seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis
Environment - current issues: air pollution from power plant emissions
results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading
water quality and threatening aquatic life; Japan's appetite for fish
and tropical timber is contributing to the depletion of these
resources in Asia and elsewhere
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Desertification
Geography - note: strategic location in northeast Asia
@Japan:People
Population: 125,732,794 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15% (male 9,931,114; female 9,464,940)
15-64 years: 69% (male 43,577,219; female 43,250,874)
65 years and over: 16% (male 8,089,200; female 11,419,447) (July 1997
est.)
Population growth rate: 0.23% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 10.01 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 7.39 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.45 years
male: 77.4 years
female: 83.65 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.44 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun : Japanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Japanese
Ethnic groups: Japanese 99.4%, other 0.6% (mostly Korean)
Religions: observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including
Christian 0.7%)
Languages: Japanese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1970 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
@Japan:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Japan
Data code: JA
Government type: constitutional monarchy
National capital: Tokyo
Administrative divisions: 47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba,
Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido,
Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi,
Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara,
Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane,
Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama,
Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi
Independence: 660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)
National holiday: Birthday of the Emperor, 23 December (1933)
Constitution: 3 May 1947
Legal system: modeled after European civil law system with
English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the
Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)
head of government: Prime Minister Ryutaro HASHIMOTO (since 11 January
1996); note - an acting prime minister - determined upon a rotational
basis - serves when Prime Minister HASHIMOTO is out of the country
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections: none; the emperor is a constitutional monarch; the Diet
designates the prime minister; the constitution requires that the
prime minister must command a parliamentary majority, therefore,
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
leader of a majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually
becomes prime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of
Councillors or Sangi-in (252 seats; one-half of the members elected
every three years - 76 seats of which are elected from the 47
multi-seat prefectural districts and 50 of which are elected from a
single nationwide list with voters casting ballots by party; members
elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives or Shugi-in (500 seats - 200 of which are elected from
11 regional blocks on a proportional representation basis and 300 of
which are elected from 300 single-seat districts; members elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Councillors - last held 23 July 1995 (next to be
held NA July 1998); House of Representatives - last held 20 October
1996 (next to be held by October 2000)
election results : House of Councillors - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - LDP 110, NFP 56, SDP 38, JCP 14, Sakigake 3,
others 19, independents 12; note - the distribution of seats as of
March 1997 is as follows - LDP 112, NFP 61, SDP 23, JCP 14, Sakigake
3, others 39; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - LDP 240, NFP 142, DPJ 52, JCP 26, SDP 15, Sun
Party 10, others and independents 15; note - the distribution of seats
as of March 1997 is as follows - LDP 241, NFP 141, DPJ 52, JCP 26, SDP
15, Sun Party 10, others and independents 15
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chief justice is appointed by the
emperor after designation by the cabinet, all other justices are
appointed by the cabinet
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Ryutaro
HASHIMOTO, president, Koichi KATO, secretary general; Social
Democratic Party (SDP), Takako DOI, chairman, Shigeru ITO, secretary
general; Sakigake (Harbinger), Akiko DOMOTO, acting chairman, Hiroyuki
SONODA, secretary general; New Frontier Party or NFP (Shinshinto),
Ichiro OZAWA, president, Takeo NISHIOKA, secretary general; Democratic
Party of Japan (DPJ), coleaders Yukio HATOYAMA and Naoto KAN; Japan
Communist Party (JCP), Tetsuzo FUWA, chairman, Kazuo SHII, secretary
general; Sun Party, Tsutomu HATA, chairman, Eijiro HATA, secretary
general
note: DPJ was formed in September 1996 by former members of SDP and
Sakigake; Sun Party was formed in December 1996 by former members of
NFP
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), APEC,
AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE (observer), CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO,
G- 2, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UN Security Council
(temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNRWA, UNU,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kunihiko SAITO
chancery : 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6700
FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187
consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston,
Chicago, Detroit, Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City (Missouri), Los
Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San
Francisco, and Seattle
consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: 10-5, Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku (107), Tokyo
mailing address : Unit 45004, Box 258, APO AP 96337-0001
telephone: [81] (3) 3224-5000
FAX: [81] (3) 3505-1862
consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo
consulate(s) : Fukuoka, Nagoya
Flag description: white with a large red disk (representing the sun
without rays) in the center
Economy
Economy - overview: Government-industry cooperation, a strong work
ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense
allocation (roughly 1% of GDP) have helped Japan advance with
extraordinary rapidity to the rank of second most powerful economy in
the world. One notable characteristic of the economy is the working
together of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely knit
groups called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee
of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor
force; this guarantee is slowly eroding. Industry, the most important
sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw materials
and fuels. The much smaller agricultural sector is highly subsidized
and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world.
Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50% of its
requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains one of
the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the
global catch. For three decades overall real economic growth had been
spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s,
and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed considerably in 1992-95
largely because of the aftereffects of overinvestment during the late
1980s and contractionary domestic policies intended to wring
speculative excesses from the stock and real estate markets. Growth
picked up in 1996, largely a reflection of stimulative fiscal and
monetary policies as well as low rates of inflation and social
disorder. As a result of the expansionary fiscal policies and
declining tax revenues due to the recession, Japan currently has one
of the largest budget deficits as a percent of GDP among the
industrialized countries. The crowding of habitable land area and the
aging of the population are two other major long-run problems.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.85 trillion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.6% (1996)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $22,700 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry : 41.5%
services: 56.5% (1995)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 0.3% (1996)
Labor force:
total: 67.23 million (March 1997)
by occupation: trade and services 50%, manufacturing, mining, and
construction 33%, utilities and communication 7%, agriculture,
forestry, and fishing 6%, government 3% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 3.4% (1996)
Budget:
revenues: $528 billion
expenditures: $673 billion, including capital expenditures (public
works only) of about $75 billion (FY97/98 est.)
Industries: among world's largest and technologically advanced
producers of steel and nonferrous metallurgy, heavy electrical
equipment, construction and mining equipment, motor vehicles and
parts, electronic and telecommunication equipment, machine tools,
automated production systems, locomotives and railroad rolling stock,
ships, chemicals; textiles, processed foods
Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 199.88 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 992.5 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 6,895 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork,
poultry, dairy products, eggs; world's largest fish catch of 10
million metric tons in 1991
Exports:
total value: $385 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities : manufactures 96% (including machinery 50%, motor
vehicles 19%, consumer electronics 3%)
partners : Southeast Asia 37%, US 27%, Western Europe 15%, China 5%
Imports:
total value: $329 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
commodities: manufactures 54%, foodstuffs and raw materials 28%,
fossil fuels 16%
partners: Southeast Asia 24%, US 22%, Western Europe 15%, China 12%
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $14.7 billion (1995 est.)
note: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-94), $174 billion
Currency: yen (¥)
Exchange rates: yen (¥) per US$1 - 118.02 (January 1997), 108.78
(1996), 94.06 (1995), 102.21 (1994), 111.20 (1993), 126.65 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Japan:Communications
Telephones: 64 million (1987 est.)
Telephone system: excellent domestic and international service
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean
and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region), and 1
Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean Regions); submarine cables to
China, Philippines, Russia, and US (via Guam)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 318, FM 58, shortwave 0
Radios: 97 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 12,350 (1 kW or greater 196)
Televisions: 100 million (1993 est.)
@Japan:Transportation
Railways:
total: 23,670.7 km
standard gauge : 2,893.1 km 1.435-m gauge (entirely electrified)
narrow gauge: 89.8 km 1.372-m gauge (89.8 km electrified); 20,656.8 km
1.067-m gauge (10,383.6 km electrified); 31 km 0.762-m gauge (3.6 km
electrified) (1994)
Highways:
total: 1,144,360 km
paved : 846,826 km (including 5,860 km of expressways)
unpaved: 297,534 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: about 1,770 km; seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas
Pipelines: crude oil 84 km; petroleum products 322 km; natural gas
1,800 km
Ports and harbors: Akita, Amagasaki, Chiba, Hachinohe, Hakodate,
Higashi-Harima, Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kinuura, Kobe, Kushiro,
Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Sakai, Sakaide, Shimizu, Tokyo,
Tomakomai
Merchant marine:
total: 773 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 15,026,322
GRT/21,941,516 DWT
ships by type: bulk 178, cargo 56, chemical tanker 7, combination bulk
6, combination ore/oil 6, container 38, liquefied gas tanker 39, oil
tanker 254, passenger 8, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 38,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 43, short-sea passenger 23, specialized tanker
2, vehicle carrier 73
note: Japan owns an additional 1,579 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 54,474,380 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas,
Burma, Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, Honduras, South Korea, Kuwait,
Liberia, Malta, Malaysia, Panama, Philippines, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Singapore, Thailand, US, and Vanuatu (1996 est.)
Airports: 164 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total : 162
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 32
1,524 to 2,437 m: 35
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 60 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 12 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan
Maritime Self-Defense Force (Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air
Force)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 31,549,081 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 27,107,305 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 835,296 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $48.5 billion (FY96/97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY96/97)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and
the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now
administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; Liancourt Rocks disputed
with South Korea; Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands) claimed by China and
Taiwan
______________________________________________________________________
JARVIS ISLAND
(territory of the US)
@Jarvis Island:Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half
of the way from Hawaii to the Cook Islands
Geographic coordinates: 0 22 S, 160 03 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total : 4.5 sq km
land: 4.5 sq km
water : 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about eight times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 8 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain: sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 23 m
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops : 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can
be a maritime hazard
Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources
Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified : NA
Geography - note: sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing
shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for
seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; feral cats
@Jarvis Island:People
Population: uninhabited
note: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally
used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was
abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical
Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use
permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators
@Jarvis Island:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Jarvis Island
Data code: DQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered by
the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as
part of the National Wildlife Refuge System
National capital: none; administered from Washington, DC
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
Economy
Economy - overview: no economic activity
@Jarvis Island:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one
boat landing area in the middle of the west coast and another near the
southwest corner of the island
Transportation - note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the
west coast
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
annually by the US Coast Guard
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
JERSEY
(British crown dependency)
@Jersey:Geography
Location: Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of
France
Geographic coordinates: 49 15 N, 2 10 W
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 117 sq km
land: 117 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 70 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Terrain: gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 143 m
Natural resources: agricultural land
Land use:
arable land : 57%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 43%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to : NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about
30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier
@Jersey:People
Population: 88,510 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years : 18% (male 7,995; female 7,435)
15-64 years: 68% (male 30,009; female 30,523)
65 years and over: 14% (male 5,170; female 7,378) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.73% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 12.64 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 9.17 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth : 1.11 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population : 0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population : 78.51 years
male: 75.78 years
female: 81.55 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander
Ethnic groups: UK and Norman-French descent
Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New
Church, Methodist, Presbyterian
Languages: English (official), French (official), Norman-French
dialect spoken in country districts
Literacy: NA
@Jersey:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form : Jersey
Data code: JE
Dependency status: British crown dependency
Government type: NA
National capital: Saint Helier
Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)
Independence: none (British crown dependency)
National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and
practice
Legal system: English law and local statute
Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Sir
Michael WILKES (since NA 1995) and Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE
(since NA 1995)
cabinet : committees appointed by the Assembly of the States
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; lieutenant
governor and bailiff appointed by the queen
Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States (57 seats, 53
elected including 12 senators popularly elected for six-year terms,
half retiring every third year, 12 constables popularly elected
triennially, and 29 deputies popularly elected triennially)
elections: last held NA (next to be held NA)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 52
Judicial branch: Royal Court, judges elected by an electoral college
and the bailiff
Political parties and leaders: none; all independents
International organization participation: none
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (British crown dependency)
Flag description: white with the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick
(patron saint of Ireland) extending to the corners of the flag
Economy
Economy - overview: The economy is based largely on financial
services, agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes,
and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to
the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and
represents an important export earner. Milk products go to the UK and
other EU countries. In 1986 the finance sector overtook tourism as the
main contributor to GDP, accounting for 40% of the island's output. In
recent years, the government has encouraged light industry to locate
in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has developed
alongside the traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material
and energy requirements are imported, as well as a large share of
Jersey's food needs.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry : NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA%
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $643.7 million
expenditures: $597.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995 est.)
Industries: tourism, banking and finance, dairy
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 50,000 kW standby
note: electricity supplied by France
Electricity - production: NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by France
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh (1992)
Agriculture - products: potatoes, cauliflowers, tomatoes; meat, dairy
products
Exports: $NA
commodities: light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs,
textiles
partners: UK
Imports: $NA
commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,
foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals
partners: UK
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 Jersey pound (£J) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Jersey pounds (£J) per US$1 - 0.6023 (January 1997),
0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664
(1992); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Jersey:Communications