Japan
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Capital
Tokyo
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Local time
4:50
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Population
126.29 m
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Driving side
Left
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Calling code
+81
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Currency
¥ JPY (yen)
Japan
-
Capital
Tokyo
-
Local time
4:50
-
Population
126.29 m
-
Driving side
Left
-
Calling code
+81
-
Currency
¥ JPY (yen)
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Average Salary
$ 3 167
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Petrol price
€ 1.38 pl
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Precipitation
1 668mm /year
Geography & travel
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Country Area
377 835 km2
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Protected Area
19%
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Forest Area
69%
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Agricultural area
12%
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Railways
16704km
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Annual air passengers
117.71 m
Population
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Ethnicity
Japanese - 99 %
Korean
Chinese
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Religion
Shintoist and Buddhist - 84 %
other - 16 %
other - 16 %
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Languages
Japanese
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Armed Forces
259 800
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Alcohol consumption
7.5 l/person
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Smoking
33.7%
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Diabetes
5.7%
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Tuberculosis
17 per 100k
Economy
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Industries
motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods
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Agriculture
rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit, pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs, fish
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Natural Resources
mineral resources, fish
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Energy Import
94%
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Natural Resources
mineral resources, fish
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Renewable Energy
5%
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CO2 Emissions
1 214 048kt
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Ease of Business
34 (Best=1, Worst=200)
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ATMs per 100k people
128
What not to do when visiting Japan
Japan Don't forget to bring a gift such as a little souvenir from your native city. It's rude to visit a Japanese home without one.
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Japan Don't put thumb in between your middle and index finger while making a fist - it's an obscene gesture.
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Japan Don't put feet on the furniture - it's considered extremely rude.
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Did you know?
Venetian blinds were invented in Japan.
Japan Don't take photos of geisha without asking permission.
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Japan Don't take food from the serving plate with chopsticks that you've eaten from. Instead, use another pair of chopsticks.
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Japan Don't sneeze, spit or burp in public.
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Japan Don't forget to bring your palms together at your chest in a gesture called "gassshou" when invited to family home to eat. Say "itadakimasu" to the person who prepared the meal before taking the first bite. Appreciate the plate arrangement too. At the end of meal say "gochisousama" to further express your gratitude.
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Japan Don't start drinking until everyone at the table is served and the glasses are raised to toast. The Japanese drinking salute is usually "Kampai!"
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Did you know?
You can buy square watermelons in Japan (developed to stack better in supermarkets).
Japan Don't give the gifts with both hands and don't open a wrapped gift until later.
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Japan Don't enter a Japanese home with shoes - it's customary to remove your shoes at the door in Japan.
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Japan Don't stick your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice - it's a funeral rite in Japan.
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Japan Don't do hugging in public.
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Japan Don't be shy to use the honorific suffix "san" when addressing all men and women.
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Did you know?
Japanese people don't have middle names.
Japan Don't dress in casual attire in the workplace - dress appropriately for business. A suit and tie for men and a dress or pantyhose for women.
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Japan Don't directly eat the food taken from served communal platters - always put the food on your plate before eating it.
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Japan Don't put your elbows on the table.
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Japan Don't bring your mouth down to the bowl with your soup dish. You can bring a soup dish up to your mouth.
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Japan Don't just look - hold up your glass when someone is pouring sake for you. If someone is pouring you wine, you can leave your glass on the table.
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Did you know?
The national anthems of Japan, Jordan, and San Marino each have only four lines.
Japan Don't always consider "yes" as a positive answer. Be aware that vague "yes" does not always mean "yes" in Japanese culture. A straightforward refusal traditionally does not form part of Japanese etiquette.
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Japan Don't forget to bow when you thank somebody. You can say "thank you" or "domo arigato" in Japanese, and tilt your head a little bit forward to show a gesture of appreciation.
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Japan Don't point at dishes with your chopsticks.
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Japan Don't pick food off your chopsticks.
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Japan Don't necessarily empty the glass when finished, you can say so while placing your hand over the glass.
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Did you know?
Japan is the 3rd largest consumer of coffee.
Japan Don't forget to sit with both feet on the floor when dining on the floor.
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Japan Don't put your chopsticks together and use them as spoon.
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Japan Don't use chopsticks like a fork and knife to cut your food.
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Eastern Asia Don't sit or stand on Buddha statue for taking a picture. This can lead to stay in prison.
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Japan Don't sit until told where to sit when gathering or in business - usually, there is a seating arrangement based on professional status.
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Did you know?
In Japanese culture, blue and green are considered different shades of the same colour. Traffic lights there have blue instead of green for “go.”.
Tell us your experience
We love to hear from people who have travelled the world and know ‘what not to do’. Why not help other people on their travels?
Japan Don't stand once the meeting is finished until the person with the highest professional status stands.
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Japan Don't be surprised of not finding many trash cans in the street. In such case carry the trash all the way home.
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Japan Don't give 4 or 9 of anything to a Japanese person. These numbers are believed to be unlucky and your gift will not be appreciated.
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Japan Don't eat and drink while walking in public. No food and drink taken in at a store.
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Japan Don't give a tip in Japan restaurants - it's not widely understood concept and the recipient could even find it insulting.
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Japan Don't talk on your phone when in restaurants or public transport. Turn it off in theatres and museums.
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Japan Don't point to your chest for saying "me" or "I" - Japanese point to one's nose instead.
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Eastern Asia Don't make a long eye contact - it's tactless.
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Eastern Asia Don’t forget to show respect when greeting. While foreigners are expected to shake hands, the traditional form of greeting is the bow - the deeper you bow, the more respect you show. A foreign visitor ('gaijin') may bow the head slightly since no one expects foreigners to understand the subtle nuances of bowing generally.
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Japan Don't be surprised - Japanese meals are typically one soup, three sides, rice and pickles.
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Japan Don't forget about the toilet slippers - Japanese usually have a dedicated set of slippers for toilet area usage.
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Japan Don’t lose face or cause losing face of anyone else - it’s a mark of personal dignity and status. Japanese believe that turning down someone’s request can cause a loss of face. They use to say ”it’s inconvenient” or ”it’s under consideration”.
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Japan Don't pour your own drink - it's customary your friends or colleagues keep each other's glasses full or bottomless.
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Japan Don't go into an "Onsen" without washing first and don't go into the bathing area with a towel wrapped around you - you'll just look silly. Embrace the nudity.
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Japan Don't be confused when looking up an address - you will see postal code first, followed by prefecture, municipality, town, district, land number and then building name.
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Japan Don't douse rice into soy sauce.
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Japan Don’t forget to check local disaster preparedness and know what to do in such cases - Japanese are well organised in this as occasional earthquakes are common.
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Japan Don’t forget the Japanese maintain an impassive expression when speaking. Watch out for inhaling through clenched teeth, tilting the head, scratching the back of the head or scratching the eyebrow.
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Japan Don't be upset when your plates are taken away soon after you finished eating - it's common in Japan and considered as a polite manner. People may be upset if their plates are left on the table for long. After your table is cleared, you may stay and chat for a while before leaving, and some restaurants even serve you a cup of hot tea for free.
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Japan Don’t work in Japan while in tourist or visa-waiver status - it’s illegal. Don’t overstay your visa.
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Japan Don’t possess a knife with a locking or folding blade that is longer than 5.5cm - it’s illegal.
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Japan Don’t necessarily stare to another person’s eyes too long, especially if the person is senior to you - it’s disrespectful.
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