) according toTai ZhengguanPromulgated and formulated by Proclamation No. 57 (Merchant Shipping Rules).[45-46]
Japanese flag - Japanese seal flag
national emblem
National Emblem of JapanIt is a royal emblem. In Japan, the law has not established a formalnational emblem, so customarily,Japanese Royal FamilyThe "sixteen petal eight fold table chrysanthemum", or chrysanthemum crest, is widely used as the representative national emblem of Japan.
National Emblem of Japan
Japanese CabinetThe representative badge "Wuqi Wutong pattern" used is also often used as a national badge in international occasions and government documents, such as the shading of Japanese entry permit stickers.
Lyrics: Come on, my emperor is prosperous for thousands of generations;The sand and gravel are diagenetic and covered with lichen.
Japanese lyrics:
Jun Dai
Eight thousand generations
Fine stone
巌となり
There are many mistakes[45-46]
national flower
cherry blossoms
There are two kinds of national flowers in Japan, one ischerry blossoms, one isChrysanthemum。The cherry blossom in Japan is very famous and loved by the Japanese people, so it is not surprising that it was chosen as the national flower.Chrysanthemum has the image of being noble and fearless of the cold, and has become the symbol of Japanese royalty.Cherry blossom, as a symbol of Japan, represents the national spirit;Chrysanthemum represents the Japanese royal family, with noble and gorgeous image.The use of these two kinds of flowers as national flowers is more in line with people's expectations.[91]
Cherry blossom is native to the temperate zone around the Himalayas in the Northern Hemisphere and grows all over the world, mainly in Japan.Each branch has 3 to 5 flowers in umbels. The petals are notched at the apex. The flowers are mostly white and pink.The flowers often bloom with or after the leaves in March. With the change of seasons, the cherry blossoms are fragrant and beautiful, and are often used for garden viewing.According to literature, cherry blossoms were cultivated in Chinese palaces more than 2000 years ago during the Qin and Han dynasties.In the Tang Dynasty, cherry blossoms were widely seen in private courtyards.At that time, when all countries came to Korea, Japanese pilgrims brought back cherry blossoms to Japan, which has a history of more than 1000 years in Japan.Cherry blossom symbolizes warmth, purity and nobility.
population
Announce
edit
As of October 1, 2022, excluding foreigners living in Japan, the total population of Japan is 120.31 million, 750000 less than the previous year, the largest decline since 1950.The data shows that the number of newborns decreased by 32000 to 799000 over the previous year;The death toll was 1.53 million, an increase of 90000 year on year.The number of newborns has been lower than the number of deaths for 16 consecutive years.From the perspective of age group, the labor force population aged 15 to 64 was 74.208 million, accounting for 59.4%, which was the same as the historical lowest level set last year;The elderly population over 65 years old reached 36.236 million, accounting for 29%, a record high;The number of people under the age of 14 dropped to 14.503 million, the lowest in history.From the perspective of administrative divisions, the population of 46 other prefectures in Japan has decreased except Tokyo.
Japan is one of the countries with the largest population density and the most serious aging in the world. The Ministry of General Affairs of Japan said that compared with other countries with a population of more than 40 million, Japan has the lowest proportion of people under 14 years old and the highest proportion of people over 65 years old, showing an extreme trend of aging with fewer children.[97]
There are large regional differences in population distribution. There are 9 prefectures with a population of more than 5 million and 12 cities with a population of more than 1 million in China,Tokyo Metropolitan Area、Osaka Metropolitan Area、Nagoya Metropolitan Areago by the name ofThree metropolitan areas in JapanThe population within 50 kilometers of the three metropolitan areas accounts for 50% of the total population.[56]
As of June 2020, there are about 2.8859 million foreigners living in Japan, most of whom are Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Filipino.Among them, there are about 846800 Chinese (including Taiwan), mainly distributed in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kobe and other big cities. These cities have "China Street" and "Nanjing Town" where Chinese and overseas Chinese live.[56]
On July 26, 2023, the results of the demographic survey based on the basic register of residents released by the Ministry of General Affairs of Japan on July 26, 2023 showed that as of January 1, 2023, the total population including foreigners was 125.41 million 6877, a decrease of about 511000 compared with the previous year.Among them, the number of Japanese decreased by about 801000.The decrease was the largest since the beginning of the investigation in 1968, and it was the first time that 47 prefectures and counties all decreased.[100]
The number of babies born in Japan in 2023 is 758631, higher than that of the previous yearIt decreased by 5.1% in one year.[125]
On February 27, 2024, the demographic statistics released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan showed that the number of newborn babies in Japan in 2023 was 758631, 5.1% less than that in 2022。[126]
On April 12, 2024, according to the latest data released by the Ministry of General Affairs of Japan, as of October 1, 2023, including foreigners living in Japan, the total population of Japan is 124.35 million, 595000 less than the previous year, a decrease of 13 consecutive years.
According to the data, the number of people over 75 years old in Japan increased by 713000 over the previous year, breaking through 20 million for the first time, accounting for 16.1% of the total population, the highest proportion over the years.At the same time, the proportion of people under 14 years old was 11.4%, the lowest in the history.
As of October 1, 2023, the Japanese population is 121.9 million, 837000 fewer than the previous year. From the gender perspective, the male population in Japan is 423000 fewer than the previous year, and the female population in Japan is 41.4 fewer than the previous yearTen thousand.[128]
Politics
Announce
edit
regime
The separation of legislative, judicial and administrative powers shall be implemented.The emperor is a national symbol and has no right to participate in national politics.The National Assembly is the highest power and the only legislative body, divided into the House of Representatives and the Senate.The Cabinet is the highest administrative organ and responsible to the National Assembly. The Prime Minister (also known as the Prime Minister) is elected by the National Assembly,emperor of Japanappointment.
At present, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito Party are jointly in power.The ruling party holds a stable majority of seats in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
constitution
The current Constitution of Japan was promulgated and implemented on May 3, 1947.Article 9 of the Constitution stipulates that "Japan will never use its national power to wage war, threaten or use force as a means to settle international disputes. To achieve this goal, Japan will not maintain land, sea, air force and other war forces, and will not recognize the country's right to engage in war".This became an important guarantee for Japan to follow the path of peaceful development after the war, and also an important guarantee for Japan as a peaceful country.
parliament
The Japanese Parliament is divided into two chambers: the House of Representatives (the lower chamber) and the Senate (the upper chamber), which are the highest authority and the only legislature in Japan[56]。
All legislation is subject to final approval by Congress.The Congress also has other important functions, such as approving the national budget, approving international treaties and conventions, and initiating any formal proposal to amend the Constitution.There are three forms of Congress: the General Congress, the Provisional Congress and the Special Congress.The Congress is usually held once a year in January for 150 days. The Congress will consider the budget of the next year and the relevant laws needed to implement the budget at this meeting, so this meeting plays a central role.
The fixed number of members of the House of Representatives is 465, and the term of office is four years.The Prime Minister has the right to dissolve the House of Representatives and hold general elections.The number of senators is 245.The term of office of the senators is six years, and half of them are re elected every three years. They cannot be dissolved halfway.In terms of power, the House of Representatives is superior to the Senate.The ordinary Congress is held from January to June every year for 150 days.At other times, temporary parliament and special parliament can be convened as needed.Nukaga Fukushiro, the current speaker of the House of Representatives, took office in October 2023.OTSUJI Hidehisa, the president of the Senate, took office in August 2022.
Japanese citizens must be at least 25 years old to be eligible for election to the House of Representatives, and must be at least 30 years old to be eligible for election to the Senate.[61]
government
The Cabinet is the highest executive body and responsible to the Congress.It is composed of the Prime Minister (Prime Minister) of the Cabinet and the ministers in charge of the provincial departments.The Prime Minister and Ministers of the Cabinet shall be nominated by the Congress and appointed by the Emperor. Other cabinet members shall be appointed and removed by the Prime Minister and Ministers of the Cabinet and certified by the Emperor.The main members of the current cabinet are: Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa, General Secretary Matsumoto Takeaki, Minister of Justice Koizumi Ryuji, Minister of Finance Suzuki Shunichi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamikawa YokoMORIYAMA Masahito, Minister of Education, Culture and Science, TAKEMI Keizo, Minister of Health, Labor, SAKAMOTO Tetsushi, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, SAITO Ken, Minister of Economy and Industry, SAITO Tetsuo, Minister of Land, Transport, ITO Shintaro, Minister of EnvironmentKIHARA Minoru, Minister of Defense, Kono Taro, Minister of Digitalization, TSUCHIYA Shinako, Minister of Revival, MATSUMURA Yoshifumi, Chairman of the National Public Security Commission and Minister in charge of territorial issues, KATO Ayuko, Minister in charge of child policy, SHINDO Yoshitaka, Minister in charge of economic regenerationTakaichi Sanae, minister in charge of economic security, and JIMI Hanako, minister in charge of Okinawa and Northern Territory and local entrepreneurship.
More than half of the members of the Cabinet must be members of Congress, and the Cabinet is the highest decision-making body of the executive branch of the government.The Prime Minister (Prime Minister) of the Cabinet has the right to appoint or remove the State Ministers who form the Cabinet.The Prime Minister is responsible for presiding over cabinet meetings and may exercise his authority to control and guide the various administrative departments of the government.If the members of the cabinet agree, the so-called cabinet resolution can be formed.According to the Constitution of Japan, the Prime Minister and other State Ministers must be civilian personnel.[56]
In January 2001, the government administration carried out a large-scale reorganization, reducing the number of original 22 provinces and provincial institutions by nearly half.In addition to the newly established Cabinet Office in 2001, it also includes 13 provinces (up to 2019), including the Ministry of Defense upgraded by the Japanese Defense Agency in January 2007, and the Department of Revival (established in 2012).By 2019, the state ministers appointed by the Prime Minister will be in charge of each province.Each minister is allocated with 1 to 3 deputy ministers and government officials to assist.These officials are usually members of Congress.
The main organs are the Department of Finance, the Department of ConsumersChildren's Family Hall[96]The Palace Department, the Police Department - the National Public Security Commission, the Fair Access Commission, the Ministry of General Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Ministry of Health, Labor, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Economy and Industry, the Ministry of Land, Transport, the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Defence.[61]
judicial
Judicial power belongs to the Supreme Court and its subordinate courts at all levels.The "four level three trial system" is adopted.The Supreme Court is the Court of Final Appeal, which hears unconstitutional and other major cases.The High Court is responsible for the second instance, and there are eight courts in China.Each prefecture, highway, prefecture and county has one local court (four in Hokkaido), which is responsible for the first instance.There are also summary courts and family courts throughout the country, which are responsible for civil and criminal litigation that does not exceed the fine penalty.The Chief Justice (President) of the Supreme Court is nominated by the Cabinet, appointed by the Emperor, and 14 judges (judges) are appointed by the Cabinet, subject to review by referendum.Judges of other courts at all levels shall be nominated by the Supreme Court and appointed by the Cabinet for a term of 10 years and may be re elected.Judges at all levels shall not be removed without formal impeachment.The current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, TOKURA Saburo, took office in June 2022.
The procuratorial organs correspond to the four level courts, which are divided into the Supreme Procuratorate Office, the High Procuratorate Office, the Local Procuratorate Office, and the District (Town) Procuratorate Office.Prosecutors are divided into the Procurator General (the Procurator General), the Deputy Procurator General, the Procurator General (the head of the higher procuratorate), the Procurator General (the head of the local procuratorate), and the Deputy Procurators.Officials above the Procurator General shall be appointed by the Cabinet.The Minister of Justice has command over the Chief Prosecutor.The current chief prosecutor, KAI Yukio, will take office in June 2022.
party
After the war, Japan practiced "party politics", and various political parties representing different strata were restored or established one after another.At present, the main political parties are: the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito Party;The opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, the National Democratic Party, the Communist Party of Japan, the Japanese Reform Association, the Social Democratic Party, etc.
The ruling party is the largest party.In November 1955, it was merged by the former Liberal Party and the Democratic Party. Since then, it has been in power alone for 38 years.He stepped down in 1993, and then formed a joint regime with other parties several times.Since April 2000, it has been in power jointly with the Komeito Party and the Conservative Party.In November 2003, the Liberal Democratic Party absorbed the Conservative New Party, one of the original three ruling parties, and formed a situation of joint governance with the Komeito Party.In August 2009, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) suffered a disastrous defeat in the House of Representatives election and became an opposition party again.In December 2012, he won the election of the House of Representatives and returned to power.He advocated maintaining a free economic system, amending the Constitution, adhering to the security system of Japan and the United States, and strengthening the independent defense force based on the concept of democratic politics.In terms of foreign policy, Japan US alliance is emphasized as the basic axis to actively expand the diplomatic layout.The current president is Kishida Fumio, the vice president is ASO Taro, and the secretary general is MOTEGI Toshimitsu.
The ruling party.It was founded in November 1964, and its parent body is the religious group Price Creation Society.In June 1970, the separation of administration and religion was implemented.In August 1993, he joined the non liberal coalition regime and went through a split combination.In April 2000, the Komeito Party, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Conservative Party formed a joint regime. It became an opposition party after the House of Representatives election in August 2009, and returned to the ruling party after the House of Representatives election in December 2012.The party advocates to build "Japan in the world" on the basis of pacifism, adhere to the "middle line", implement democracy among the people, respect local autonomy, and promote decentralization.The current party representative is YAMAGUCHI Natsuo, and the Secretary General is ISHII Keiichi.
The largest opposition party.On September 15, 2020, it was reorganized and established by the former Constitutional Democratic Party, the former National Democratic Party and other opposition parties. The current party representative, IZUMI Kenta, and the Secretary General, OKADA Katsuya.
On September 15, 2020, more than 10 members of Congress, including Yuki Xiongyilang, the former leader of the National Democratic Party, established a new National Democratic Party.The current party representative, Tamaki Yuichiro, and the Secretary General, Shinba Kaduya.
Founded on July 15, 1922, it gained legal status after the war.In the mid-1970s, we entered the peak period of development. After the 1990s, we readjusted our policy ideas and focused on flexibility and pragmatism.The Party Constitution stipulates that the nature of the Party is "a working class party" and "a party of all Japanese nationals".Advocate building a socialist society and even a communist society;Abolish the Japan US security treaty and build Japan into an independent, democratic and peaceful free country.Tamura Tomoko, the current Chairman of the CPC Central Committee, and KOIKE Akira, the Secretary General of the CPC Central Committee.
Founded in November 2015, Kinki Prefecture is the main sphere of influence.He advocated the establishment of Osaka Capital, the realization of the sub capitalization of Osaka Prefecture, the promotion of decentralization and the breaking of centralization.Reform the governing body, promote the amendment of the Constitution, and achieve universal suffrage for prime ministers.The current party leader, BABA Nobuyuki, and the Secretary General, FUJITA Fumitake.
After World War II, Japan's industrial infrastructure was in ruins and a hundred pieces of waste were waiting to be developed. Japan's post-war economy was developed from such a war wasteland.In 1952, when the Allied occupation ended, Japan was still a "developing country", and its per capita consumption was only one fifth of that of the United States.In the next two decades, Japan's economy grew at an average annual rate of 8%, the first country to leap from a post-war "developing country" to a "developed country".The reason for such great achievements lies in the high growth rate of personal savings and private enterprise investment, the highly industrious labor force, the sufficient supply of low-cost oil, the continuous innovation of science and technology, and the effective government intervention in Japan's economy when the economy of private enterprises is globalized.After the war, the principle of free trade advocated by the World Monetary Fund (IMF) and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) promoted the rapid growth of the world economy, and Japan was one of the main beneficiaries.
The second oil crisis in 1979 promoted the fundamental transformation of Japan's industrial structure from emphasizing heavy industry to developing new fields, such as VLSI (Very Large Scale Integrated Circuit) semiconductor industry.By the end of the 1970s, computer, semiconductor and other technology and information intensive industries had entered a stage of rapid development.The economic recession after the bubble economy ran through the second half of the 1990s and lasted to 2000. Only in 1995 and 1996 did the economy recover briefly.At the beginning of 2002, the Japanese economy fell to the bottom, and then entered a period of slow but steady recovery, which lasted until 2005.After more than a decade of wandering, the negative impact of the collapse of the "bubble economy" finally seems to have been largely eliminated.[62]
On October 1, 2019, the Japanese government raised the consumption tax rate from 8% to 10%, which impacted the consumption demand;Since then, Japan's export scale has declined due to the impact of Sino US trade friction and the global economic slowdown.At the end of 2012, the Abe government promoted "Abe Economics" with the so-called "three arrows" as the main content, and proposed the goal of getting rid of long-term deflation within two years.Since then, the yen exchange rate has been suppressed, the stock market has risen, consumer psychological expectations have improved, and Japan has achieved the longest post-war economic growth period.In March 2020, the Japanese economy began to be affected by the epidemic.In 2020, the gross domestic product (GDP) decreased by 4.8% year on year, only second to 5.7% in 2009.In 2020, the number of foreign tourists will decline significantly, and the service industry will have a deficit in revenue and expenditure, but the current revenue and expenditure will remain surplus, and foreign direct investment and securities investment will decrease significantly.In 2021, Japan's economy will recover slowly, and its real GDP will grow by 1.7%, but still not reach the pre epidemic level.The number of foreign tourists has continued to decline significantly, the trade deficit in goods has emerged, foreign capital absorption has dropped by more than half, and foreign direct investment and securities investment have continued to decline.
According to the latest judgment of the Cabinet Office of Japan, although the economic recovery continues, the negative impact of the epidemic still exists, and the recovery momentum in some areas is weak. In the future, it will continue to improve the epidemic prevention and control policies, promote the normalization of economic and social activities, and the economy will continue to recover as the effects of various policies appear and the overseas economy improves.However, including the epidemic, tensions in Russia and Ukraine, rising prices of raw materials, fluctuations in the capital market and supply constraints are all risk factors affecting the economic downturn.
As the Bank of Japan maintained the ultra loose monetary policy, the interest rate gap between Japan and the United States widened, and the yen continued to depreciate in 2022, reaching a low of 151.9 yen per dollar every 32 years.Although the depreciation of the yen is beneficial to Japan's export industry, it will increase import costs and expand the trade deficit.In April 2022, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released the World Economic Outlook, which predicted that global GDP would grow by 3.6% in 2022, and Japan would grow by 2.4%.In June 2022, the World Bank predicted that global GDP would grow by 2.9% in 2022, and Japan would grow by 1.7%.Both institutions predict that Japan's economic growth in 2022 will still significantly lag behind the global pace.[56]
Japan is the third largest economy in the world.According to the preliminary statistics released by the Japanese Cabinet Office, Japan's real gross domestic product (GDP) in 2022 will be about 546 trillion yen, up 1.1% year on year.It has been the world's largest creditor country for 32 consecutive years.By the end of December 2023, the foreign exchange reserves were 1294.6 billion US dollars.Exchange rate: 1 dollar ≈ 147.36 yen (December 2023).Total unemployment rate: 2.7% (September 2023).
In 2023, Japan's real gross domestic product (GDP) will grow by 1.9% year on year, and the nominal GDP growth rate reflecting rising prices will be 5.7%.The preliminary statistical data of Japan's GDP in 2023 is 591.482 trillion yen, about 4210.6 billion dollars, lower than Germany's 4456.1 billion dollars.Japan's nominal GDP fell from the third place to the fourth place in the world.[122]
Agriculture
Japan is relatively poor in resources, with mountains and hills accounting for about 80% of the total area.The coastal plain is small and scattered, and the soil is poor, mainly including black soil (volcanic ash), peat soil and pan alkaline soil. Most alluvial soil has been reclaimed as paddy field, forming special paddy soil.According to geographical location, climate, soil conditions and production characteristics, Japan can be divided into nine agricultural regions, including Hokkaido, Northeast, Beilu, Kanto and Dongshan, Donghai, Kinki, China, Shikoku and Kyushu.
Before World War II, Japanese agriculture was dominated by rice, and animal husbandry was very backward.Since half a century after the war, agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery have achieved great development, and the agricultural production structure has changed significantly.Through technologies such as heat preservation seedling raising, variety improvement, pesticide and fertilizer improvement, the yield of crops per mu in Japan has increased significantly. Through plastic greenhouses and greenhouse technologies, Japanese vegetables can be cultivated all the year round.However, due to the continuous reduction of cultivated land area and the continuous loss of agricultural population in Japan, the self-sufficiency rate of grain has declined for many years. The food and livestock products that Japan has self-sufficient production capacity are limited to rice and eggs.Due to the low price of foreign agricultural products, Japan's imports of agricultural products from overseas have increased, while its domestic production has declined. Japan has become one of the world's largest importers of agricultural products.
The top eight countries and regions exporting to Japan are all located in the Pacific Rim, namely, the United States, China, Taiwan Province of China, Australia, Thailand, Canada, South Korea and Indonesia.Japan's imports of agricultural products cover a wide range, including grain (wheat, corn, soybeans), meat, dairy products, aquatic products, fruits and vegetables, animal and vegetable oils, sugar, tea, rosin, wool, turf, etc.
planting
Soybeans are almost entirely imported.The main fruits in Japan are oranges, apples and pears. Due to the change of consumption structure, the variety and quantity of imports are increasing.Vegetables are the bulk products imported from Japan, and the main varieties are onions, edible fungi, garlic, winter bamboo shoots, peas with clips, green beans, etc.With the increase of income level, Japan's demand for flowers has increased. The sales of flowers and plants account for the first place in the world. Flower imports continue to grow, mainly from the Netherlands, Thailand, New Zealand, Singapore, the United States and Taiwan Province of China.
Animal Husbandry
The livestock production in Japan is mainly concentrated in Hokkaido and other places with more pasture land.At present, all farmers in Japan adopt intensive breeding, or several farmers raise together, or one family raises hundreds of livestock, which can save time and reduce costs.Japanese farmers also implement mechanized feeding of livestock and use electronic computers for management.
Fisheries
Japan is the fourth largest fishery country in the world.There are one of the three largest fishing grounds in the world, the Northern Pacific Fishing Ground, off the coast of Japan, which is rich in fish resources.Japan is the country that eats the most fish in the world, and aquatic products play an important role in Japanese diet.The importing countries and regions are the United States, Taiwan Province of China, China, South Korea and Thailand in turn.The main imported species are tuna, bonito (mainly from Taiwan Province of China), salmon and trout (from North America, Chile, Norway, Russia and other countries).The import of farmed shrimps has increased significantly, mainly from Asian countries such as China, India and Vietnam.
Agricultural product processing industry
Japan's "food related industry" consists of food industry (including food industry, circulation, catering industry) and agricultural and aquatic industry (including edible forest products).In terms of rural agricultural product processing industry, Japan particularly emphasizes the combination with regional agriculture and rural development.It not only plays an important role in developing regional economy and providing employment, but also provides a stable market for rural products.Producers are engaged in processing agricultural products, giving full play to local comparative advantages and producing local specialties with local flavor, forming the "One Village One Product Campaign" (some have now expanded to "One County One Product Campaign").There are a wide variety of specialties in Dafen County, such as pickles and yellow sauce, the "Shisheng Wine" in Hokkaido, the "Pastoral Ham" in Akita County, the "Yueshan Wine" in Yamagata County, and the "Xinzhou Yellow Sauce" in Nagano County, all of which are in mountainous and mid mountainous areas.
Industry
Japan's industry is highly developed, and its industrial structure is developing towards technology intensive, energy saving and material saving.The main sectors are electronics, household appliances, automobiles, precision machinery, shipbuilding, steel, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and industrial products have strong competitiveness in the international market.Most of the major industrial areas are concentrated inthe pacific oceanAlong the coast, four major industrial zones have been formed, namely, Jingbin, Hanshen, Zhongjing and Kitakyushu.Machinery industry has always been at the center of heavy chemical industry.[47-50]
automobile industry
Japan is a major automobile producer in the world, and the automobile industry plays an important role in the economy. The number of Japanese automobile related employment is about 5.46 million, accounting for about 8% of the national employment.In 2021, the sales volume of new cars in Japan will be 4.45 million, 3.3% less than that in 2020.
In 2021, eight large Japanese auto companies will produce 23.21 million cars worldwide, a year-on-year decrease of 0.8%.Among them, Toyota produced 8.58 million vehicles worldwide, up 4.7% year on year.Although it is also affected by the insufficient supply of semiconductors and parts, compared with the year 2020, when factories in various regions shut down in succession, the output has increased significantly.[56]
Steel industry
Japan is a major steel producer in the world.According to the announcement of the Japan Iron and Steel Association, in 2021, Japan's crude steel output will reach 96.33 million tons, with a year-on-year increase of 15.8%, the first increase in seven years, reflecting the recovery of steel demand.Among them, ordinary steel and special steel were 73.91 million tons (up 12.4% year on year) and 22.42 million tons (up 28.6% year on year) respectively.Japan is a big exporter of steel products.In 2021, Japan exported 34.401 million tons of steel, up 7.0% year on year.Among them, 22.128 million tons of ordinary steel were exported, up 5.8% year on year;The export of special steel was 7.676 million tons, up 31.6% year on year.[56]
Machine tool industry
Since 1982, the output value of Japan's machine tool industry has been in the forefront of the world for many consecutive years.Among the top 20 machine tool enterprises in the world, Japan accounts for 7.According to the data released by the Japan Machine Tool Manufacturers Association (Japan Trade Union), the annual order of Japanese machine tools in 2021 will be 1541.3 billion yen (about 83.2 billion yuan), with a year-on-year growth of 70.9%. This is the first increase in domestic and foreign demand for machine tools in three years, and also the first time in three years that it exceeds 150 billion yen.[56]
Semiconductor industry
In the 1980s, Japan's semiconductor industry once accounted for more than 50% of the world share, but then its share dropped to about 10% due to factors such as Japan US trade frictions, sluggish digital industrialization and so on (data from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Japan in 2019).According to the statistics of Japan Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment Association (SEAJ), in the third quarter of 2022, Japan's semiconductor manufacturing equipment sales increased by 21% year on year, ranking fifth in the world.
Japan has positioned the semiconductor industry as a national strategic industry, providing large subsidies, and hopes to accelerate the revitalization of the industry.The Ministry of Economy and Industry took the lead in establishing the "LSTC", and eight enterprises, including Armour, Sony and Toyota, funded the establishment of "Rapidus". It plans to establish a production line for trial production of 2-nanometer semiconductor in 2025.Major semiconductor enterprises include Tokyo Electronics, Nikon, Deans, Fujitsu, Canon, etc.[56]
shipbuilding industry
According to the data of the Japan Shipbuilding Exporters Association (JSEA), the orders received by Japanese shipping enterprises in the 2021 fiscal year reached 313, 14.2992 million GT, a year-on-year increase of 59.8%, the second consecutive year of year-on-year growth, which is also the first time since the 2015 fiscal year (2018 million GT) that the annual orders received by Japanese shipping enterprises exceeded 14 million GT.[56]
Construction machinery industry
According to the statistical data released by the Japanese Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA), in 2021, the total sales of Japanese construction machinery increased by 27.3% to 2756.9 billion yen, the first increase in three years, and the market demand recovered significantly from the decline caused by the COVID-19 epidemic last year.The export volume was 1763.2 billion yen, a year-on-year increase of 50.6%, achieving the first positive growth in three years.[56]
Robot industry
Japan is the world's largest manufacturer of industrial robots, accounting for 45% of the global supply.The Japan Robot Industry Association estimated that the order amount of Japanese industrial robots in 2021 would be 964 billion yen, a year-on-year increase of 12.3%, a record high since the start of statistics in 2001. The production amount of Japanese industrial robots would increase by 12.9% to 865 billion yen annually.[56]
finance
central bank
As the central bank of Japan, the Bank of Japan is responsible for issuing bank notes, regulating currency and finance, ensuring capital settlement between banks and other financial institutions, maintaining credit order, and promoting the healthy development of the national economy by maintaining price stability.
commercial bank
Major commercial banks in Japan include city banks (national commercial banks) such as Mitsubishi UFJ Bank, Mizuho Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Bank, Lissona Bank and dozens of local banks.The main function of Japanese commercial banks is to assume the credit intermediary function through deposit, loan, exchange, savings and other businesses.The main business scope is to absorb public deposits, issue loans and handle bill discounting.
Chinese banks
By the end of 2021, Chinese banks in Japan include Bank of China Tokyo Branch, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Tokyo Branch, Agricultural Bank of China Tokyo Representative Office, China Construction Bank Tokyo Branch and Bank of Communications Tokyo Branch.
insurance company
The main insurance companies in Japan include Japan Life Insurance Company, Japan First Life Insurance Company, Japan Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company, Japan Sumitomo Life Insurance Company, Tokyo Marine Nido Fire Insurance Company, Japan Property Insurance Company, etc. The main functions are underwriting, underwriting, claims settlement, disaster prevention and loss prevention.[56]
Credit Card
Japanese banks and many private financial institutions issue credit cards on the premise that they provide valid certificates, fixed addresses, fixed income certificates and bank deposit accounts.Credit cards can be used for card consumption in major supermarkets.At present, credit cards with UnionPay logo issued in China can be used in Japan.
stock market
The Japanese securities market is an important part of the capital market, and the secondary (circulation) securities market includes exchanges and over-the-counter markets.Stock trading is dominated by exchanges, while bond trading is dominated by over-the-counter trading. About 95% of bond trading is conducted on the OTC market.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Osaka Stock Exchange are the central stock markets in Japan and Kansai respectively, and their total trading volume accounts for more than 90% of the daily trading volume.In January 2013, in order to improve the global influence of the Japan Stock Exchange, the two exchanges merged and established the Japan Stock Exchange Group.
There are two main daily stock indexes: one is the average of Nikkei stock prices, including 225 and 500 Nikkei stock price averages, which are based on some stocks in the first part of the Tokyo Stock Exchange;The other is the TSE Stock Price Index, which is based on all shares in the first part of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
bond market
There are many types of bonds in the bond market, which can be roughly divided into three categories: public bonds, corporate bonds and foreign debts.Among them, public bonds include Japanese government bonds, local government bonds and government guaranteed bonds;Corporate bonds are divided into financial bonds and institutional bonds;The foreign debt market is divided into two major parts: foreign bond market and European yen bond. Foreign bonds include Samurai bond, General bond and Daimyo bond.[56]
currency
The Japanese currency is Japanese yen.At present, the Japanese yen can be directly exchanged with US dollars, RMB and other currencies, and the RMB has received increasing attention.Sumitomo Mitsui Bank has launched the domestic RMB personal deposit business in Japan.In December 2012, after Shinzo Abe took office, he implemented large-scale financial easing policies, and the yen exchange rate depreciated rapidly. In December 2015, it once fell to the level of 120.5 yen per dollar.In recent years, the yen exchange rate has basically remained between 100 and 120 yen per dollar.[56]
On April 14, 2023, the official website of the Bank of Japan officially released a new version of banknotes, including three denominations of 10000 yen, 5000 yen and 1000 yen.[98]
Service industry
Japanese service industry can be divided into narrow service industry and broad service industry according to its service content.
The narrow sense of service industry refers to personal service industry, enterprise service industry and public service industry.The main service targets of the personal service industry are consumers, mainly including catering, retail, tourism, beauty, photography and other industries related to life, as well as entertainment and leisure related industries such as amusement parks, cinemas, theaters and so on.For enterprise service industry, it mainly provides services for industrial and commercial enterprises, including leasing industry, advertising industry, waste disposal industry, etc.Public service industry refers to the service industry that provides services for the whole society, mainly including education industry, medical industry and government research institutions.
The broad sense of service industry includes not only the narrow sense of service industry, but also other industries that do not belong to the manufacturing industry, such as electrical and gas pipeline industry, wholesale and retail industry, finance and insurance industry, real estate industry, information and communication industry, transportation industry, and so on.The generalized service industry is also called the "tertiary industry" in the economic structure.
Since Japan's economy ended its high-speed growth and entered a period of stable growth, especially a long-term downturn, Japan's service industry has always been in the process of expanding, both in a broad sense and in a narrow sense.First, the proportion of Japan's service industry output value in GDP has always maintained a steady growth trend.Second, from the perspective of labor force, the labor force population engaged in the service industry is increasing.Third, with the deepening of the service-oriented trend of Japan's economic structure, the sales volume of Japan's service industry is also in an increasing upward channel.Fourth, the outsourcing trend of Japan's service industry is obvious.[63-64]
Japan's information service industry is relatively developed, accounting for about 10% of the world's total information service industry. The information service industry has become an important engine to promote Japan's economic development, and is also a strategic emerging industry to maintain Japan's international competitive advantage.Japan's information industry includes eight industries: communication industry, radio and television industry, information service industry, film and television music text information production industry, information communication equipment and equipment manufacturing industry, information communication related services industry, information communication facilities construction industry, research and development industry.The information service industry is a part of the information industry.
foreign trade
Foreign trade plays an important role in the national economy, with about 200 countries (regions) having trade relations.According to the statistics of the Ministry of Finance of Japan, the total import and export volume of Japan in 2022 will be about 216.3 trillion yen, of which the export will be about 98.2 trillion yen, and the import will be about 118.2 trillion yen.
The main import commodities are: crude oil, natural gas, coal, clothing, semiconductor and other electronic parts, pharmaceuticals, metals and iron ore raw materials;The main export commodities are: automobile, steel, semiconductor and other electronic parts, plastics, scientific optical instruments, general machinery, chemical products, etc.The main trade targets are China, the United States, South Korea, Australia, etc.
In the context of the recovery of the global economy from the epidemic in 2021, the export volume of Japanese steel, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, construction and mining machinery, semiconductor and other electronic products and automotive industries increased by 44.5%, 29.8%, 42.6%, 14.9% and 9.2% respectively.Due to the rising price of crude oil, Japan's imports of fossil fuels will increase by 47.2% in 2021, of which crude oil, crude oil products, liquefied natural gas and coal will increase by 45.6%, 67.7%, 30.6% and 57.2% respectively;The import volume of steel and nonferrous metals increased by 46.6% and 60.3% respectively due to the rising price of raw materials;The import volume of electronic components such as semiconductors and mobile phones increased by 30.4% and 20.6% respectively.
Mechanical equipment, transport equipment and electromechanical products are the top three categories of Japanese export commodities. In 2021, the export volume will be US $149.55 billion, US $147.98 billion and US $139.74 billion, respectively, accounting for 19.7%, 19.5% and 18.4% of the total export volume.Mineral fuels, mechanical equipment and chemical products are the top three categories of Japanese imports. In 2021, the import volume will be US $154.46 billion, US $124.57 billion and US $88.8 billion, respectively, accounting for 20%, 16.1% and 11.5% of the total import volume.The rise in energy prices led to a substantial increase in Japan's imports.[56]
Major trading partners
According to the statistics of Japan's Ministry of Finance, China, the United States and Taiwan are Japan's top three trading partners in 2021, with bilateral trade volume of US $350.26 billion, US $216.62 billion and US $88.21 billion respectively.
service trade
According to the statistics of the Japan Trade Promotion Agency, in 2021, Japan's service trade exports will reach US $169.85 billion, up 3.7% year on year;The import volume was 208.34 billion US dollars, up 5.2% year on year.Among them, the export of intellectual property royalties was 48.12 billion US dollars, up 11.1% year on year;The import volume was US $29.56 billion, up 3.5% year on year.The export volume of transport services was 25.26 billion US dollars, up 20.9% year on year;The import volume was 31.87 billion US dollars, up 15.7% year on year.The export of financial services reached US $13.55 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 13.8%;The import volume was US $10.01 billion, down 6.4% year on year.The export of tourism services was 4.73 billion US dollars, down 55.2%;The import volume was 2.83 billion US dollars, down 47.9%.[56]
Sino Japanese trade
Japan is China's fifth largest trading partner, the third largest trade target, the second largest export target and the second largest source of imports.China is Japan's largest trading partner, export target country and import source country.In 2022, the total trade volume between China and Japan will be 357.424 billion dollars, including 172.93 billion dollars of China's exports and 184.5 billion dollars of imports.
outbound investment
Japan is a big country of foreign direct investment. The flow and stock of foreign investment are significantly higher than the flow and stock of foreign direct investment.In 2021, Japan's foreign direct investment flow will be 149.81 billion US dollars, slightly higher than that in 2020, but still lower than the pre epidemic level.
According to the data of the Japan Trade Promotion Agency, by the end of 2021, Japan's stock of foreign direct investment was $1987.2 billion, a slight increase compared with the end of last year, and an increase of 46.5% compared with $1356.2 billion at the end of 2016;By the end of 2021, Japan's stock of inward direct investment was US $351.8 billion, a significant decrease compared with US $388.9 billion at the end of the previous year;Compared with the end of 2016, it increased by 45.9%.[56]
Japanese investment in China
As of May 2023, Japan has invested and established 55805 enterprises in China, with the actual use amount of US $130 billion, ranking the second in China's total foreign capital utilization.By the end of 2022, China's direct investment in Japan has accumulated about 5 billion dollars, mainly involving manufacturing, financial services, electricity, communications, software and other fields.[56]
Foreign investment
According to the data of the Japan Trade Promotion Agency, Japan will absorb foreign investment of US $149.81 billion in 2021. The top five sources are the United States (US $62.09 billion), Singapore (US $18.01 billion), the United Kingdom (US $14.93 billion), China (US $10.02 billion) and Luxembourg (US $9.91 billion).[56]
exchange control
According to the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law of Japan and other laws and regulations, any company or individual can freely trade foreign exchange. If the foreign exchange traded every month exceeds 1 million yen, it is obliged to report its purpose and whereabouts to the Bank of Japan before the 15th of the next month.If they do not report or forge evidence, they will be detained for half a year or fined 500000 yen.When paying more than 100000 yen overseas, a letter of confirmation is required.Foreigners who bring more than one million yen of cash or equivalent bonds, more than one kilogram of gold with a purity of more than 90% into Japan must declare in advance.
A foreign-funded enterprise must complete the industrial and commercial registration in Japan before it can open an enterprise bank account. To open an account, it needs to prepare all certificates of resume, company seal certificates, identity certificates of handling personnel, company planning documents and other relevant materials. The materials required by each bank are different as the case may be.When opening an account, the function of opening a foreign exchange account shall be clearly proposed to the bank.[56]
foreign aid
Major aid countries in the world.In 2021, the total government development assistance expenditure will be about 21.9 billion US dollars.[56]
Culture
Announce
edit
language
JapaneseAs the official language of Japan, there are many theories about the origin of Japanese.Many scholars believe that Japanese is very close to Altaic languages in syntax (such as Turkish and Mongolian), and the similarity of sentence structure between Japanese and Korean has also been widely recognized.In addition, there is evidence that the morphology and vocabulary of Japanese were influenced by the Malay Polynesian language family in the south in prehistoric times.
The writing system of Japanese comes from Chinese, although the languages spoken by Japanese and Chinese are completely different.At some time in the 5th or 6th century AD, Chinese characters were introduced into Japan, and then two phonetic symbols, hiragana and katakana, evolved from Chinese characters, enriched Japanese characters.
grammar
In terms of the basic structure of language, typical Japanese sentences follow the subject object verb pattern.For example, the literal meaning of Taroga ringo tabeta is "Taro apple has been eaten." Japanese often omit the subject or object - or even both - when they think they can understand it through the context of the sentence, that is, when the speaker or the author is sure that the object of appeal has known some information about the situation.In this case, the above sentence may become: ringo tabeta ("ate the apple"), or simply tabeta ("ate").Verb changes in Japanese do not indicate person or number.In modern Japanese, all verbs in dictionaries end with the vowel u.
Written Japanese
The Chinese use characters or ideograms to write each Chinese character, while the Japanese invented two independent phonetic symbols, called kana, which are used in combination with Chinese characters.Chinese characters, called kanji in Japanese, are actually ideograms, and each Chinese character symbolizes something or something.It is normal for a Chinese character (kanji) to have more than one pronunciation.In Japan, people use Chinese characters to write characters that have evolved from Chinese, as well as their own Japanese characters.
There are two forms of kana symbols that constitute syllables in Japanese: one is "hiragana", which was mainly used by women in the past.Hiragana consists of 48 characters. It is used to write Japanese characters, auxiliary words and verb suffixes. It is often used to write Chinese loanwords, which cannot be written with officially approved universal characters.Another "kana" symbol is "katakana", which is also composed of 48 characters. It is mainly used to write loanwords other than Chinese, for emphasis, onomatopoeia, and scientific names of animals and plants.These two "kanas" are easier to write than the original Chinese characters borrowed in full form.
Although a relatively complete Japanese dictionary contains as many as 50000 definitions of Chinese characters, the number used at present is much smaller.In 1946, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China set the number of commonly used and officially used Chinese characters at 1850, including 996 Chinese characters taught in primary schools and junior high schools.The Chinese character list was replaced by a similar word list in 2010, with a slightly expanded word number of 2136.Publications other than newspapers are not restricted by this list. However, many readers know much more about the meaning of Japanese words than they learned in the standard curriculum of public primary and secondary schools.
Japanese is used to writing and typesetting in vertical lines, and reading from top to bottom.Start from the right side of the page, so when you look at a general book, it is usually like opening a Spanish book from the back.The exception is for professional (science and technology) books and periodicals, which are arranged horizontally and read from left to right.Nowadays, there is a tendency of horizontal layout in book layout.These publications are read in the same way as their Western counterparts.
full name
The Japanese name is composed of surname and first name. The surname comes first and the first name comes last (English newspapers and English magazines publish Japanese names in accordance with Western practice, but it is recommended that the surname comes first).When speaking to others, we usually add "san" after the other person's surname - equivalent to Mr., Mrs. (or Ms.).The suffix chan is often added to the names of children and close friends.Other titles (for example, "sensei" means "teacher" or "doctor") are also suffixed after the surname.The names and characters chosen by the Japanese emphasize the meaning of auspiciousness and happiness, hoping to bring good luck to their children.
As of 2017, there are 2999 Chinese characters approved by the government that can be used for baby naming.[65]
Religion
The main religions are Shintoism and Buddhism, with the belief population accounting for 52.3% and 42.2% of the religious population respectively.[56]
The history of Japanese religion is a long process of interaction between religious traditions.In Europe, the prevalence of Christianity suppressed the development of other religions.In contrast to Europe, Japan's indigenous Shinto has always been an integral part of Japanese people's life from the early days of the founding of Japan to modern times.
Since Buddhism was introduced into Japan in the 6th century, Shinto and Buddhism began to influence each other, which is a prominent feature of Japanese religion.The most obvious example of this interaction is the "honji suijaku". According to this theory, the god of Shinto (kami) is the incarnation of Buddhist gods.
Confucianism and Taoism are the other two "imported religions" in Japanese religion. For more than 1000 years, they have played an important role in Japanese society.During the formation period of Japan (the 6th – 9th century AD) and the subsequent Edo period (1603-867 AD), the doctrines of Confucianism had a significant impact on Japan's ethics and political philosophy.Compared with Confucianism, the influence of Taoism in Japan is more difficult to trace back to its source. People can only find traces of Taoist influence in the use of the Chinese calendar and some popular beliefs, such as fortune telling and divination.[57]
custom
Salutation: When addressing Japanese, you can call them "Mr.", "Miss" or "Mrs.", or you can add a "Jun" after their surname or first name to respectfully call them "XX Jun".Only in very formal cases can the full name be used when addressing Japan.
Greeting: Japanese greeting is basically expressed by bowing, which comes from the culture of the Tang Dynasty.When standing, close your feet, stand upright, bend over and lower your head.From a general salute to a 90 degree bow.According to the degree of formality, the angle of lowering the head is various."た た み" is being paved（Tatami）You must sit in your room and salute.
Japanese people have formed some distinctive customs and habits, which are still valued by the Japanese today.For example, hanging rice straw rope, drinking Tusu and decorating "door pine" before and after the New Year;Hang a carp flag on the Dragon Boat Festival;We will celebrate the Obon Festival.[56]
literature
Japanese literature is a wonderful flower in the treasure house of traditional oriental culture.Since the beginning of the 8th century, Japanese literature has been influenced by foreign cultures.Before the middle of the 19th century, this influence mainly came from Chinese culture;After that, the influence of modern western culture began to dominate.
Literature in the early and peaceful times
From AD 600, Japan sent envoys to China's Sui Dynasty (581-618) and Tang Dynasty (618-907), which became the main way for Japan to comprehensively introduce Chinese culture, science and technology, and administrative methods into Japan.The Ancient Chronicles (a historical record of ancient events, which was written in 712) and the Japanese Chronicles (a chronicle of Japan, which was written in 720) were written under the instruction and support of the imperial court, with the purpose of proving the legitimacy of the national political system.The former is written in mixed Chinese and Japanese characters, while the latter uses ancient Chinese.
The first important poetry collection in Japan is《Ten thousand leaf set》, is written in Chinese characters.The early poems in the poetry collection are characterized by direct expression of strong feelings;The later poetry began to pay attention to rhetoric and delicate expression techniques, which had a great impact on the later palace poetry.
A revolutionary achievement in the middle of the 9th century was the formation of Kana, which was used to express Japanese pronunciation.This phonetic system basically uses completely simplified Chinese characters to express the pronunciation of Japanese, and its formation has played a great role in promoting the deepening of Japanese literary consciousness that distinguishes Chinese literature.The emergence of kana has promoted the development of prose literature written in local language.His early representative works include《Ise monogatari 》。
In the late 10th century, Fujiwara took power by virtue of his daughters who married into the palace and became the wives and concubines of the emperor, and they were superior to the emperor.Thus, a literary circle was formed among the concubines in the harem.It is these women who created the great essays of the 11th century, such as the novels created by Zishibu《Tale of Genji》The Japanese regard these works as a watershed in the development of local literature.
medieval literature
The main development of Japanese poetry in the Middle Ages (from the middle of the 12th century to the 16th century) was the rise of "Liange".This kind of poetry originated from the Waka tradition of the court, and was later carried forward by the warriors and lower court officials. Some of the best renga poets even came from civilians (such as patriarchs).
The major development of prose literature in the Middle Ages was the emergence of stories describing war themes, such as The Tales of the Army《Pingjia Tale》Etc.
Edo Literature
After more than 100 years of war, Japan established a stable central government in Edo (now Tokyo).With the wide circulation of standard currency, the market economy developed rapidly, resulting in the rich citizen class in the Edo era (1603-1867).With the general prosperity of society, the number of literate people is increasing, and literary works have become profitable commodities, so the publishing industry has emerged as the times require.For example, "Lust Generation Men" created by Ishihara Xihe.
This period also saw the emergence of "Haiku" (later called "Haiku"), a 17 syllable form of light verse, whose theme came from the life of nature and ordinary people, and Matsuo Bajiao promoted this genre to a great poetic realm.
contemporary literature
After the Meiji Restoration in 1867, Japan fully introduced western technology and culture, which largely replaced the status of Chinese culture.Therefore, the novel has become a serious and respected literary genre in Japan.At the same time, writers gradually abandoned written language and switched to oral writing.
Natsume Soseki pushed Japanese modern realistic novels to a fully mature state.The heroes in his novels are usually highly educated and vulnerable to the new trend of egoism. They are extremely sensitive to the isolation between themselves and the outside world.For Soseki, self blame, betrayal and loneliness are the inevitable results of seeking self liberation and all the uncertainties that accompany western culture.Representative works include Dancer, I Am a Cat, etc.
Akutagawa Ryunosuke is one of the most famous short story writers in Japan.He created Rashomon (1915) and Yabu no naka (1922) and other works with exquisite narrative techniques. The author successfully used bizarre language to integrate meticulous psychological description and satirical expression style with blind optimism.Yongjing Hefeng is famous for his sad works. His life and works reflect the conflict between modern civilization and nostalgia complex.
The writer who can most clearly reflect the loss and confusion after the broken and chaotic experience of World War II is Taizai Zhi.His work Shayo (1947) and his novel Ningen shikkaku (1948) published shortly before his suicide attracted a large number of readers.
In novels such as Yukiguni (1935-1947), Kawabata Yasunari, the Nobel Prize winner in literature, meticulously created a huge contrast in the characters' personalities, suggesting fear of intimate relationships between people, because such intimacy may hurt people's emotions, even the most reliable emotions.[66]
Art
Many factors have promoted the development of Japanese art.For many centuries, from a technical and aesthetic point of view, Japanese art has been deeply influenced by the development of Chinese style and culture, some of which were introduced through South Korea.In modern times, western techniques and artistic values also had a certain impact on Japanese art.However, Japan began to show its own inherent and unique forms of artistic expression by absorbing the ideological essence and professional skills of other cultures.
ancient
The original Japanese settlers, the rope scholars (about 10000 BC to 300 BC), made clay sculptures called "dougu" by hand, most of which were women.Later, the Yasheng people (about 300 BC to 300 AD) produced bronze weapons, bronze bells, and fired pottery in kilns.The core part of Yayoi people is a different immigrant group in the early period of this era.The typical artifacts of the later ancient tomb era (about 300 AD to 710 AD) include bronze mirrors unearthed and sculptures called "wheel of the heaven" standing outside the tomb.The simple line patterns on the "dotaku", the big bell made in the Yayoi era, and the murals decorated on the tomb walls of the ancient tomb era represent the origin of Japanese painting art.[74]
Buddhism and China's influence
Japanese painting art flourished in the 6th century AD, when the ruling class took a great interest in Buddhism and its culture from China.The paintings preserved at the end of the 7th century and the beginning of the 8th century follow the painting style of the late Six Dynasties of China (222-589 AD).These works reflect the life of Buddha and depict the images of other Buddha gods.After the 10th century, painting was increasingly influenced by the "Pure Land Belief".
Driven by the ruling class, from the end of the 6th century to the beginning of the 7th century, many temples were built in Japan.Among them, the most famous are "Flying Bird Temple", "Four Heavenly Kings Temple" and "Falong Temple".The interior of these temple buildings, especially the main hall and Buddha hall, gathers a large number of Buddhist art works.The murals in the Golden Hall of Falong Temple are the most important paintings of this period.In these temples, we can also see various statues representing Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and patron deities.The three statues of Sakyamuni in the Falong Temple are the best among them.
Dahe's national treasure, Master Faran's Painting Biography, photo provided by: Kyoto National Museum
In the Heian era (794-1185 AD), a kind of“yamatoe ”The style of painting began to replace the Chinese painting mode."Dahe Painting" depicts the scenery around Kyoto. People can see the earliest works of this kind on sliding and folding screens.
In the late 12th century, although the political power had obviously fallen from the aristocracy to the samurai class, the aristocracy and the administrators of Buddhist temples and shrines were still extremely rich and continued to provide financial support for various art schools.
Sculpture is the most obvious form of realism.Yunqing is a famous sculptor of "Qingpai". The two "Ren Wang Statues" in front of the south gate of Dongda Temple, and the two wood carvings of Xingfu Temple - the Indian sages "Wuzhu" and "Shiqin" are the representatives of his masterful works.
Zen was widely popular in the 13th century, and the architecture and art works it introduced were completely different from other schools.In the 14th century AD, "painting scroll" was largely replaced by ink painting, which was deeply rooted in the famous Kamakura and Kyoto temples.Zen painters - more importantly, their funders - have a particular preference for simple and simple monochrome painting styles from the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) and the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD) in China.By the end of the 15th century, Zen painters and their funders in Kyoto had developed a strong interest in monochrome landscape painting known as "ink painting".The monk Xuezhou is one of the Zen painters. He once went to China and learned Chinese painting there.[74]
Edo Period (1603-1867 AD)
In 1603, the Tokugawa shogunate came into power and successfully made Japan achieve peace and stability in both economic and political aspects.Under the rule of the Tokugawa regime, the merchants in Edo (later Tokyo) and Kyoto became richer and richer, and then began to control cultural activities.
Ukiyo-e painting "Shinagawa Rushing in the Waves" by Ge Zuaibeizhai
Kuanyong era (1624-1644 AD) paintings depict the bustling scene of the Yachuan River entertainment area in Kyoto and people from all walks of life.Osaka and Edo also have similar neighborhoods, where the "Ukiyoshi" unrestrained life atmosphere is finally called“Ukiyoe”(ukiyo-e).These "Ukiyo-e paintings" are often characterized by depicting flower streets and willow lanes and "kabuki", which are popular throughout the country."Ukiyo-e" was originally a form of painting. At the beginning of the 18th century, "Uki-e" was generally made and produced in the form of prints.
Ukiyo-e painting "Appreciating Flowers in Jiyuan" Author: Bird Dwelling in Qingchang
By the end of the 18th century, Ukiyo had entered its golden age of development.Birds live in QingchangThe beauty in the works, especially the tall and elegant women, became the painting theme in the 1880s.After 1790, painters created new artistic styles one after another, and their names are well known to people today: Hidokawa Komaru, Dongzhouzhai Music Writing, Kazusai Kitsai, Ando Guangchong and Kakawa Guofang, which can be described as countless.
With the arrival of the Meiji era (1868 – 1912 AD) and the establishment of its westernization policy, "Ukiyoyo", an art form that has always been closely linked with the theme it describes and the culture of reality, quickly disappeared.[74]
Architecture
Historically, Japanese architecture has been deeply influenced by Chinese architecture, although there are many differences between the two.In Chinese buildings, exposed wooden components are coated with paint, which is rarely seen in Japanese buildings.In addition, Chinese architecture is designed and built based on the lifestyle of using chairs, while the Japanese are used to sitting on the ground, which is a habit evolved from the Meiji era (AD 1868-1912).
Japanese architecture is also affected by the climate.In most areas of Japan, summer is usually long, hot and humid, which is obviously reflected in the form of building.The traditional Japanese house is slightly lifted off the ground to keep good ventilation around and below the house.Because wood is warm in winter and cool in summer, flexible and earthquake resistant, it has become the preferred material for Japanese architecture.[75]
Falong Temple (listed in the World Cultural Heritage List in 1993)
In the era of flying birds (AD 593~710), Buddhism was introduced into Japan from China. At that time, Buddhist temples were built according to Chinese architectural forms.Since then, Japanese architecture has been deeply influenced by Buddhist architecture.Falong Temple, built in 607 AD and rebuilt soon after the fire in 670 AD, has one of the oldest architectural structures in the world.[75]
Site of Pingcheng Palace
In the era of Nara (710 – 784 AD), the ancient capital Pingchengjing in Nara County was built by the Chinese capital and distributed in a chessboard pattern.During this period, many temples and palaces were built in the architectural style of the Tang Dynasty.[75]
The picture of Pingcheng and Beijing was built in imitation of Chang'an City of the Tang Dynasty
In the Heian era (794-1185 AD), Japan fully absorbed the essence of Chinese architecture and developed into a real Japanese national architectural style.The aristocratic homestead in Ping'an, which is now in Kyoto, was built in the style of "dormitory building". The main building and bedroom are located in the center and connected with other rooms through the cloister.[75]
Tianshou Pavilion
Many castles were built in the 16th century, when feudal lords ruled Japanese society.These buildings are mainly used for military defense, as well as symbols of the status and power of local lords, and are used for home.Some castles have been preserved to this day, among which the most commendable one is the "Tianshouge" (the main building of the castle).The residences in the castle and the dormitories in the temple are often designed in the style of residential buildings, which is called "academy building". This style combines new architectural features, including translucent and opaque papered skateboards "curtains" and "jackets" and straw mats "tatami", which are still the main styles of traditional Japanese houses today.The "Ertiaocheng Ermaru Palace" in Kyoto, built in the 17th century, is a magnificent example of this style in the existing ancient buildings.[75]
Buddhist architecture
Luyuan Temple, located in Kyoto, Japan
When Buddhism was introduced into Japan in the 6th century AD, temples for burning incense and worshipping Buddha were built one after another, and their style was modeled on that of China.In each temple complex, many buildings not only serve the daily life of monks or nuns, but also provide gathering places for secular disciples who come to worship.
Asakusa Temple, located in Tokyo
In the 7th century AD, a group of Buddhist buildings usually consisted of seven parts: pagoda, main hall, meditation room, bell tower, Sutra Pavilion, monk's house and Zhaitang.Surrounding the whole temple complex are earth walls with mountain gates on all sides.Usually, the mountain gate is a two-story structure.The main hall has the largest Buddha statue.As a place for monks to meditate and chant sutras, meditate and worship Buddha.In the early temple buildings, the meditation room was often the largest building.
Asakusa Temple Pagoda
There are two main types of pagodas: one is used as a bell tower for daily Buddhist timing, and the other is used for storing scriptures (Sutra Pavilion).The back or both sides of the inner courtyard of the Buddhist temple are equipped with a fast hall and a monk's house.
Buddhist temple buildings are generally in geometric shape, and the architectural layout of different sects is different.The main buildings of Zen Buddhist temples are usually distributed in a straight line and connected by cloisters.The Buddhist temple complex of Pure Land belief often includes gardens and pools.[75]
Shinto architecture
Believers of Shinto believe that "kami" exists in everything in the world, from active volcanoes and beautiful mountains to trees, rocks and waterfalls.The shrine is a holy place to worship the "god" (kami), and also a place for people to worship.
Yandao Shrine Big Bird House
The architecture of the shrine depends on the environment, not on a fixed layout.From the unique "Bird House" (the gate) in the outer courtyard, there is a path or a reference road leading to the main hall of the shrine, and many stone lanterns stand on both sides of the road. To keep the purity of the shrine, the shrine has a "hand water shed" for the worshippers to rinse their mouths and hands. Many shrines have a pair of "poodles" standing in front of the main hall and the gate, which are like lions and are used as the guardians of the shrine.[75]
Japanese Shinto Shrine
Other palaces are used to temporarily worship gods (kami) on special occasions.This architectural style is said to date back to about 300 BC.The main hall of the Shinto Shrine in Tsuyoshita, located in Osaka, is similar to this other palace and is believed to preserve the style and features of ancient religious buildings.The other main styles of the main hall inherited the simple and bright architectural form of the granary and treasury in prehistoric Japan.The Yishi Temple in Sanchong County is a typical example of this style.Its inner palace is used to worship the sun goddess "Tianzhao God".The outer palace is used to worship the food goddess "Fengshou God".
With the introduction of Buddhism, the nature of Shintoism worship has also changed;The architecture of the shrine draws on some features of Buddhist architecture.For example, many shrines are painted in a Chinese style: red columns and white walls.[75]
Modern Architecture
Nagano Matsumoto Kaizhi School
With the rise of the Meiji Restoration in 1867, Japan began to introduce modern architectural technology.The first batch of buildings produced as a result of this effort integrate traditional Japanese wood structure techniques with western architectural methods and design concepts.Kaizhi School (1876) in Matsumoto City, Nagano County is a typical example of this mixed approach used in school buildings.[75]
Yoyogi Guoli Arena
In the years after World War II, people made constant efforts to achieve harmony between traditional architecture and modern architecture.The best man is the thirdAs one of the most famous and influential post-war architects, he managed to integrate traditional Japanese architecture with advanced techniques of modern science and technology.In the 1950s and 1960s, he designed several eye-catching large-scale buildings, including the Yoyogi Guoli Arena for the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games.[75]
Tokyo Tower
The Tokyo Tower is located in the Toshiba Park in Tokyo, Japan. It is a landmark building and tourist attraction in Tokyo.It was built on the model of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, and officially called the Japanese Radio Tower, which is also the old name of its operating organization. It was jointly designed by architect Nato Toshio and Nikkei Design Co., Ltd. and completed on October 14, 1958.The tower is mainly used to send TV, radio and other broadcast signals, and also to send JR train stop signals in the event of a major earthquake. It also has navigation aids, wind direction and speed measurement, temperature measurement and other functions.
The highest independent iron tower in Japan is the highest point in Tokyo.The pyramid shaped iron tower is supported by four legs, and the tower body is painted in a bright yellow and cream white color.150 meters above the tower, there is a 2-storey observation tower for visitors to climb up and enjoy the scenery.A special observatory is set at a height of 250 meters, offering a view of the city of Tokyo and overlooking Mount Fuji on a sunny day.The lighting is presided over by the world famous lighting designer, Ganzi Ishii. The lighting time is between sunset and midnight.The color of the light varies with the seasons. It is white in summer, orange in spring, autumn and winter.[76]
Tokyo Xiaguan Building (middle)
Japan is an island country with frequent earthquakes. The design and development of buildings with seismic function has always been a major problem in the construction field.Xiaguan Building, the first skyscraper in Japan, was completed in 1968. It adopted the most advanced seismic technology at that time.Since then, a large number of skyscrapers have been built, including the large buildings in Tokyo's West Shinjuku (1970s) and the landmark buildings in Yokohama (1993; 296m high).[75]
Yokohama Landmark Tower
In the rapid development of the 1980s, some famous foreign architects were invited to work in Japan, and the offices of domestic architects were also full of tense and busy atmosphere.In the early 1990s, with the collapse of the "bubble economy", the development speed of Japan's construction industry began to slow down.However, many Japanese architects still have a high status in Japan or other places. A large number of foreign architects have found the commercial market in Japan, and this trend has even spread to rural areas.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Outstanding architectural works in the 1990s include the "Tokyo International Convention Center" designed by Rafael Vinoly (1997) and the "Tokyo Metropolitan Government" designed by Kenzo Tanshita (1991).In the 1980s and 1990s, the number of projects designed and built by Japanese architects abroad increased day by day.These include the new Los Angeles Museum of Art in Yoshizaki (1986), the "Hualian Bank Building" in Singapore (1986), Heikawa's Tefance Pacific Building in Paris (1992), and Tadao Ando's Meditation Chamber designed for UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France (1995).
The best man is the thirdIt is especially popular abroad.He has won many international design awards, such as the Pritzker Architecture Award awarded by the Hyatt Foundation in 1995 and the RIBA Gold Award awarded by the Royal Institute of Architects in 1997.Toyo Ito was also awarded the Gold Award by the Royal Society of Architects in 2006.In 2010, Meidao and Shihe Xizeliwei won the Pritzker Prize.The "SANAA" architectural project jointly created by Ogasawara Museum (Itada City, Nagano County, 1999) and Kanazawa 21st Century Art Museum (Ishikawa County, 2004) was well received.[75]
Tokyo Sky Tower
In 2012, the world's highest self-supporting radio tower, the Tokyo Clear Sky Tower (634 meters high), was opened. It is characterized by the use of "concave arc" and "convex arc" techniques in traditional Japanese architecture, presenting a soft curve from the top to the bottom of the tower.Depending on the viewing angle and location, this new landmark will present a variety of expressions.[75]
New National Arena, friendly integration of natural wood plants
The architect who designed the Kabuki Theater in 2013 and the main venue of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (the new national arena)Kengo KumaIt is famous for using many eco-friendly natural materials, such as wood, paper and soil.The appearance of the new national arena has the beauty of Japanese style and styleForest StadiumWith distinctive Kengo Kuma style, it fully demonstrates the characteristics of localization and low-carbon environmental protection.From a distance, the whole stadium is surrounded by trees, and the stadium itself is actually a huge collection of thin pieces of wood. All the wood used for construction is taken from 47 counties and cities in Japan.The facade is composed of overlapping multi story eaves, inspired by the construction technology of Japanese temple eaves, and the small diameter wooden shutters represent the traditional beauty of Japanese architecture in a modern way.[75]
garden
In addition to trees and trees, Japanese gardens are artistically decorated with rocks, gravel, rockeries, ponds and flowing water.Unlike Western style gardens with geometric layout, Japanese gardens in the traditional sense mostly imitate nature to create a simple landscape pattern as far as possible.
Japanese courtyard
The designer of the garden follows three basic principles for composition and layout: miniaturization, symbolization and "borrowing scenery".The first is to shrink the natural mountains and rivers and concentrate them in a limited area.This means that people can even create an ideal mountain village scenery in the city.The symbol contains abstract meanings, such as the use of white sand to symbolize the sea.Designers use the method of "borrowing scenery" to incorporate the background outside the garden or in the distance, such as mountains or oceans, into the design composition, so that the two become one.
Japanese gardens are generally divided into two categories: "mountain building" (mountain stone garden) consisting of rockeries and ponds, and "flat court" (flat garden) in flat areas without rockeries and ponds.At first, the "mountain building" style was usually used for the main garden of high houses, while the "flat court" style was used for limited space.However, the latter type has become more and more popular with the introduction of tea ceremony and tea room (the room where tea ceremony is performed).[81]
Ancient Gardens
The earliest known Japanese gardens can be traced back to the era of flying birds (593-710) and the era of Nara (710-794).In the Daiwa area (now Nara County), designers of the Royal Garden and the Royal Family Garden have created a sea view garden with large ponds dotted with islands and surrounded by the "coast".It was also at this time that Buddhism spread from the mainland to Japan through the Korean Peninsula.The immigrants from there have added the influence of mainland culture to Japanese gardens, such as rockery fountains and stone bridges from China.[81]
"Bedroom building" style garden
"Bedroom building" style garden
In 794 AD, the capital of Japan was moved from Nara to Kyoto, starting the Heian era (794-1185).With the stability of the power of Fujiwara's aristocratic family, a kind of aristocratic art and culture originating from the local area has been developed.These nobles lived in luxurious palaces built in the style of "bedchamber building".The gardens of that era were also magnificent.[81]
"Bedroom building" style garden
Several rivers converge in the city of Kyoto, and people dig rivers to let the water flow through various parts of the city.The summer in Kyoto is hot and humid, so people build ponds and waterfalls to add coolness.The stream, known as "sending water", haunts various buildings and runs through private gardens.In this "boat tour" (cruise ship) style, the pond which is usually designed as an ellipse is very large and can be rowed on it;In addition, pavilions were built in the water and connected with other buildings of the mansion through the cloister with a canopy to facilitate fishing.Between the main building and the pond is an open area covered with white sand.The unique scenery here is an ideal place to hold various formal celebrations.
Another kind of garden, called "shuyu" (stroll) style, has a path, which allows walkers to walk along the path from one scene to another, choose the best location, and view different landscapes from all angles.People can often see this kind of garden in the temples and grand buildings of Heian, Kamakura and Muromachi times.The Xifang Temple Garden in Kyoto, designed and built by Monks in Muromachi era, is famous for its typical "touring" style garden.The design of the garden naturally integrates the pond with the mountains in the background, leaving a deep impression.[81]
Pure Land Style Garden
Equality Academy Phoenix Hall
In the 10th century, Japanese nobles became more and more religious about Buddhist activities.People believe in the paradise called "Pure Land". With the spread of this belief, Japanese gardens have gradually been imitated into the image of "Pure Land" described in scriptures and doctrines.It has become the concrete crystallization of some of the oldest Japanese garden themes.
Garden of Equality Academy
In this kind of garden, the focus should be on the pond. The arch bridge on the water surface protrudes, leading to the island in the center of the pond.Located in Yuzhi (near Kyoto), the garden of the House of Equality is the best example of the "Pure Land" garden.The Buddhist temple was originally the hometown of Taoist Tengyuan, a powerful figure at that time.Because the elite of the society at that time had great interest in garden buildings, these buildings became the theme of many excellent works of criticism. The earliest work was "Records of the Working Court" (discussion on garden construction).[81]
Zen style garden
In the subsequent Kamakura era (around 1185 – 1333), due to the rise of the status of the samurai class and the influence of Chinese Zen monks, the style of houses and gardens began to change.It is not the custom of these elite warriors to hold grand celebrations in the garden.On the contrary, they prefer to enjoy the beautiful scenery of gardens from the inside of the house, so the design of these gardens mainly considers the function of pleasing the eyes and the heart.During this period, monk designers, or "stone monks" (literally meaning monks who placed stones) began to attract the attention of the world.[81]
Kyoto Dade Temple (representative of Zen style garden)
Due to the great influence of Zen Buddhism, these gardens have very abstract features: groups of rocks represent mountains or waterfalls, while white sand is used to represent flowing water.This kind of garden may be influenced by Chinese ink and wash landscape paintings depicting barren mountains and dry waters, which can't be seen anywhere in the world.Such gardens include Long'an Temple and Dade Temple in Kyoto.The former is also a typical "flat court style" garden, which is only built on a flat ground with 15 rocks and white sand.
"Wandering" Garden
In the Edo era (1603-1867), the "Huiyou" (Dole) Garden built for feudal lords reflects various garden styles in Japan over the centuries.The garden uses superior stones and trees to reproduce famous landscapes in miniature.People walk among the small gardens and enjoy the view of the pond in the middle of the garden.[81]
Guili Palace
The Guili Palace Garden, built in the early Edo era, is a typical "wandering" garden. A pond is built in the center of the garden, and several tea rooms stand beside the water.The garden is famous through the works of German architect Bruno Tauter.Another famous garden in Kyoto is the courtyard of the Imperial Palace in Kyoto.This garden built in the 17th century AD is called Yuchi Ting, which means "pond garden".A large pond occupies most of the garden, and several islands covered with pine trees dot it.[81]
Koishikawa Korakuen Garden
Built in 1629, the Ishikawa Back Paradise is one of the most spectacular "wandering" gardens in Tokyo. Originally, the first generation of Mito clan leader Takagawa Laifang recruited craftsmen from Kyoto to design a Japanese style garden with mountains and water by using the original ancient trees in the garden.In order to distinguish from the back park in Okayama Prefecture, the name of the back park of Ishikawa, which was formerly called the back park of Ishikawa and later designated as a national historical site and scenic spot by the Japanese government, was preceded by the name of the location of Ishikawa, which was called the back park of Ishikawa.In 1952, Koishikawa Houyuan Park was designated by the Japanese government as a "special historical site and special scenic spot".The garden architecture of the Small Ishikawa Rear Park not only has the pattern of pavilions, small bridges and flowing water in Chinese gardens in the south of the Yangtze River, but also has the style of winding paths and small nature in Japanese gardens, which is a combination of Chinese and Japanese gardens.[81]
Koishikawa Korakuen Garden
The main designer of the Xiaoshichuan Paradise is the Chinese sagesZhu Zhiyu。When designing the new garden, Zhu Shunshui respected the Japanese style of the original garden on the one hand, and integrated many scenic spots, architectural styles and Confucian culture of China into this foreign garden on the other hand.In addition to the design, Zhu Shunshui also personally participated in and guided the construction of some scenic spots and buildings.The reconstructed garden is a "wandering rockery spring garden" centered on the pool water (big spring water) because it is led into the garden by a tributary from the upper water of the Kanda.Many scenic spots in the garden are named after Chinese scenic spots, such as West Lake Embankment, Xiaolu Mountain, Penglai Island, etc. Many buildings are named after Hande Pavilion, Bagua Hall and other Chinese names, which shows the cultural atmosphere of Zhu Shunshui embellishing the garden with Confucianism.There are also many kinds of plants in the garden, which make the scenery different throughout the year.[80]
Xiaoshichuan Houyuan Yuanyue Bridge
On the small island in the lake in the garden, there is a small temple dedicated to "debating wealth"."Debate Caitian", originally an Indian goddess, is one of Japan's "Seven Blessed Gods".The stone bridge leading to the island is called "Yuanyue Bridge", which is named for its semicircular shape.The stone bridge and its reflection in the water form a complete circle.[81]
Located in the north of the garden, the Yuanyue Bridge is a Chinese style stone arch bridge, which looks like a rainbow in the distance.The bridge is located between two mountains. There is a Bagua Hall on the north mountain and a Deren Hall on the south mountain. The stream under the bridge flows from west to east.It is said that when there is a lot of water, the semicircular arch is reflected on the water like a full moon, hence the name.[80]
Binli Palace Gift Park
Binli Palace Gift Park is another famous "wandering" garden in Tokyo.The most famous landscape in the garden is the tidal pond built in the Edo era. Three stone bridges span it. Each bridge is covered with wisteria, and each bridge leads to an island.The layout of ponds, lawns and racetracks creates a villa atmosphere of feudal lords in the Edo era.[81]
Okayama Korakuen Garden
The so-called three beautiful gardens in Japan - Mitokai Paradise in Ibaraki Prefecture, Kanazawa and Six Gardens in Ishikawa Prefecture, and Okayama Back Paradise in Okayama Prefecture - are also of this type.[81]
Flower path
Japanese large-scale flower path
The word "flower path" is usually translated into "Japanese flower arrangement art", but the materials used in "flower path" can include just cut branches, vines, leaves, grass, berries, fruits, seeds and flowers, as well as dried plants.In fact, people can use any natural substance in the "flower path".In the contemporary "flower path", people can also use glass, metal and plastic products.As one of the traditional Japanese arts, "flower path" has developed into a symbolic language and decorative concept. The use of natural and short-lived flowers, branches and leaves makes the time dimension a part of creative activities.The relationship between materials, arrangement and distribution patterns, the size, shape, texture, capacity and color of containers, and the place and occasion of the "flower path" display are extremely important factors.[79]
Japanese Flower Path
In the 500 year history of the "Flower Path", its manifestations are extremely wide: from small household decorations to huge landscape paintings and innovative sculptures that can fill the entire exhibition hall.With the diversification of contemporary works, traditional forms are constantly being studied and innovated.In addition, the "flower path" (or "flower arrangement") is also pursued as a meditation on the change of seasons, the passage of time and the process of change.The religious origin of the "flower path" and the close relationship between the "flower path" and the natural cycle of growth, decline and regeneration of all things endow the "flower path" with profound spiritual connotation.
The diversity of Japanese natural landscape and the ancient agricultural lifestyle provide a good environment for the development of "Huadao".The decisive influence on the "flower path" was the introduction of Buddhism from China to Japan in the 6th century AD, and the resulting custom of offering flowers to Buddha and the dead, known as "kuge".The three flower stems as offerings are arranged in simple symmetry.However, in the early 17th century, its shape evolved into "rikka" (literally "standing flower"), which was created by the monks of the Chi Fang School.[79]
Japanese Flower Path
People use long necked vases and superb skills to express this exquisite art form.The main part, which symbolizes "heaven" or "truth", is usually asymmetrical. First, it stretches and bends to the left or right, and then the top of the main part returns to the vertical shaft at the center.Many other branches stretch out from the center of the bouquet (the center of the imaginary sphere), and each branch has its own symbolic meaning and decorative function.On the whole, "Lihua" works show the miniature landscape of the whole universe through the image of landscape.Its main characteristics, such as asymmetry, symbolism and spatial depth, had a significant impact on the future development of the Japanese flower path.
"Flower path" is still a favorite art of many ordinary people in Japan. They do not belong to any particular school, and engaging in "flower path" activities has become an integral part of their daily life.All kinds of flower arrangements always decorate the household life of ordinary people, while in some special occasions and festivals, people will choose some specific materials.Evergreen pine, which symbolizes "eternity", is the first choice for decoration. It is usually accompanied by green bamboos to express youth and vitality and apricot branches to pray for health and longevity.[79]
diet
Japanese food is generally called Heshi or Japanese cuisine, which can be summarized as "five flavors", "five colors" and "five methods".The "five flavors" are: bitter in spring, sour in summer, sweet in winter and astringent in autumn."Five colors" are: green spring, Zhu Xia, white autumn, dark winter, and then the wide use of yellow.The so-called "five methods" refer to five cooking methods: steaming, burning, boiling, frying and eating raw.[101]
After the introduction of rice cultivation technology in Asia for more than 2000 years, Japan's rice centered food culture has gradually developed.In the Edo era (1603-1867), the traditional diet of rice plus seasonal vegetables, aquatic products and seafood became more and more mature and perfect, becoming the most dynamic cooking form of Japanese food culture, and has been inherited to this day.However, in the past century and a half since Japan reopened to the West, Japan's food culture has been further developed, showing an extremely rich and diverse form, not only including Japan's own cooking style, but also introducing many foreign cuisines, some of which cater to Japanese tastes and habits, while others have not changed much.The delicacy of Japanese cuisine, which displays the beauty of nature and seasonal changes, is closely related to each festival every year, while enriching the Japanese food culture.
Buddhism was introduced into Japan in the 6th century AD.In the following centuries, Japanese laws and decrees gradually put almost all animal and poultry meat into the list of fasting.The vegetarian style called "refined cuisine" was later popularized by the Zen sect. By the 15th century AD, many Japanese food and ingredients used today had begun to come out, such as soy sauce, miso, tofu and other bean products.At about the same time, formal and elegant banquet style cooking was developed in Japan, which was derived from the royal cuisine.This kind of cooking is called "Benshan Cuisine", which is one of the three basic cooking forms in Japan and is as famous as "Chahuaishi Cuisine" and "Huaishi Cuisine".
First served appetizers, such as "sashimi" (sashimi), "sucking" (clear soup), "cooking" (barbecue food), "steaming" (steamed food), "cooking" (stewed food), and "harmony" (salad like food with seasoning), followed by "sauce soup", "pickled" (pickled vegetables), riceJapanese sweets and fruits.Finally, tea.Although most Japanese seldom have the opportunity to experience a full set of "Huaishi" banquet, the type of food provided in "Huaishi Cuisine" and the order of serving are the basis of the whole process of Japanese contemporary cuisine.
Japanese diet
Authentic Japanese food is relatively standard. A family style "Japanese meal" is usually white rice, plus "soy sauce soup" and "pickles".To a great extent, the variety of dishes matching these three foods depends on the region, season and family preference, but it is no more than the prepared vegetables, tofu, grilled fish, sashimi, and beef, pork and chicken cooked in various ways.
Although many Japanese families still focus on home-made meals every night, in recent decades, the biggest change in Japanese eating habits is to buy food prepared outside, thus saving the trouble of cooking at home.They can enjoy sushi, Chinese and Japanese pastries, and Japanese boxed lunch "bento" through food delivery outlets all over the town. Now people can also order pizza and many other foods.In addition, people can also buy sushiTempura, fried chicken and other cooked foods and take them home.Convenience stores have almost extended to the most remote areas in Japan, so almost all Japanese can enjoy the convenience and speed brought by various "bento" foods.[68]
Dining out
Japanese traditional sushi restaurant
Japan's most famous contribution to world food culture:Sushi, usually tasted in sushi restaurants.There, guests gathered around the counter and asked the sushi chef to order one by one.Another kind of "conveyor belt" sushi restaurant (rotary sushi) is also popular. You can take two small plates of sushi from the conveyor belt in front of you. If there is no sushi you want, you can ask the master to make it for you.Unlike foreign Japanese restaurants, these restaurants often serve a series of different types of Japanese food, while domestic Japanese restaurants generally only serve a single food, such as sushi, tempura, hot pot (thin beef slices boiled in boiling soup), hoe shao, eel (roasted eel), buckwheat noodles, and udong noodles.Family style restaurant chains are different. These restaurants usually serve a range of Japanese, Western and Chinese meals.
There are two types of restaurants in Japan with a large number, but they are not the "authentic Japanese" restaurants that people think. These are ramen restaurants and barbecue restaurants.The ramen restaurant provides large Chinese ramen noodles, which are served in large bowls filled with soup (seasoned with soy sauce, miso, salt and other condiments), barbecue slices, and various vegetables (bean sprouts, green onions, etc.). Many guests also want additional dumplings to serve with ramen.The barbecue restaurant is mainly Korean barbecue food. Guests sit around the table and barbecue a mouthful of beef and other meat and vegetables on the charcoal or gas grill.In most major cities of Japan, there are also a large number of restaurants with various exotic flavors serving France
Compared with the exquisite "Huaishi Pavilion" and the French restaurant, the cheapest food stalls are civilian food stalls.In some urban areas and holidays, as well as outdoor activities attended by many people, these stalls are still a familiar landscape.Some of the stalls are most popular with people. The varieties of these stalls are: fried noodles (fried buckwheat noodles), grilled chicken kebabs (kebabs), miscellaneous fried vegetable cakes (pancakes made of vegetables and various ingredients), frankfurter sausages, and butter baked earth beans.Serve special dishes from France, Italy, India, China, South Korea and other countries.In Tokyo, people can almost taste delicious food from all over the world.[68]
Food Safety
Japan has formed a complete regulatory system in the field of food safety, and is one of the countries in the world that have the strictest inspection on imported fresh agricultural and sideline products and food safety.
Japan has long attached great importance to the safety of imported food.The Japanese government has not only formulated a series of laws, regulations and relevant systems, but also built a complete organization, and has formed an efficient, scientific and flexible food safety management system relying on an effective food safety inspection system.
The Cabinet Office of Japan has a food safety committee, which is the highest decision-making body of the government responsible for food safety, and supervises and guides risk management organizations such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.In practice, it is the Ministry of Health, Labor and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries that really exercises the power of food safety supervision.The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare mainly supervises the import and export and food hygiene in the domestic market;The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is mainly responsible for the safety quarantine of fresh agricultural and sideline products in the import, export and domestic markets.
According to the types of imported products, Japan can be roughly divided into three categories: plants, animals and food hygiene.The health and safety testing of imported products is very perfect and strict both in terms of system and testing methods.In particular, the inspection and quarantine of imported agricultural products and food are not only strict but also cumbersome.All imported animal, plant and agricultural products and processed food must first pass the quarantine of the animal quarantine office or plant quarantine office under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and then be subject to the inspection of the food quarantine office under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.Japan has very strict requirements for the registration of hot processed food enterprises, which must be assessed on the spot by Japanese officials before deciding whether to approve.Even the qualified agricultural products and food that have been quarantined by the plant quarantine office and animal quarantine office cannot be guaranteed to be qualified after entering the inspection procedures of the food quarantine office.[101]
Tea ceremony
Tea ceremony
Tea ceremony, or "tea ceremony", is a ritual tea making and serving art demonstrated with powdered green tea in front of guests.The full set of tea ceremony includes refreshments and two courses of tea, which lasts about four hours.During the whole tea ceremony, the host devotes himself to creating an atmosphere that makes the guests feel beautiful, wise and happy, and makes them feel calm.To reach this level, the host and hostess may spend decades mastering the standard procedures for serving tea to guests, and also learning to appreciate art, craft, poetry and calligraphy;In addition, we should learn flower arrangement, cooking and gardening;At the same time, gradually develop an elegant, selfless and considerate character.
In Japan, millions of people learn the tea ceremony.In every corner of Japan, millions of Japanese - men and women, rich and poor - belong to more than 100 tea ceremony schools.During the year, they would go to the tea ceremony teacher every week to learn tea art with three or four other students for two hours each time.Each of them took turns making tea and playing the role of a guest.Then go home and repeat the same content next week. Many people enjoy it all their lives.
After Japan introduced green tea from China, about from the 12th century, green tea gradually became a drink in the houses of monks, nobles and warrior elites.At first, people drank tea as a medicine, and monks also drank tea as a way to refresh their minds during meditation.The early form of tea ceremony was mostly to show off valuable utensils in the magnificent hall, or to let guests guess the origin of various teas at noisy parties.Finally, under the influence of Zen masters in the 14th and 15th centuries, the process of serving tea to guests evolved into a form of edifying sentiment, which is the purpose of millions of students today to learn various schools of tea ceremony.[78]
When receiving tea at the tea party, you should follow certain rules, such as "before hand" or "before construction", which are all expressions of gratitude for the hospitality of the host.There are also different procedures for drinking strong tea and light tea, but no matter what kind of tea, the front of the tea bowl should be facing the guests. The front refers to the most beautiful part of the pattern or glaze, that is, the best part of the tea bowl.After taking over the tea bowl and appreciating the most wonderful part of the tea bowl, the guest avoided this part to taste tea, indicating that he could not bear to pollute the most beautiful part of the tea bowl.
When offering strong tea, all guests drink tea with the cup passed by.When receiving tea, place the bowl between yourself and the next guest, and bow to the host.Pick up the tea bowl with your right hand, place it on the palm of your left hand, and then slightly raise the bowl and bow to thank you.In order to keep the lips away from the front of the bowl, rotate the bowl clockwise inward twice, then take a small sip, then place the bowl on the tatami in front of you, take out the paper towel from the chest of the kimono and gently wipe the parts touched by the lips, and then put the paper towel back into the kimono.Then use your right hand to pick up the bowl, place it on the left hand, turn the front of the bowl back to the original position, and then pass it to the next guest, and bow to the host again after passing it.
Light tea is prepared separately for each guest.As with strong tea, when receiving tea, you should put the tea between yourself and the next guest, and bow to him to apologize for drinking first.Then place the tea bowl in front of your knee and thank the host for his hospitality.Then rotate the bowl twice to yourself, so that you won't drink tea with the front of the bowl. After drinking tea, wipe the part where you drink tea with your finger, and turn the front of the bowl to face you.Place the tea bowl on the tatami in front of you. When you pick up the tea bowl and enjoy it, place your elbow above your knee.When returning the tea bowl, make sure to turn the front back to the owner.When guests take an origami, they should put the dessert on the paper first, and then eat it.Soft and wet desserts must be cut with a special fork and eaten, while dry desserts are picked up with fingers and sent into the mouth.[78]
festival
National legal festivals in Japan
name
date
interpretation
first day of first lunar month
January 1st
Celebrate the beginning of the New Year.
Adult Day
The second Monday in January
Celebrate the festival when young people turn 20.
Foundation Day
February 11th
It is a festival to commemorate the accession of the first emperor in Japanese legend, Emperor Shenwu.
Emperor's Birthday
February 23rd
On this day in 1960, Ling and the Emperor of Heaven were born.
Vernal equinox
Around March 21
This is a festival for family reunion and ancestor worship.
Greenknot
April 29th
It was the birthday of the late Emperor Showa.After his death, it was designated as a festival to protect Japanese green plants.
Constitutional Day
May 3rd
A festival commemorating the entry into force of the Japanese Constitution in 1947.
Children's Day
May 5th
I wish children a healthy and happy holiday.
Ocean Festival
The third Monday in July
This is a festival to thank the sea for its blessing.
Mountain Day
August 11th
It is a festival that allows people to get close to the mountain and express gratitude for the benefits the mountain has given to people.
Memorial Day
The 3rd Monday in September
A festival honoring the elderly.
Autumn equinox
Around September 23
A festival of family reunion and ancestor worship.
Sports festival
The 2nd Monday in October
The festival was established in 1966 to commemorate the opening of the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. It is a festival to promote health and physical exercise.
Cultural Festival
November 3rd
Holds various cultural activities to cultivate the concept of peace and freedom expressed in the Constitution of Japan (promulgated on November 3, 1946).
Thank you for your hard work
November 23rd
It is a celebration of labor and harvest.
comic
cartoon
On the whole, Japanese large-scale cartoons can be classified as original works or television animation series.The latter's pioneering works include films such as Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy and Matsumoto's Cosmic Battleship Yamato and Galaxy Railway 999.Japan regularly produces and distributes some popular large-scale TV series cartoons, such as Crayon Shin chan, Doraemon, and the hugely successful Fairy Baoke Dream.[67]
For more than ten years, the director Hayao Miyazaki has occupied the leading position in the original animation market.Miyazaki integrated humor, social criticism, environmental activism and poetic lyricism, and created a large number of animation works with artistic taste and box office success. These films include Valley of Wind (1984)City of the Sky(1986)Dragon Cat(1988)Princess Phantom(1997)Spirited Away(2001; 2003 Academy Award for Best Animated Film), andHal's Moving Castle(2004)Bo Niu on the Cliff(2008)The Wind Rises(2013), etc.
In 2016, director Xin Haicheng released cartoonsYour Name, which tells the story of a teenager and a girl exchanging bodies. This film has become one of the few Japanese films that have won international reputation except Hayao Miyazaki's works.[67]
Famous Japanese cartoon characters (not made into animation series, only independent characters)
The image of Altman is also a representative of Japanese phenomenal culture. Altman (Hu ルトラマンンンンランンランランラ), also known as the "Early Altman", is a huge hero in the Japanese Altman series (ルトラランンンㄛリーズ).It made its first appearance in the first sentence of the Japanese special television series "Altman", "Altman Battle No. 1" (July 17, 1966).He is a giant of light from M78 nebula, who came to the earth in pursuit of the fugitive cosmic monster Bermuda.When chasing Baimula over the Longsen Lake, he accidentally collided with the plane taken by Zaodajin, a member of the scientific search team, which killed him in the crash.In order to make up for his mistakes and save his life, Altman gave his life to Waseda and worked with him to revive him.Later, Altman, together with Waseda, launched a fierce battle with many ferocious monsters and evil cosmic men to protect the earth. Altman was the first Altman warrior in the history of Altar series, known as the giant of origin.
The image of Altman was designed by the late Japanese artist and sculptor Cheng Tian Heng (1929-2002).At the same time, he is also the designer of classic monster images such as Baltan Man, Gomorrah, King Reid, and Jayden.Altman was originally designed as a cosmic man wearing a similar Western armor, but he pushed it over and redesigned it under the requirement of the playwright Jesuo Kaneshiro (1938-1976) that "he hopes to be a handsome and beautiful cosmic man".Later, Cheng Tianheng redesigned Altman based on the idea that the opposite of chaos is order.If the monster with complex shape designed by combining various elements is chaos, then the opposite hero must be an order with simple and pure beauty.By the Japanese "God of Special Photography"Tsuburaya Eiji Since the 1960s, the "Yuangu Production Company" (Yen Guk Pha Taka, formerly known as Yuangu Co., Ltd.), which was founded by the director, has launched a series of TV series, films, cartoons, stage plays and other works of fantasy. Since then, Altman has become popular all over the world, and its image has been constantly updated.[72]
After the end of World War II, as a writer and illustratorosamu tezuka The so-called "story manga" or comic type publications with illustrations have developed in Japan in a very unique way.The sales of Japanese comics accounted for 33.8% of all books and magazines, and influenced people with their diversified art forms and representative cultural characteristics.Although some cartoon stories are mainly aimed at children who are just beginning to read, others are designed to cater to the needs of boys and girls as well as general readers.In 1959, two weekly children's comics magazines, Juvenile MAGAZINE and Juvenile SUNDAY, were issued, laying a solid foundation for today's comics culture.
Since the early 1990s, the export of Japanese comics to Europe, America, Asia and other countries has increased significantly.As of 2017, Naruto, a series of cartoons published in Juvenile JUMP, has been published and distributed to more than 30 countries. The main character in the book is a juvenile ninja.Naruto cartoons were released in more than 80 countries.The other main cartoon serialized in Juvenile JUMP is the King of Navigation, which tells the story of marine adventure. The hero is a pirate boy."Sailor King" has been adapted into animated series, movies and games, and distributed to more than 35 countries and regions.Another cartoon serialized in this journalWulong Police StationIt has gained global recognition.[67]
film
In 1951, the film Rashomon (1950) directed by Akira Kurosawa won the "Golden Lion Award" at the Venice Film Festival, which greatly stimulated the international film world's interest in Japanese films.The most influential director in the 1970s was Yoji Yamada, whose "Torasan Story" series was an overwhelming success.In 1997, the international film world paid great attention to Japanese non animation films.In particular, the film "Fireworks" directed by the famous Japanese comedian Takeshi Kitano won the "Golden Lion Award" at the 54th Venice International Film Festival;The film "Unagi" directed by Kimura Changping won the "Palme d'Or" at Cannes International Film Festival;The film "The Secret Love Family" directed by Naomi Kaase won the "Best Photography Award" at the same film festival;The film Tokyo Nocturne directed by Shikawa Zhun won the "Best Director Award" at the Montreal International Film Festival.
In 2009, Japan won two Oscar awards at one fell swoopThe encoffinserWon the Best Foreign Language Film Award;Directed by Ku Rensheng KatoMemories of the Wooden BuildingWon the best animation short story award.In 2018,Thief FamilyHe won the Palme d'Or, the highest award at the 71st Cannes International Film Festival, and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.[67]
game
In 1978, the debut of the "Space Invader" became a milestone in the history of Japanese video games.In 1983, when Nintendo and some other models of video game consoles first appeared on the market and entered the family, the video game culture began to mature gradually. Since then, "Contra" and "Super Mario Brothers" have been released one after another.In 1996, a video game called "Pokemon" won the favor of many children. This game eventually evolved into various commercial forms, including complete sets of fairy cards, comics, several TV animation series and several feature animated films, becoming a blockbuster phenomenon of pocket elves.
Kabuki is one of the four classical drama forms in Japan. The other three forms are "Neng", "Kuangyan" and "Wenyue" puppet shows.In 2008, it was included in the list of intangible cultural heritage of mankind by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).Different from other classical dramas, "Kabuki" has always been popular with the public, and it is regularly staged in theaters such as Kabuki in Tokyo, Nanzuo in Kyoto, and Matsuzuo in Osaka, attracting a large number of enthusiastic audiences."Kabuki" plays can be divided into three categories: "things of the times" (historical plays), "things of the world" (life plays) and "things done" (dance plays).About half of the plays that are still playing today were originally puppet plays.[77]
East Kabuki
During the 250 years of the Edo era (1603-1867), Japan was peaceful and prosperous, and "kabuki" developed during this period.The taste of commercial culture developed during this period is reflected in the gorgeous costumes and scenes of "kabuki", as well as in the script of "kabuki", in which legendary heroes and ordinary people strive to integrate their personal desires and social responsibilities into a harmonious whole.
The actors of "kabuki" are mostly women.It is said that "kabuki" originated from dance and the operetta originally performed in Kyoto, Japan, in 1603 by Akuo, the maid of Chuyun Dashe.The term "kabuki" has the meanings of gaudy, heresy and fashion, and has gradually been used to refer to the performances of popular drama clubs and their imitators in Afghanistan.As the "onna kabuki" (played by women) drama club also has a sideline of prostitution, this form of performance was not allowed by the Tokugawa shogunate, so the drama club was banned in 1629, and women's performances on the stage were also considered illegal."Ruozhong Kabuki" (played by young men) became popular.However, in 1652, because the pornographic activities of young actors had a negative impact on civic morality, this performance was also prohibited.[77]
Traditional kabuki performance
With the prohibition of female actors and young male actors, "kabuki" has become a genre of mature male actors.In the century after male actors were allowed to perform, "kabuki" had a great development.Although "kabuki" retains its traditional cultural roots in the purpose of the play and the genre of the industry, today's "kabuki" has become a dynamic and inseparable part of the Japanese entertainment industry.
The star actors of "kabuki" are the most prestigious figures in Japan. They frequently appear in Japanese films and TV plays, playing traditional and modern roles.For example, the famous "female" actorTamasaburo Bando King V (born in 1950) has played many non kabuki plays and films, and almost all the roles he played are women.In addition, he has directed several films.In 1998, Takeo Katsuoka (born in 1944) accepted the famous stage name "Katsuoka Hitoshi Zuoweimen XV" in the ceremony of "inheriting the stage name" (inheriting the stage name), which became a major event that the Japanese media were competing to report at that time.In 2005, Kabuki actor Kokuro Nakamura accepted the name of Kokuro Nakamura, the 18th generation, and received attention.[77]
In 2007, 2-year-old Fujima Zhai first appeared on the stage with his grandfather
The representatives of the new generation of "kabuki" actors areRattan Room, because of his handsome appearance, which has attracted much attention in Japan, Fujima Zhai was born on March 27, 2005 in Komiya, a family of kabuki that has been in Japan for more than 300 years.His father and grandfather are both Japanese national treasure "kabuki" artists.His grandfather and father had planned his life for him long before his birth. He was the first person in the family to inherit kabuki.In 2007, the 2-year-old Fujima Zhai followed his grandfather on the stage for the first time and appeared in public. Since then, his every move has been closely linked to the hearts of Japanese people.At the age of 4, Fujima Zhai became the fourth generation of Matsumoto Kim Taro (the family's stage name is inherited).[77]
Fujisawa and his father
In January 2018, Fujima Zhai, together with his father and grandfather, performed a ceremony of naming himself after eight generations, attracting tens of thousands of Japanese people.[77]
military
Announce
edit
After Japan surrendered in 1945, its army was disbanded and its military institutions were abolished.In 1950, Japan established the "Police Reserve", which was later renamed the Security Force. In 1952, the "Maritime Guard" was established. In 1954, the new Air Self Defense Force was established. In July, the "Law on the Establishment of the Defense Agency" and the "Self Defense Force Law" were promulgated. The Security Force and the Maritime Guard were renamed the Land Self Defense Force and the Maritime Self Defense Force respectively, and the land, sea and air forces were officially named the Self Defense Force,A joint meeting of the Defense Department and the Chief of Staff was set up, and the command structure of the commander in chief was improved.With the rapid increase of Japan's economic strength, the construction of the Japanese army has made great progress. Under the guidance of the military building policy of "quality over quantity" and "sea and air priority", the Self Defense Force has developed into an armed force with sophisticated equipment, well-trained and strong combat capability.In 2007, the Department of Defense was upgraded to the Ministry of Defense.On December 17, 2013, the Japanese government formally adopted the National Security Guarantee Strategy, the first comprehensive foreign and security policy policy after World War II, at the cabinet meeting, and on this basis, the Outline of the Defense Plan and the Medium term Defense Force Readiness Plan (2014-2018) were determined.On July 1, 2014, the Japanese government passed a cabinet resolution on the limited lifting of the ban on the right of collective self-defence. Its core content is that if a country with close relations with Japan is attacked by force, Japan should exercise its strength within the minimum necessary range, and as a self-defence measure, it should be allowed in the Constitution.In July and September 2015, Japan passed new security bills in the House of Representatives and Senate respectively, greatly strengthening the activities of the Japanese Self Defense Forces in many ways.On December 18, 2018, the Japanese government formally adopted the new version of the Outline of the Defense Plan and the Medium Term Defense Force Readiness Plan at the cabinet meeting.The new Outline of the Defense Plan reaffirmed the basic principle of adhering to exclusive defense and not becoming a military power, and pointed out that the security environment around Japan was "increasingly severe and uncertain".The Japanese Self Defense Force should further strengthen its defense capabilities in new fields such as space and information, and build a "trans regional" combat system.On December 16, 2022, the Japanese government formally adopted three security documents at the cabinet meeting, namely, the revised National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy, and the Defense Capacity Readiness Plan, clearly proposing that Japan will develop "counterattack capability", which is another major change in Japan's security policy after allowing the exercise of the "right to collective self-defence".On December 20, 2023, Japan officially delivered a new type of air surveillance radar to the Philippines, which is the first time that Japan has exported finished weapons and equipment.On December 22, the Japanese government revised the "Three Principles of Defense Equipment Transfer" and its application guidelines at the Cabinet Meeting and the National Security Guarantee Meeting, which will allow Japan to sell back "Patriot" missiles to the United States.[117-118]In 2024, Japan has officially announced its accession“Orcus ”Alliance.[129]
The supreme commander of the Self Defense Forces is the Prime Minister, and the highest military decision-making body is the cabinet meeting.The "Security Conference" is the highest military review body of the Cabinet, composed of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Finance, the Chief Cabinet Secretary, the Chairman of the National Public Security Commission, the Minister of Defense and other key cabinet members, which is responsible for reviewing the national defense policy, the military building plan and handling various emergencies.The Ministry of Defence is equivalent to the Ministry of Defence.The Joint Chiefs of Staff, composed of the Chairman and the Chiefs of Staff of the Army, Navy and Air Force, are responsible for formulating and adjusting the operational, training and logistics plans of the three services, collecting and studying military intelligence, and exercising unified command when conducting joint operations and exercises of more than two services.
The Japanese Self Defense Force implements the voluntary military service system.The defense budget in 2023 is 6.8 trillion yen, increasing for 11 consecutive years.
traffic
Announce
edit
highway
Japan has established a relatively complete highway network.By the end of 2021, the total highway mileage is about 1225000 km.Among them, there are about 185000 kilometers of national and provincial roads and 8922.9 kilometers of expressways.By the end of 2021, according to the total number of ton kilometers, automobile transportation accounts for about 51% of the total domestic cargo transportation and 92% in terms of tonnage. Highway plays an important role in the transportation system.For this reason, Japan invests a lot of money every year to maintain and build the road system.[56]
Japan Capital Circle High speed Network
Japan began to build expressways (toll roads) in the 1950s.The Mingshen Expressway connecting Nagoya and Kobe was built in 1965, which is the first expressway in Japan.Soon, the road was connected to Tokyo through the Dongming Expressway.In the past few decades, Japan has built Guanyue, Northeast, Changpan and other long-distance highways.On April 14, 2012, the 162 km expressway from Yutianchang Interchange to Sanri Interchange was opened, and the 162 km expressway opened at one time was the first time in Japan's road history.Tokyo and other major urban areas maintain an extensive and expanding highway network, connecting the urban center with the suburbs.
The frequent congestion of urban roads has become a major problem of urban traffic.In Tokyo, although the branch system of expressways and ordinary roads radiates from the city center, the urban traffic congestion still exists for a long time due to the delay in the construction of the ring road.[71]
Railway
The passenger transport service of Japan Railway began in 1872, when steam locomotives were used to connect Shinbashi Station in Tokyo to the nearby city of Yokohama, which ushered in a new stage in the construction of Japan's national railway network.It took Japan more than 17 years to connect the main cities along the old Tokaido by railway, so by July 1889, people could go directly from Tokyo to Kobe by train.At that time, there was only one train every day, and the 589.5 km journey required about 20 hours of operation.The successive use of internal combustion engine trains and electric trains shortened the running time of this busy line to less than 7 hours, while the later Shinkansen (high-speed trains) finally shortened the running time of this journey to less than 4 hours.
In 1987, Japan's state-owned railway (JNR) began to privatize railways and split them into several independent local railway companies.Before that, the national passenger and freight railway networks were operated by Japan National Railway.At present, the successors of Japan National Railway include six passenger railway companies, one freight railway company and several subsidiaries of JR (Japan Railway) Group.In 1988, the Qinghan undersea tunnel in Japan was completed, connecting the northern island Hokkaido with Honshu, while the Seto Bridge realized the connection between Honshu and Shikoku Island. So far, the railway finally connected the four major islands of Japan.
The subway is the main urban transportation tool for Japanese daily travel. Tokyo has a well-developed subway network, with 13 lines, 285 stations, a total length of 304.1 kilometers, and an average daily passenger flow of 10.4 million people, ranking first in the world in terms of urban subway passenger flow.Twelve cities in Japan have opened subway lines.The first subway in Japan was a section of the Tokyo Ginza Line, which began operation in 1927.There are 13 subway lines in Tokyo, many of which are also connected with suburban railway lines, expanding the operation business to the suburbs.[71]
the Shinkansen
Shinkansen, JapanIt is a high-speed railway operation system, which is composed of 7 conventional lines (Dongdongdao Shinkansen, Shanyang Shinkansen, Northeast Shinkansen, Shangyue Shinkansen, Beilu Shinkansen, Kyushu Shinkansen, Hokkaido Shinkansen) and 2 lines (Akita Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen) commonly referred to as "small Shinkansen".
Trains on conventional lines only run on dedicated tracks of Shinkansen, while "small Shinkansen" trains can run on dedicated tracks of Shinkansen and standard slow speed tracks.In this way, Shinkansen connects major cities from Aomori, the northernmost part of Honshu, to Kagoshima, the southernmost part of Kyushu, at a maximum speed of more than 300km per hour. As the main artery of Japan, Shinkansen plays an important role.Since 1973, Japan has begun to plan to add several other Shinkansen lines, and some sections of these lines are still under construction.
Shinkansen train N700S
Tokaido Shinkansen runs along the 552.6 km Tokyo Shinosaka Corridor, which has long been regarded as Japan's main transportation artery.The train speed of this line can reach 285km/h, and the shortest running time between Tokyo and New Osaka is now 2 hours and 22 minutes.Since it was put into operation in 1964, Shinkansen has maintained extraordinary records in high-speed operation, safety, transportation volume and punctuality.Each route of Shinkansen runs up to 14 trains per hour on average, and the accuracy is maintained within 0.6-1 minutes of the average delay.Moreover, since its opening, there has not been a fatal accident such as train collision and derailment, which has set an admirable record in safety.[71]
On March 26, 2016, the Hokkaido Shinkansen was opened, and the Japanese Shinkansen network almost covered the main islands from Hokkaido to southern Kyushu Island.[56]
air transport
Japan's aviation industry is quite developed.Centered on Narita and Haneda airports in Tokyo and Kansai airport in Osaka, an air transportation network extending in all directions is formed.Major airlines include Japan Airlines (JAL), All Nippon Airways Co. (hereinafter referred to as "All Nippon Airways"), etc.
According to the data of Japan's Ministry of Land, Land and Transport, in 2021, the domestic passenger traffic volume of major Japanese airlines will be 43.92 million person times, down 6.0% year on year, and the domestic air cargo traffic volume will be 462000 tons, down 7.7% year on year;The passenger traffic volume of international routes was 1.41 million, down 67.7% year on year, and the international air cargo traffic volume was 1.777 million tons, up 38.6% year on year.Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Dalian, Qingdao, Wuhan, Chongqing, Taipei and other Chinese cities have opened international routes with airports in Tokyo, Osaka and other places in Japan.[56]
Tokyo Haneda Airport International Airport
The largest passenger flow in Japan is the Tokyo International Airport located in Haneda, Tokyo.Tokyo International Airport is often called Haneda Airport.Haneda Airport, which was opened in 1931, is the first commercial airport in Japan. Before the opening of Tokyo New International Airport in 1978, Haneda Airport has been responsible for the operation of domestic and international routes.After the official operation of Narita Airport, Haneda Airport became an airport centered on domestic routes, and the fourth runway was opened in 2010, which enriched international routes.In addition to Asian cities such as Seoul, Shanghai and Hong Kong, there are also direct flights to major European and American cities such as Los Angeles, New York and Paris.Haneda Airport also started 24-hour operation in October 2010.[71]
Tokyo Narita International Airport
The new Tokyo International Airport, also known as Narita Airport, is located about 66 kilometers (41 miles) east of Tokyo.Since its official operation in 1978, Narita Airport, as the gate of Japan, has welcomed many overseas passengers.In 2009, the runway was expanded and flights were added.The Narita Sky Access express train has also been opened, and it only takes 36 minutes to reach the Tokyo Metropolitan Center, which is more and more convenient.
Osaka International Airport is also called Yidan Airport.Before the opening of Kansai International Airport in September 1994, it had been responsible for most domestic flights and all international flights to Kansai.It is mainly used for domestic flights.[71]
Kansai International Airport
Kansai International Airport is located on an artificial island in Osaka Bay.In addition to providing extended business and inbound and outbound services for more international aviation operators, this airport is the first aviation agency operating 24 hours a day in Japan.The total takeoff and landing in 2016 was about 177109.The airport is equipped with the latest technology automatic control system, which can automatically stop the air conditioning operation when there are no passengers. The lifting system can automatically measure the subsidence, and correct the problem before it occurs.[71]
water transport
Japan is a typical island country, and more than 99% of the import and export goods need to be transported by sea. However, since the 1990s, with the rapid rise of Asian ports such as Shanghai Port in China and Busan Port in South Korea, the international status and competitiveness of Japanese ports began to decline. The container throughput of the main ports, Tokyo Port and Yokohama Port, ranked 12th in the world from the peak in 1995The 8th place began to decline gradually.
Against this background, Japan successively released the plan of "Super Hub Port" in 2004, and the plans of "International Container Strategic Port" and "International Bulk Strategic Port" in 2010. By selecting several international strategic ports, Japan has given more resources and policy preferences, and implemented the reform of port privatization management,So as to enhance the international competitiveness of Japanese ports and respond to the challenges of large-scale ships.
As of April 2021, there are 993 ports in Japan, including 5 international strategic ports, 18 international hub ports and 102 important harbors. The main ports are Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kobe, Chiba, Nagoya, Kitakyushu, etc.[56]
Sociology
Announce
edit
science and technology
After World War II, Japan's science and technology developed rapidly.The government formulates the Basic Plan for Science and Technology every five years. Life science, information communication, environmental protection, new materials, energy, manufacturing technology, space development, etc. are Japan's scientific and technological advantages.The annual scientific research funds account for about 3.7% of GDP, ranking first in developed countries.
Japan's scientific research funds in 2020 will be about 19.24 trillion yen, down 1.7% year on year, accounting for 3.6% of GDP.Among them, the scientific research fund for natural science is about 17.84 trillion yen, accounting for 92.7% of the total scientific research expenditure.In 2020, the enterprise scientific research funds will be 13.86 trillion yen, down 2.5% year on year.From the perspective of industry classification, "manufacturing industry" accounted for 89.9% of scientific research funds, followed by "academic research, professional and technical services".
According to the evaluation criteria formulated by the Science and Technology Policy Research Institute of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, Japan's comprehensive science and technology indicators rank second after the United States.[56]
education
The Japanese government has always attached importance to education.In 1947, Japan implemented the Basic Law of Education and《School Education Law》。
Japan's annual scientific research funds account for 3.59% of GDP.Japanese school education is divided into four stages: preschool education, primary education, secondary education, and higher education. The length of schooling is 6 years in primary school, 3 years in junior high school, 3 years in senior high school, and 4 years in university. The period from primary school to junior high school is 9 years of compulsory education.There are national universities, public universities and private universities.The famous national comprehensive universities include Tokyo University and Kyoto University, and the famous private universities include Waseda University and Keio University.Japan attaches great importance to social education, and correspondence education, night school, radio and television education are more common.[56]
medical care
In 1961, Japan implemented the "national health insurance" system in which all citizens participated, realizing that everyone has medical insurance, and established a relatively complete medical security system.In principle, regardless of region, income and age, the insured can freely choose a medical unit for medical treatment, and a unified charging system is adopted. The proportion of individual self expense is generally not more than 30%.According to the statistics of Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, in 2019, Japan's total medical and health expenditure was 43.4 trillion yen, up 0.8% year on year, accounting for 7.91% of GDP.Among them, the public medical expenditure is about 3.17 trillion yen (7.3% of the total expenditure), and the medical insurance expenditure is about 19.73 trillion yen (45.5%).The per capita medical cost is 343000 yen.In 2019, the average life expectancy will be 81.41 years for men and 87.45 years for women.
Japan has a large number of public and private hospitals and clinics, with a world leading medical level and a sound medical insurance system.Japanese nationals and foreigners who have lived in Japan for more than three months and have joined various medical insurance schemes can enjoy medical services with excellent services and moderate prices.
Japan's medical insurance system is a national insurance system.Japan's medical insurance is generally divided into three categories: first, trade union health insurance. The insured are large enterprises, government workers and their immediate relatives;The second is health insurance, which is directly managed by the government. The insured are employees of small and medium-sized enterprises and their immediate relatives;The third is the national health insurance. The insured are sole proprietors and people living on pensions.Among them, health insurance is the most popular medical insurance in Japan.When the insured goes to the hospital for medical treatment due to injury or illness, he/she only needs to bear 30% of the total medical expenses.
It should be noted that foreigners who go to Japan for a short time cannot join and enjoy Japan's medical insurance.Therefore, if a short-term visitor falls ill in Japan and does not have a higher income, it will cause a heavy economic burden to the party concerned.It is suggested that Chinese citizens who come in the short term should receive formal physical examination before going abroad, travel again when their physical conditions permit, and join the overseas travel accident insurance in case of accidents.
On the whole, the sanitary conditions in Japan are relatively ideal.However, due to different living habits, Chinese citizens travelling to Japan should not be careless.In order to ensure a healthy and pleasant journey abroad, it is particularly necessary to pay attention to maintaining one's own health from drinking water, food, personal hygiene, life rules and other aspects.Although the quality of tap water in Japan is relatively guaranteed, tourists coming to Japan for the first time also have a process of adapting to its water quality, so it is best to drink mineral water, pure water or boiled raw water before drinking.Fresh food accounts for a large proportion of the Japanese diet, such as sashimi, sushi, and raw egg mixed rice, which are respected as delicacies in Japan.Many Chinese people are not used to eating raw fish, so they should pay special attention to their diet.Japan is humid all the year round and food is perishable. Therefore, the food sold in stores in Japan is marked with strict shelf life according to the requirements of laws and regulations.Avoid eating expired food to avoid causing mold infection.March to April is the season when Japanese cherry blossoms bloom, and this is also the season when pollen concentration is extremely high. If someone is sensitive to pollen, he or she should bring necessary medicine before going to Japan.[101]
The major infectious diseases in Japan include AIDS, Japanese encephalitis (JE), rubella, measles, diphtheria, new bird flu, dengue fever, norovirus, etc.[56]
media
Japan's press and publishing industry is developed, with a large circulation of newspapers and magazines, and a wide coverage of radio and television, ranking first in the world.
There are 5 national newspapers (Yomiuri Shimbun, Asahi Shimbun, Daiichi Shimbun, Japan Economic News, and Sankei Shimbun), 3 regional newspapers (China Japan News, Hokkaido News, and West Japan News), and more than 100 major local newspapers.It issues about 1900 monthly magazines and 1000 weekly magazines.More than 70000 books have been published.The influential magazines include: Central Public Opinion, Oriental Economy, The Economist, Literature and Art Spring and Autumn, etc.
Kyodo News Agency is the largest news agency in Japan, or Kyodo News Agency for short. Its predecessor is the Allied News Agency, which was founded in January 1936.Jiji News Agency, the second largest news agency, was founded in November 1945.
There are more than one hundred Japanese Broadcasting Association (NHK) and four series of private radio stations.NHK is a semi official "public radio and television station", founded in March 1925.
There are mainly semi official "public TV station" NHK and more than 100 private TV stations in five series belonging to five major newspapers, as well as private satellite TV stations and private cable TV stations.Major TV stations: NHK started broadcasting TV programs in 1953, which is semi official;Tokyo Broadcasting Company (TBS), established in 1951;NTV, established in 1952;Asahi Television (TV ASAHI), established in 1957;FUJI TV, established in 1957.
Sports
Before the introduction of western sports, the traditional sports in Japan, known as "martial arts", had been greatly developed.Japanese martial arts originated in the 12th century AD and were mainly popular among the samurai class at that time.These martial arts include "kendo", "judo" (now called "judo"), "bow" and other sports.
In the Edo era (1603 – 1867), these sports were established as martial arts sports, emphasizing the connotation of their spirit.The word "Tao" in "Wudao" means "way and method", which requires the practitioners to master the profound essence of this sport.The traditional "martial arts" are handed down from generation to generation, and still widely prevail among the people today.Judo and karate have become international sports.
After the Meiji Restoration (1868), various western sports were introduced to Japan.Baseball was introduced into Japan by an American in 1872.In the 1870s, track and field and football were introduced to Japan, and then in the 1890s, skating and rugby were introduced to Japan.In 1911, an Austrian introduced skiing technology to the Japanese army.At that time, few people paid attention to western sports, but through the Japanese education system, these sports were eventually popularized throughout the country.Western sports were originally emphasized as a form of self-cultivation, but now the Japanese have taken it as a pastime.[82]
Today's Japanese Sports
Japanese men, women, old and young all love sports very much. They are both participants and ordinary audience.In Japan, sports are regarded as a kind of healthy entertainment, which can cultivate the sense of discipline, improve the character, encourage fair competition and cultivate the competitive spirit.Whether they win or lose, the Japanese will enthusiastically cheer for the athletes' perseverance and hard work spirit.
Modern sports began in the early 1970s, when the Japanese school system was established.With the institutionalization of Japanese education, physical education has been added to the curriculum.The first sports introduced by universities and middle schools include track and field, rowing, baseball and tennis.
Children are encouraged to participate in various activities of school clubs, including baseball, judo, archery, football, swimming, gymnastics, track and field and other sports.As a result, many children have developed an interest in sports and have maintained it until they become adults.[82]
SumoIt is a kind of wrestling, known as Japan's "national skill".The colorful belly band of sumo wrestlers and their unique "ginkgo leaf knot" hairstyle are reminiscent of the image of ancient sumo wrestlers. In addition, sumo wrestlers still retain many traditions, such as the earth surface (a round sandy land surrounded by straw and rising above the ground), the promotion system and the connection with Shinto rituals.The word sumo in Chinese means "fighting against each other".
Although the history of sumo can be traced back to ancient times, it did not become a professional sport until the Edo era (1603-1867).Today, people mainly carry out this sport in middle school and university clubs and amateur sumo wrestling associations. It is almost a completely male sport.However, sumo, as an ornamental professional sport, has long been known both in Japan and abroad.[83]
BaseballIt is one of the most popular sports in Japan.Baseball was introduced into Japan from the United States around 1872.As colleges and universities set up their own baseball teams to participate in club events, this sport soon became popular in Japan.Although professional baseball is the sport with the largest audience in Japan, it still has a strong attraction for amateurs, especially in middle schools and universities.During the baseball season, professional baseball evening games are broadcast almost every day in Japan.sinceHideo Nomo After becoming a player of the Los Angeles Dodgers, many Japanese became interested in the "professional baseball league".Every summer, the All Japan High School Baseball Tournament will attract millions of baseball fans to watch.
With the establishment of the "Japanese Professional Football League" (J. League) in 1991, football has become more and more popular.Football has become the second largest sport for Japanese primary school boys after swimming.The football matches held by the "Japan Professional Football League" also attracted a large number of audiences.[82]
Comprehensive sports conference
In order to revitalize Japan's sports cause after World War II, improve the national morale and get rid of its depressed mental state, the Japan Amateur Sports Association organized the first "National Sports Congress" in 1946.These summer and autumn games later developed into an annual sports event.The first Winter Games held by Japan in 1948 later developed into an annual event.
The "National Sports Congress", affectionately known as the "National System", is held in three seasons (winter, summer and autumn) in each prefecture and county of the country every year.Since 2006, the summer and autumn conferences have been held as the main conference.The main events of the Winter Congress include skating, ice hockey, skiing, and the main events include swimming, track and field, and various ball skills.The county with the highest total score will win the "Emperor Cup".The "Queen's Cup" will be awarded to the county or city where the female contestants get the highest total score.
International sports events
In 1913, Japan participated in the first Far East Games held in Manila.In 1921, the Japanese government unified financial assistance for the Fifth Far East Games held in Shanghai for the first time.After World War II, these regional competitions were renamed "Asian Games".In 1951, Japan participated in the first Asian Games held in New Delhi.The outstanding performance of the Japanese national team composed of 65 athletes quickly aroused people's enthusiasm for international competitions.
Tokyo hosted the third Asian Games in 1958.In 1994, the 12th Asian Games was held in Hiroshima.The first Winter Asian Games was held in Sapporo in 1986, and the second Winter Asian Games in 1990 was still hosted by the local government.In 2020, the Summer Olympics will be held again in Tokyo.
The 2019 Rugby World Cup was held throughout Japan from September 20 to November 2, the first time the Rugby World Cup was held in Asia.
Japan has held the largest sports events so far, including the Tokyo Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games and the two Winter Olympic Games.In the summer of 1964, Tokyo hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Games for the first time.In 1998, Nagano County hosted the Winter Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games.In 2021, Tokyo will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games again.[82]
signal communication
Post Office
Japan has long established a developed postal industry.According to the data of the Ministry of General Affairs of Japan, as of the end of April 2022, there are about 23715 post offices in operation in Japan.Since October 2007, Japan Post has been privatized, and the original post group industry has been divided into several companies such as Post, Postal Savings and Simple Life Insurance.
Telephone
Fixed line telephones have basically covered the whole country of Japan, and mobile phones have also developed very rapidly.According to statistical data, the number of smart phone users in Japan will approach 100 million in 2020, with a penetration rate of 78.54%.According to Statista's prediction data, the number of smart phone users in Japan may reach 115 million in 2026, with penetration rate of 92.94%.The total population is about 125050000.
internet
Japan is a highly urbanized country. As of March 31, 2021, it has achieved 91.8% of its total population of 126.3 million, 93% of the Internet penetration rate, and 93.8 million active social media users, accounting for 74.3% of the total population.[56]
power
As equipment in Tokyo and Northeast power supply areas were severely damaged in the earthquake, nuclear power plants in various places were shut down after the Fukushima nuclear crisis, resulting in a decline in Japan's national power generation in recent years.According to the World Energy Statistical Yearbook (2021), in 2020, Japan will generate 1083.6 billion kWh of electricity.
On October 22, 2021, the Cabinet of Ministers of Japan announced the decision of the sixth phase of the basic energy plan, and formulated an energy policy implementation path to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 46% by 2030 compared with 2013, strive to reduce emissions by 50%, and achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.The plan points out that in the process of global decarbonization, Japan should accelerate technological innovation of decarbonization, lead the development of international rules and improve international competitiveness.In addition, it is also necessary to overcome the challenges faced by Japan's energy supply structure, make efforts to ensure the security and stability of energy supply and maximize energy economic benefits on the premise of ensuring security.
As of January 2022, only 10 of Japan's 15 nuclear power plants are in operation, with a total installed power generation capacity of 5.836 million kilowatts.In March 2011, after the nuclear leakage accident of Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, four nuclear reactors of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station were declared abandoned.In April 2021, Fukui County agreed to restart Meibang Nuclear Power Station Unit 2 and Gaobang Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 and 2.In January 2022, Unit 3 of the Iranian nuclear power plant will be put into operation again.[56]
public security
Social security in Japan is good, but there are also cases involving theft, violence, drugs, homicide, rape, robbery, online fraud, commercial fraud and other types of cases.[101]Since 2023, reports of shops and houses being robbed in the urban area of the capital Tokyo have been frequently seen in the media.According to Asahi TV, there were several robberies in Ueno, where jewelry stores were gathered, from late March to mid April, with the most serious one losing about 100 million yen (about 5 million yuan).Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku and other commercial areas are also severely affected.According to the data released by the Japanese Police Agency in April, from January to March 2023, the number of criminal cases in Japan will be about 155000, an increase of nearly 30000 over the same period last year, or 23.7%, of which robbery cases will increase by 28% over the same period last year.
The number of criminal cases in Japan has been on the rise since 2022.In 2022, it will increase by nearly 6% over the previous year, the first increase in 20 years.According to the data of the Japanese Police Agency, Japan will have more than 601000 criminal cases in 2022, an increase of 5.9% over 2021.The Police Department said that Shinzo Abe, the former Prime Minister of Japan, was shot and killed in the streets of Nara on July 8 last year, and a series of serious criminal cases such as serial robbery by social media employees made people feel insecure.
In October 2022, the Japanese Police Agency conducted a poll on Japanese citizens' sense of security through the Internet. The results show that about 24.9% of people are dissatisfied with the public security situation in Japan, 4.4 percentage points higher than in 2021.67.1% of the people believe that the security situation in Japan has worsened in the past 10 years, and the four main crimes that bring the Japanese people the greatest sense of insecurity are: indiscriminate injury, telecommunications fraud, child abuse and cyber crime.[102]
disaster
Japan is located in the seismic zone, with frequent volcanic earthquakes, tsunamis and other natural disasters.One tenth of the world's volcanoes are located in Japan, and one fifth of earthquakes occur in Japan.
On March 11, 2011, a huge earthquake with magnitude 9.0 on the Richter scale occurred off the coast of northeastern Japan, which triggered a tsunami and a nuclear power plant leakage accident;On April 14 and 16, 2016, successive earthquakes of magnitude 6.5 and 7.3 occurred in Kumamoto, Japan, causing huge damage;On March 16 and 17, 2022, a series of earthquakes measuring 6.0 and 7.4 on the Richter scale occurred off the coast of Fukushima, Japan, killing three people, leading to large-scale power outages in many places in Japan and derailment of trains.
Typhoon, rain, snow, debris flow and other disasters also occur frequently. On October 12, 2019, the 19th typhoon "Hibiscus" landed on the Izu Peninsula, Japan, causing 86 deaths and huge economic losses;On July 3, 2021, a large-scale debris flow occurred in the mountain of Izu Mountain, Rehai City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, causing more than 1000 local residents to cut off water and electricity and 26 deaths.
The Central Disaster Prevention Conference of Japan predicted that the probability of a magnitude 7 earthquake in the Tokyo area within 30 years is 70%, and the probability of a magnitude 8 earthquake or above in the South China Sea trench within 30 years is 70%;If a huge earthquake occurs in the Japan Trench and the Kuril Island Trench, the worst case will be 199000 and 100000 deaths, respectively.[56]
price
Since the late 1990s, Japan's economy has been in a state of deflation.After 2012, prices began to rise.The price of consumer goods remained basically stable during the COVID-19 epidemic.Some personal protective equipment has been out of stock and increased in price, and will return to normal after May 2020.In 2021, the core consumer price index (CPI) excluding fresh food will decline by 0.2% year on year, and prices will fall for two consecutive years.
In 2022, affected by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the price of raw materials soared. In April, Japan's CPI rose by 2.1%.The price of wheat and other food raw materials and logistics costs rose significantly, combined with the depreciation of the yen and other factors, the production costs of Japanese food enterprises rose.According to the report released by Imperial Bank of Japan, the statistical results of 105 food enterprises show that as of June 1, 2022, 10789 kinds of food products have been raised or planned to be raised in 2022, with an average increase rate of 13%.At present, the price of food raw materials, such as international grains, remains high, and the price of Japanese food market is likely to rise further in the future.[56]
salary
According to the basic statistical survey results of national staff salary in 2020 released by the Internal Revenue Service of Japan, the national average annual salary is 4.36 million yen, a year-on-year decrease of 1%.Among them, the average annual salary of men is 5.4 million yen and that of women is 2.96 million yen.According to the estimation of the Japan Trade Promotion Agency, at present, the corporate social security tax burden is 15.345% (the corporate tax burden of employees over 40 years old is 16.24%).According to the statistics of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the national average minimum wage in Japan will be 902 yen/hour in 2020.The Japanese government has set the goal of raising the national average minimum wage to 1000 yen/hour.[56]
the labor
The quality of Japanese labor force is relatively high, and high school education is basically popularized throughout the country.Due to the declining fertility rate, the aging trend of the population has increased.At present, some labor-intensive industries in Japan need to introduce foreign labor services.The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan estimates that with the retirement of older workers, there will be a shortage of labor in growth industries such as medical care, infant care, nursing and new energy.In addition, Japan's agricultural labor force is sharply reduced, and there will be a serious shortage in the future.
Japan has not opened its labor market to the outside world. Some countries, including China, can only send skilled interns to Japan in the name of "sending personnel to learn technology".Japan has signed EPA with Indonesia and the Philippines, and can accept their nurses and nurses conditionally.In addition, due to the large gap of technical talents such as software development, Japan welcomes such technical talents.According to the statistics of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan, by the end of October 2020, there were 1.7243 million foreign workers in Japan, an increase of 4% year on year.In terms of nationality, the number of people from Vietnam, China and the Philippines is 444000, 419400 and 184800 respectively.[56]
International Relations
Announce
edit
foreign policy
The basic orientation of Japan's foreign policy is to adhere to the Japan US alliance as the basic axis and attach importance to multilateral coordination.withAsiaFor strategic support, attach importance to developing major country relations.Attach importance to strengthening Japan US security cooperation, and at the same time, commit to stabilizing relations with South Korea, and deepen cooperation withASEANTo strengthen relations with Europe and improve relations between Japan, Russia and Japan, North Korea.Actively participate in regional and international political, economic and security affairs, and strive to becomesecurity councilPermanent members.From January 1, 2023, he will become a non permanent member of the UN Security Council from 2023 to 2024.[93]He became the rotating President of the Security Council in January 2023.[94]
On November 10, 2014, PresidentXi JinpingMeet at request and attend in ChinaAPECJapanese Prime Minister of the 22nd Informal Leaders' MeetingShinzo Abe。
On April 22, 2015, President Xi Jinping met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at request during the Asian African Leaders' Meeting in Indonesia.On May 23, 2015, President Xi Jinping attended and delivered an important speech at the China Japan Friendship Exchange Conference jointly held with China by the 3000 member delegation from all walks of life in Japan.On November 1, 2015,the state councilprime ministerLi KeqiangDuring the China Japan ROK Leaders' Meeting, he held a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at request.
On July 15, 2016, Premier Li KeqiangMongoliaAsia Europe SummitAt that time, he met with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan at request.On September 5, 2016, President Xi Jinping met at request and came to China to attendG20Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan at the Hangzhou Summit.
On May 16, 2017, President Xi Jinping met and led a delegation to China to attend“The Belt and Road Initiative”International Cooperation Summit ForumLiberal Democratic PartyDirector GeneralToshihiro Nikai 。On July 8, 2017, President Xi Jinping attended the meeting of leaders of the G20hamburgerDuring the summit, they met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at request.On November 11, 2017, President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan during the 25th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.On November 13, 2017, Premier Li Keqiang met with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan during the series of leaders' meetings on East Asia cooperation.
From May 8 to 11, 2018, Premier Li Keqiang went to Japan to attend the 7th China Japan ROK Leaders' Meeting and officially visited Japan.On September 12, 2018, President Xi JinpingVladivostokAttend the fourth sessionOriental Economic ForumDuring the meeting, he met with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan.From October 25 to 27, 2018, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid an official visit to China. President Xi Jinping, Premier Li KeqiangNational People's CongressChairman of the Standing CommitteeLi ZhanshuHold meetings and talks with them respectively.On November 30, 2018, President Xi Jinping attended the G20 leadersBuenos AiresMeeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan during the summit.
On April 24, 2019, President Xi Jinping met with Junbo Nikai, Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of Japan and Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party, who led a delegation to China to attend the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.On June 27, 2019, President Xi Jinping met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the G20 Osaka Summit.From October 21 to 25, 2019, Vice President Wang Qishan, as the special envoy of President Xi Jinping, attended the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito of Japan and paid a friendly visit to Japan.From December 23 to 25, 2019, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came to China to attend the 8th China Japan ROK Leaders' Meeting. President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang held meetings and talks with them respectively.
On September 25, 2020, President Xi Jinping met with the Prime Minister of Japan at requestKan Yiweicall.[55]
On October 8, 2021, President Xi Jinping held a telephone conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Takeo Kishida at request.
On August 22, 2022, President Xi Jinping sent a message of condolences on Japanese Prime Minister Takeo Kishida's infection with COVID-19.
On September 29, 2022, President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang exchanged congratulatory messages with Japanese Prime Minister Takeo Kishida on the 50th anniversary of the normalization of China Japan relations.
On November 17, 2022, President Xi Jinping met with Japanese Prime Minister Takeo Kishida in Bangkok, Thailand.
Japan US relations
In terms of international relations, Japan's closest ally isU.S.A, because Japan strangles Northeast Asiathe pacific oceanIts gateway has always been the frontline island chain of the United States in Asia, and the United States has military bases in Japan.Japan is an important military stronghold of the United States in Asia.As the world's third largest economy, Japan strives to play a role equal to its economic strength on the world stage.
Japan and the United States signed the agreement in 1951, five years after the end of World War IIU.S.-Japan Security Treaty Japan can rely on the "shield" of the United States to concentrate on economic development. Many Japanese companies have close ties with American companies.Japan needs the protection of the United States, and the United States needs Japan's support. Both sides have common interests.
Japan India relations
Throughout history, Japan and India have maintained stable relations.For centuries, there has been a long cultural exchange between India and JapanIndiaIt was introduced into China and indirectly into Japan.During the Second World War, Japan supportedChandra Bose OfIndian National ArmyAgainst the British army.India is the largest recipient of development assistance from the Japanese government.Japan and India are at a critical moment in their respective history.
Since India's independence, the two countries have maintained moderate political relations.Economically, Japanese enterprises such asSony、Toyota、HondaWith the development of Indian economy, India has gradually become the most important market for Japanese enterprises.In fact, Japanese enterprises were among the first to invest in India.The most representative Japanese enterprise is the automobile giantSuzuki, its joint venture in India is India's largest automaker.
March 16, 2022, Japanese Prime MinisterTakeo KishidaSaid that Japan hadUkraineThe situation decided to cancel the "most favored nation treatment" for Russia.[52]
In March 2022,RussiaAnnouncing the suspension of peace treaty negotiations with Japan, Takeo Kishida lodged a strong protest.[53]
Cambodia Japan relations
On April 23, 2022,Cambodiaprime ministerHun SenAfter attending the fourth Asia Pacific Water Summit held in Kumamoto City with Japanese Prime Minister Takeo Kishida, the two sides held bilateral meetings.[54]
Japan Ukraine relations
On March 21, 2023, Japanese Prime Minister Takeo Kishida held talks with President Serenski of Ukraine in Kiev.The two agreed to upgrade their bilateral relationship to a "special global partnership".Kishida also announced that he would provide another 470 million dollars in free assistance in energy and other fields.[95]
Japan UK relations
According to CCTV News, it was reported by Kyodo News Agency on September 15, 2023 local time that the Cabinet Meeting of the Japanese Government decided on the same day that the Mutual Access Agreement between Japan and the United Kingdom would come into force on October 15.The agreement will simplify the procedures for personnel, equipment and ammunition entering the other country in the case of joint military exercises and disaster relief between the two countries.[104]
Japan Vietnam relations
According to the Yomiuri Shimbun of Japan, on October 16, 2023, Vietnam and Japan are discussing raising their bilateral relations to the highest level of "comprehensive strategic partnership", which is the same level as Vietnam US relations.[106]
Sri Lanka Japan relations
In November 2023, according to the Cabinet Approval No. 23/1885/602/023 of October 24, 2023, as a pilot plan for the reconstruction of the tourism industry, Sri Lanka will implement a free visa system for Japanese nationals.The plan will come into force on November 28, 2023 and will be valid until March 31, 2024.[108]
Tokyo Tower: Located in Tokyo, it was completed in 1958.It's an imitationFranceParisOfEiffel TowerIt is 333 meters high. The body of the tower is a pyramid with three colors of yellow, white and red.
The temple of the Golden Pavilion: The former villa of the minister Xiyuan Temple was built in the 14th century. Later, it was owned by the shogunate general for his own good, and was renovated and expanded on a large scale.It is as high as three floors. The outer walls of the second and third floors are pasted with gold foil. Seen from afar, they are glittering with gold, so they are called "Golden Pavilion Temple".The first floor isThe era of peaceThe second floor isMuromachi period Samurai style, the third layer imitates Chinathe tang dynastyThe "bottom top" of.In front of the temple is the garden centered on the Jinghu Lake. The magnificent golden pavilion is reflected in the Jinghu Lake, which can be called the representative landscape of Kyoto.
Ginkaku-ji : Yinge Temple is located inKyoto DongshanThe foot of the mountain, built in 1482 by Zuli Yizheng, the grandson of the Muromachi shogunate general Zuli Yizheng, according to the shape of the Golden Pavilion Temple, is a delicate two-story attic.
Toshodai Temple : Located in the five streets of Xijing, Nara, Japan, he was an eminent monk of the Tang Dynasty in 759JianzhenBuilt.
Osaka City：Azuchi-Momoyama period Building.The Tianshou Pavilion in Osaka City contains valuable historical materials about Catholicism, which is of great historical value.
Station yard: or Yutaichang, located on the man-made land of Tokyo Bay in the southeast of Tokyo, is the latest in TokyoPlaces of entertainmentCentralized area.
Japan has a variety of natural landscapes and unique historical culture.All kinds of historical buildings and natural landscapes complement each other, leaving precious wealth to the world.By 2021, a total of 25 places in Japan have been included in the World Heritage List.[70]
World Cultural Heritage in Japan (20 sites)
S/N
name
place
Selected time
one
Buddhist Monuments in Falong Temple Area
Banjiucho, Nara Prefecture
1993
two
Jilu City
Jilu City, Hyogo County
1993
three
Ancient Kyoto historical sites (Kyoto, Uji, Otin)
Kyoto Prefecture
1994
four
Baichuan Township and the Ancient Villages of Wuge Mountain
Gifu County
1995
five
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Hall (Atomic Bombing Dome Hall)
Hiroshima
1996
six
Yandao Shrine
Niri City, Hiroshima Prefecture
1996
seven
Ancient Nara Historic Site
Nara
1998
eight
Shining Shrines and Temples
Yangguang City, Yumu County
1999
nine
Palace City Site of Ryukyu Kingdom and Related Heritage Groups
Okinawa Prefecture
2000
ten
Holy Land and Worship Routes in the Jiyi Mountains
Wakayama County
2004
eleven
Shijian Yinshan and its cultural landscape
Datian City, Shimane County
2007
twelve
Pingquan Temple, Garden and Archaeological Site Representing the Pure Land of Buddhism
Hirizumi, Iwate
2011
thirteen
Mount Fuji, Holy Land and Source of Artistic Inspiration
Shizuoka Prefecture
2013
fourteen
Fugang Silk Factory and Related Industrial Heritage
Gunma County
2014
fifteen
Site of Meiji Industrial Revolution in Japan: steel, shipbuilding and coal mining
8 counties of Kyushu, Japan
2015
sixteen
Le Corbusier's Architectural Works -- Outstanding Contribution to Modern Movement
Tokyo Metropolitan East District
2016
seventeen
"Shensu Island" statue, Chongzhi Island and related heritage groups
Fukuoka Prefecture
2017
eighteen
The Hidden Christian Heritage in Nagasaki and Tiancao
Nagasaki Prefecture
2018
nineteen
Mockingbird and Ancient Tomb Group in Gushi: Ancient Japanese Tomb Group
Osaka Prefecture
2019
twenty
The prehistoric site of Shengwen in northern Japan
Hokkaido/Aomori/Iwate/Akita
2021
Japan World Natural Heritage (5 sites)
S/N
name
place
Selected time
one
Ukushima
Kagoshima Prefecture
1993
two
Baishen Mountain
aomori
1993
three
Knowing bed
Hokkaido
2005
four
Ogasawara Islands
Ogasawara Village, Tokyo
2011
five
Amami Island, Tokuchi Island, northern Okinawa Island, Xibiao Island
