center of Japan flag
Japan comprises 14,125 islands extending along the Pacific coast of Asia. It stretches over 3000 km northeast–southwest from the Sea of Okotskh to the East China Sea. As of 2019, Japan's territory is 377,975.24 km2. Japan has the 6th in the world at 29,751 km .The Japanese archipelago is 67% forests and 14% agricultural. The primarily rugged and mountainous terrain is restricted for habitation. Thus the habitable zones, mainly in the coastal areas, have very high population densities: Japan is the 40th densely populated country even without considering that local concentration. Honshu has the highest population density at 450 persons/km2 (1200/sq mi) as of 2010, while Hokkaido has the lowest density of 64.5 persons/km2 as of 2016. As of 2014, approximately 0.5% of Japan's total area is reclaimed. It is 17th highest natural disaster as measured in the 2016 World Risk Index. Japan has 111 active volcanoes. Destructive earthquakes, often resulting in tsunamis, occur several times each century when the 1923 Tokyo earthquake killed over 140,000 people.
Climate
The climate of Japan is predominantly temperate but varies greatly from north to south. The northernmost region, Hokkaido, has a humid temperature with long, cold winters and very warm to cool summers. Participation is not heavy, but the islands usually develop deep snowbanks in the winter. The summer, the region sometimes experiences extremely hot temperatures because of the Foehn. The Centrak highland has a typical inland humid continental climate, with large temperature differences between summer and winter. The Pacific coast features a humid subtropical climate that experiences milder winters with occasional snowfall and hot, humid summers because of the southeast seasonal wind. The Ryukyu and Nanpō Islands have a subtropical climate, with warm winters and hot summers. Precipitation is very heavy, especially during the rainy season. The main wet season begins in early May in Okinawa, and the rain front gradually moves north. In late summer and early autumn, hurricanes often bring heavy rain. According to the Environment Ministry, heavy rainfall and increasing temperatures have caused problems in the agricultural industry and elsewhere. The highest temperature ever measured in Japan, 41.1 °C (106.0 °F), was recorded on July 23, 2018, and repeated on August 17, 2020.
ANIMALS
There are many animals found in the country of Japan. Some mammals found in Japan are
Mammals
Japanese macaque
Sika deer
reptiles
Kuroiwa's ground gecko
Elaphe
Japanese keelback
mammals
Japanese marten
Common raccoon dog
Japanese serow
Japanese raccoon dog
Japan has a population of almost 123 million Japan is the world's fastets aging country and has the highest proportion of elderly citizens of any country, comprising 1/3 of its total population.. As of 2025, over 29.3 percent of the population is over 65, or more than one in four out of the Japanese population. As a growing number of younger Japanese are not marrying or remaining childless,\] Japan's population is expected to drop to around 88 million by 2065.
The changes in demographic structure have created several social issues, particularly a decline in the workforce population and an increase in the cost of social security benefits. The Government of Japan projects that there will be almost one elderly person for each person of working age by 2060. and birth incentives are sometimes suggested as a solution to provide younger workers to support the nation's aging population. On April 1, 2019, Japan's revised immigration law was enacted, protecting the rights of foreign workers to help reduce labor shortages in certain sectors.
In 2023, 92% of the total Japanese population lived in cities. The capital city, Tokyo, has a population of 13.9 million (2022). Japan is an ethnically and culturally homogeneous society with the Japanese forming 97.4% of the country's population. Minority ethnic groups in the country include the indigenous Ainu and Ryukan.
Japan's constitution guarantees full religious freedom. Upper estimates suggest that 84–96% of the Japanese population subscribe to Shinto as its indigenous religion. However, these estimates are based on people affiliated with a temple, rather than the number of true believers. Many Japanese people practice both Shinto and Budism they can identify with both religions or describe themselves as non-religious or spiritual.
Shinogi-Zukuri is the most common blade shape for Japanese katana that provides both speed and cutting power. It features a distinct yokote: a line or bevel that separates the finish of the main blade and the finish of the tip. Shinogi-zukuri was originally produced after the Heian period.
Shobu-Zukuri is a variation of shinogi-zukuri without a yokote, the distinct angle between the long cutting edge and the point section. Instead, the edge curves smoothly and uninterrupted into the point.
Kissaki-Moroha-Zukuri is a katana blade shape with a distinctive curved and double-edged blade. One edge of the blade is shaped in normal katana fashion while the tip is symmetrical and both edges of the blade are sharp.
In addition to these, there are various other types of blades with different shapes, such as Osoraku-zukuri, Unokubi-zukuri, and Kammuri-otoshi-zukuri.
Japan is a unitary state and constitutional monocracy which the power of the Emperor is limited to a ceremonial role. Executive power is instead wielded by the Prime minister of Japan and his cabinet, whose sovereignty is vested in the Japanese people.