Moving to Japan: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

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Population

123,201,945

Population Growth Rate

-0.43%

Population Distribution

all primary and secondary regions of high population density lie on the coast

one-third of the population resides in and around Tokyo on the central plain (Kanto Plain)

Urban Population

• population: 92% of total population (2023) rate of
• urbanization: -0.25% annual rate of change

Population in Major Urban Areas

37.194 million TOKYO (capital), 19.013 million Osaka, 9.569 million Nagoya, 5.490 million Kitakyushu-Fukuoka, 2.937 million Shizuoka-Hamamatsu, 2.666 million Sapporo

Population: Male/Female

• male: 59,875,269
• female: 63,326,676

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Age Structure

• years: 12.1% (male 7,701,196/female 7,239,389) 15-64
• years: 58.4% (male 36,197,840/female 35,777,966) 65 years and
• over: 29.5% (male 15,976,233/female 20,309,321)

Median Age

• total: 49.9 years
• male: 48.3 years
• female: 51.3 years

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

7

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

11.9

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

1.4

Gross reproduction rate

1

Contraceptive Prevalance Rate - female 12-49

39.8%

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 12-49

39.8%

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

46.8%

Mean Age for Mother's First Birth (age 25-49)

30.7

Mother's mean age at first birth

30.7

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

• birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14
• years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64
• years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and
• over: 0.79 male(s)/female total
• population: 0.95 male(s)/female

Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population

.7

Ethnic Groups

Japanese 97.5%, Chinese 0.6%, Vietnam 0.4%, South Korean 0.3%, other 1.2% (includes Filipino, Brazilian, Nepalese, Indonesian, American, and Taiwanese)

Language Note

Japanese

Nationality Noun

• noun: Japanese (singular and plural)
• adjective: Japanese

Literacy Definition

Age 15 and over can read and write

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

3.4%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

• total: 15 years
• male: 15 years
• female: 15 years

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Life Expectancy at Birth

• population: 85.2 years
• male: 82.3 years
• female: 88.2 years

Infant Mortality Rate

• total: 1.9 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 2 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 1.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

• total: 1.9 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 2 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 1.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births

4

Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population

2.48

Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population

13

Health Expenditures - percent of GDP

10.9%

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

4.3%

Tobacco Use

• total: 20.1%
• male: 30.1%
• female: 10%

Alcohol consumption per capita

• total: 8.36 liters of pure alcohol
• beer: 1.35 liters of pure alcohol
• wine: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol
• spirits: 1.63 liters of pure alcohol other
• alcohols: 5.09 liters of pure alcohol

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

• improved: urban: NA
• rural: NA
• total: 99.1% of population
• unimproved: urban: NA
• rural: NA
• total: 0.1% of population

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

• improved: urban: NA
• rural: NA
• total: 99.9% of population
• unimproved: urban: NA
• rural: NA
• total: 0.1% of population

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Economic Overview

Over the past 70 years, government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (slightly less than 1% of GDP) have helped Japan develop an advanced economy.

Two notable characteristics of the post-World War II economy were the close interlocking structures of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors, known as keiretsu, and the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force.

Both features have significantly eroded under the dual pressures of global competition and domestic demographic change.

Measured on a purchasing power parity basis that adjusts for price differences, Japan in 2017 stood as the fourth-largest economy in the world after first-place China, which surpassed Japan in 2001, and third-place India, which edged out Japan in 2012.

For three postwar decades, overall real economic growth was impressive - averaging 10% in the 1960s, 5% in the 1970s, and 4% in the 1980s.

Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the aftereffects of inefficient investment and the collapse of an asset price bubble in the late 1980s, which resulted in several years of economic stagnation as firms sought to reduce excess debt, capital, and labor.

Modest economic growth continued after 2000, but the economy has fallen into recession four times since 2008.

Japan enjoyed an uptick in growth since 2013, supported by Prime Minister Shinzo ABE’s "Three Arrows" economic revitalization agenda - dubbed "Abenomics" - of monetary easing, "flexible" fiscal policy, and structural reform.

Led by the Bank of Japan’s aggressive monetary easing, Japan is making modest progress in ending deflation, but demographic decline – a low birthrate and an aging, shrinking population – poses a major long-term challenge for the economy.

The government currently faces the quandary of balancing its efforts to stimulate growth and institute economic reforms with the need to address its sizable public debt, which stands at 235% of GDP.

To help raise government revenue, Japan adopted legislation in 2012 to gradually raise the consumption tax rate.

However, the first such increase, in April 2014, led to a sharp contraction, so Prime Minister ABE has twice postponed the next increase, which is now scheduled for October 2019.

Structural reforms to unlock productivity are seen as central to strengthening the economy in the long run.

Scarce in critical natural resources, Japan has long been dependent on imported energy and raw materials.

After the complete shutdown of Japan’s nuclear reactors following the earthquake and tsunami disaster in 2011, Japan's industrial sector has become even more dependent than before on imported fossil fuels.

However, ABE’s government is seeking to restart nuclear power plants that meet strict new safety standards and is emphasizing nuclear energy’s importance as a base-load electricity source.

In August 2015, Japan successfully restarted one nuclear reactor at the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in Kagoshima prefecture, and several other reactors around the country have since resumed operations; however, opposition from local governments has delayed several more restarts that remain pending.

Reforms of the electricity and gas sectors, including full liberalization of Japan’s energy market in April 2016 and gas market in April 2017, constitute an important part of Prime Minister Abe’s economic program.

Under the Abe Administration, Japan’s government sought to open the country’s economy to greater foreign competition and create new export opportunities for Japanese businesses, including by joining 11 trading partners in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

Japan became the first country to ratify the TPP in December 2016, but the United States signaled its withdrawal from the agreement in January 2017.

In November 2017 the remaining 11 countries agreed on the core elements of a modified agreement, which they renamed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Japan also reached an agreement with the European Union on an Economic Partnership Agreement in July 2017 and is likely to seek to ratify both agreements in the Diet this year.

Industries

Among the world's largest and most technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$38,200.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

0.6%

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GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$5,224,850,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$38,200.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

0.6%

GDP - official exchange rate

$4,127,000,000,000 (USD)

GDP - composition, by end use

• consumption: 59.6% Government
• consumption: 20.4% Investment in fixed
• capital: 21.2% Investment in
• inventories: -0.3% Exports of goods and
• services: 18.5% Imports of goods and
• services: -19.4%

GDP by Sector- agriculture

1.2%

GDP by Sector- Industry

26.6%

GDP by Sector- services

72.2%

Industrial Growth Rate

-3.5%

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Inflation Rate

0.1%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

132.44

Currency Name and Code

Yen (JPY)

Fiscal Year

1 April - 31 March

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

1.5%

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Labor Force

65,020,000

Unemployment Rate

4.4%

Major Industries

Among the world's largest and most technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods

Agriculture Products

• Rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit
• pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs
• fish

Population Below Poverty Line

16%

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Labor Force By Occupation- agriculture

3.9%

Labor Force By Occupation- industry

26.2%

Labor Force By Occupation- services

69.8%

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Annual Budget

$2,025,000,000,000 (USD)

Public Debt (% of GDP)

214.3%

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

-8.2%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

34.7%

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Full Country Name

None

Country Name

Japan

Local - Long

Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku

Local - Short

Nihon/Nippon

Etymology- history of name

the English word for Japan comes via the Chinese name for the country "Cipangu"; both Nihon and Nippon mean "where the sun originates" and are frequently translated as "Land of the Rising Sun"

Independence

• 3 May 1947 (current constitution adopted as amendment to Meiji Constitution)
• notable earlier dates: 11 February 660 B.C. (mythological date of the founding of the nation by Emperor JIMMU)
• 29 November 1890 (Meiji Constitution provides for constitutional monarchy)

National Holiday

Birthday of Emperor NARUHITO, 23 February (1960); note - celebrates the birthday of the current emperor

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Government Type

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Constitution

• history: previous 1890; latest approved 6 October 1946, adopted 3 November 1946, effective 3 May 1947
• amendments: proposed by the Diet; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority of both houses of the Diet and approval by majority in a referendum; note - the constitution has not been amended since its enactment in 1947

Legal System:

• civil law system based on German model
• system also reflects Anglo-American influence and Japanese traditions
• judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court

Executive Branch:

• chief of state: Emperor NARUHITO (since 1 May 2019)
• head of government: Prime Minister Shigeru ISHIBA (since 1 October 2024)
• cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister election/appointment
• process: the monarchy is hereditary; the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister
• election results: 2024: Shigeru ISHIBA (LDP) elected prime minister on 27 September 2024; upper house vote - 143 of 242 votes; lower house vote - 291 of 461 votes 2021: Fumio KISHIDA reelected prime minister on 10 November 2021; upper house vote - Fumio KISHIDA (LDP) 141, Yukio EDANO (CDP) 60; lower house vote - Fumio KISHIDA 297, Yukio EDANO 108
• note: Shigeru ISHIBA resigned as prime minister on 11 November 2024 after legislative elections but was re-elected in the second round of voting in the lower house

Legislative Branch:

• Description: bicameral National Diet or Kokkai consists of: House of Councillors or Sangi-in (248 seats; 148 members directly elected in multi-seat districts by simple majority vote and 100 directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with half the membership renewed every 3 years) House of Representatives or Shuugi-in (465 seats; 289 members directly elected in single-seat districts by simple majority vote and 176 directly elected in multi-seat districts by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve up to 4-year terms)
• Elections: House of Councillors - last held on 10 July 2022 (next to be held in July 2025) House of Representatives - last held on 31 October 2021 (next to be held by October 2025)
• Election Results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party/grouping as of January 2024 - LDP 116, CDP-SDP 40, Komeito 27, JCP 11, Ishin-FEFA 21, DPFP 11, Reiwa 5, OW 2, NHK 2, independent 12;
• Composition: 182 men, 66 women; percent of women 26.6% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party/grouping as of January 2024 - LDP 260, CDP 96, Ishin 41, Komeito 32, JCP 10, DPFP 7, Yushi no Kai 4, FEFA 4, Reiwa 3, independents 7;
• Composition: 416 men, 48 women; percent women 10.3%;
• Note: total National Diet percent of women 16%
• Note: the Diet in June 2017 redrew Japan's electoral district boundaries and reduced from 475 to 465 seats in the House of Representatives; the amended electoral law, which cuts 6 seats in single-seat districts and 4 in multi-seat districts, was reportedly intended to reduce voting disparities between densely and sparsely populated voting districts

Judicial Branch:

• office: Supreme Court chief justice designated by the Cabinet and appointed by the monarch; associate justices appointed by the Cabinet and confirmed by the monarch; all justices are reviewed in a popular referendum at the first general election of the House of Representatives following each judge's appointment and every 10 years afterward
• subordinate courts: 8 High Courts (Koto-saiban-sho), each with a Family Court (Katei-saiban-sho); 50 District Courts (Chiho saibansho), with 203 additional branches; 438 Summary Courts (Kani saibansho)

Regions or States:

47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, 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

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Collaborative Party or The Party to Protect People from NHK or NHK Party [Ayaka OTSU (de jure)
• Takashi TACHIBANA (de facto)]
• Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan or CDP [Kenta IZUMI]
• Democratic Party for the People or DPFP or DPP [Yuichiro TAMAKI]
• Free Education for All or FEFA [Seiji MAEHARA]
• Japan Communist Party or JCP [Tomoko TAMURA]
• Japan Innovation Party or Nippon Ishin no kai or Ishin [Nobuyuki BABA]
• Komeito [Natsuo YAMAGUCHI]
• Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Fumio KISHIDA]
• Okinawa Whirlwind or OW [N/A]
• Reiwa Shinsengumi [Taro YAMAMOTO]
• Social Democratic Party or SDP [Mizuho FUKUSHIMA]
• Yūshi no Kai [Shuji KIRA]

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship Criteria:

• birth: no citizenship by descent
• only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Japan dual citizenship
• recognized: no residency requirement for
• naturalization: 5 years

Capital Name

Tokyo

Capital - geographic coordinate

35 41 N, 139 45 E

Capital Time Difference

UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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International Organization Participation:

• ADB
• AfDB (nonregional member)
• APEC
• Arctic Council (observer)
• ARF
• ASEAN (dialogue partner)
• Australia Group
• BIS
• CD
• CE (observer)
• CERN (observer)
• CICA (observer)
• CP
• CPLP (associate)
• EAS
• EBRD
• EITI (implementing country)
• FAO
• FATF
• G-5
• G-7
• G-8
• G-10
• G-20
• IADB
• IAEA
• IBRD
• ICAO
• ICC (national committees)
• ICCt
• ICRM
• IDA
• IEA
• IFAD
• IFC
• IFRCS
• IGAD (partners)
• IHO
• ILO
• IMF
• IMO
• IMSO
• Interpol
• IOC
• IOM
• IPU
• ISO
• ITSO
• ITU
• ITUC (NGOs)
• LAIA (observer)
• MIGA
• NEA
• NSG
• OAS (observer)
• OECD
• OPCW
• OSCE (partner)
• Pacific Alliance (observer)
• Paris Club
• PCA
• PIF (partner)
• Quad
• SAARC (observer)
• SELEC (observer)
• SICA (observer)
• UN
• UNCTAD
• UNESCO
• UNHCR
• UNHRC
• UNIDO
• UNMISS
• UNOOSA
• UNRWA
• UNWTO
• UPU
• Wassenaar Arrangement
• WCO
• WFTU (NGOs)
• WHO
• WIPO
• WMO
• WTO
• ZC

International Law Organization Participation:

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Rahm EMANUEL (since 25 March 2022)
• Embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420
• Mailing Address: 9800 Tokyo Place, Washington DC 20521-9800
• Telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000
• FAX: [81] (03) 3224-5856
• Email: TokyoACS@state.gov
• Website: https://jp.usembassy.gov/
• Consulate(s) General: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador YAMADA Shigeo (since 27 February 2024)
• Chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
• Telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700
• FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187
• Website: https://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_en/index.html
• Consulate(s) General: Anchorage (AK), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville (TN), New York, Portland (OR), San Francisco, Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands), Seattle (WA)

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Geographic Location

Asia

Geographic Coordinates

36 00 N, 138 00 E

Total Area

145,913 Square Miles 377,915 Square Kilometers

Land Area

140,728 Square Miles 364,485 Square Kilometers

Water Area

5,185 Square Miles 13,430 Square Kilometers

Coastline

18,486 Miles 29,751 Kilometers

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Terrain

Mostly rugged and mountainous

Highest Point

3,776 Meters

Highest Point Location

Fujiyama (Mount Fuji) 3,776 m

Lowest Point

-4 Meters

Lowest Point Location

Hachiro-gata -4 m

Natural Resources

Negligible mineral resources, fish Note: With virtually no energy natural resources, Japan is the world's largest importer of coal and liquefied natural gas, as well as the second largest importer of oil

Irrigated Land

9,653 Square Miles 25,000 Square Kilometers

Time Zone

UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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Climate

Temperature extremes are fewer than in the U.S. since no part of the interior is more than 100 miles from the coast.

At the same time, because the islands run almost directly north-south, the climate varies.

Sapporo, on the northern island, has warm summers and long, cold winters with heavy snowfall.

Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe, on the southern part of the largest island of Honshu, experience relatively mild winters with little or no snowfall and hot, humid summers.

Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu, has a climate with mild winters and short summers.

Okinawa is subtropical.

Spring, with its profusion of cherry blossoms and other flowering trees and shrubs, and autumn, with its gold and flaming red trees and lovely fall flowers, are the most pleasant seasons.

The hot, humid summers are difficult in the cities, but the sandy beaches along the coast and the many fine mountain resorts provide pleasant relief.

With rather mild and dry winters it rarely snows or rains in the Tokyo area at this time of year.

Terrain

Mostly rugged and mountainous

Location

Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Total Area

145,913 Square Miles 377,915 Square Kilometers

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 is one of the largest consumers of fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere

Environment - International Agreements

Party To: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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Exports

$792,900,000,000 (USD)

Imports

$856,900,000,000 (USD)

Major Exports

• Motor vehicles 13.6%
• semiconductors 6.2%
• iron and steel products 5.5%
• auto parts 4.6%
• plastic materials 3.5%
• power generating machinery 3.5%

Major Imports

• Petroleum 15.5%
• liquid natural gas 5.7%
• clothing 3.9%
• semiconductors 3.5%
• coal 3.5%
• audio and visual apparatus 2.7%

Top Export Partners

China 19.7%, United States 15.5%, South Korea 8%, Hong Kong 5.2%, Thailand 4.6%

Top Import Partners

China 21.5%, United States 8.9%, Australia 6.6%, Saudi Arabia 5.9%, United Arab Emirates 5%, South Korea 4.7%

Export Partners

China 19.7%, United States 15.5%, South Korea 8%, Hong Kong 5.2%, Thailand 4.6%

Import Partners

China 21.5%, United States 8.9%, Australia 6.6%, Saudi Arabia 5.9%, United Arab Emirates 5%, South Korea 4.7%

Country Description

Japan is a stable, highly developed parliamentary democracy with a modern economy.

Tourist facilities are widely available, except in coastal areas of Northeast Japan still recovering from the aftermath of the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami.

Safety & Security

There have been no major terrorist incidents in Japan since 1995.

However, you should be aware of the potential risks and take these into consideration when making travel plans.

The Government of Japan maintains heightened security measures at key facilities and ports of entry as antiterrorism precautions.

At times, these security measures may increase because of regional tensions.

The Government of Japan is vigilant in tracking terrorist threat indicators and remains on a high state of alert.

You can contact local police substations (koban) and police emergency dispatchers (tel. 110) to report any suspicious activity.

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Crime

The general crime rate in Japan is well below the U.S. national average.

Crimes against U.S. citizens in Japan usually involve personal disputes, theft, or vandalism.

Violent crime is rare, but it does exist.

Sexual assaults are not often reported, but they do occur, and females may be randomly targeted.

Hate-related violent crimes rarely occur, although some U.S. citizens have reported being the target of comments or actions because of their nationality or their race.

U.S. citizens have reported incidents of pickpocketing in crowded shopping areas, on trains, and at airports.

Every year, a number of U.S. citizens report their passports lost or stolen at international airports, especially passports that were carried in their pockets.

Robberies committed after a victim has been drugged or “drink spiked” are increasing (see below).

Some U.S. citizens report that Japanese police procedures appear to be less sensitive and responsive to a victim's concerns compared to the procedures in the United States, particularly in cases of domestic violence or sexual assault, or when both the victim and the perpetrator are foreigners.

Few victim's assistance resources or battered women's shelters exist in major urban areas, and they are generally unavailable in rural areas.

Investigations of sexual assault crimes are often conducted without female police officers present, and police typically ask about the victim's sexual history and previous relationships.

The quality of Japanese-English interpretation services can vary, and for some U.S. citizen victims, this has caused a problem.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available.

Not only are such goods illegal in the United States, but if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

Concerns Regarding Roppongi and other Entertainment and Nightlife Districts in Tokyo: Roppongi is an entertainment district in Tokyo that caters to foreign clientele and is considered a high-risk area for crime, particularly the misappropriation of credit card information in bars to make fraudulent credit card charges.

Other high-risk areas for crime in the Tokyo area include Shinjuku (especially the area of Kabuki-cho), Shibuya, and Ikebukuro.

However, you should use caution in all entertainment and nightlife districts throughout Japan.

Incidents involving U.S. citizens in these areas include physical and sexual assaults, drug overdoses, theft of purses, wallets, cash, and credit cards at bars or clubs, and drugs allegedly slipped into drinks.

Never accept drinks from strangers or turn your back to your drink while in a bar or club.

Drink-spiking at bars and entertainment venues, especially in areas such as Roppongi and Kabuki-cho, near Shinjuku, has routinely led to robbery and has also resulted in physical and sexual assaults.

In most drink-spiking reports, the victim unknowingly drinks a beverage that has been mixed with a drug that makes the victim unconscious or dazed for several hours, during which time the victim’s credit card is used for large purchases or the card is stolen.

Some victims regain consciousness in the bar or club; other victims may awaken on the street or in other unknown locations.

Several U.S. citizens have also reported being charged exorbitant bar tabs in some bars and clubs in Roppongi and other entertainment and nightlife districts.

Although firearms and brandishing knives in public are illegal in Japan, there have been reports by U.S. citizens of being threatened with gun or knife violence in such venues in order to force them to pay bar tabs or withdraw money.

There have also been reports of beatings of U.S. citizens who have refused to pay or hand over money.

There have been recent reports of U.S. citizens being forcibly taken to ATM machines and robbed, or forced to withdraw funds after being unable to pay exorbitant bar tabs.

Please be aware that Roppongi and other entertainment and nightlife districts have also been the scenes of violence be

Criminal Penalties

• Drugs: Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking illegal drugs, including marijuana, are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and fines. In most drug cases, suspects are detained and barred from receiving visitors or corresponding with anyone other than a lawyer or a U.S. consular officer until after the first hearing, which at times has taken a year to take place. Solitary confinement is common. You could be convicted of drug use based on a positive blood or urine tests alone, and several U.S. citizens are now serving time in Japanese prisons as the result of sting operations that used informants. The Japanese police routinely share information on drug arrests with Interpol, assuring that notification of the arrest will reach U.S. law enforcement agencies. The majority of all U.S. citizens now in prison in Japan are incarcerated for drug-related crimes. In recent months, there have been arrests of individuals selling and possessing synthetic drug-like substances, such as the synthetic marijuana called "spice." Japanese authorities aggressively pursue drug smugglers with sophisticated detection equipment, "sniffing" dogs, and other methods. When entering Japan, you and your luggage will be screened at ports of entry. Incoming and outgoing mail, as well as international packages sent via DHL or FedEx, are also checked carefully. The Japanese police make arrests for even the smallest amounts of illegal drugs. Several U.S. citizens have been arrested, tried, and convicted after having mailed illegal drugs to themselves from other countries, or for having tried to bring drugs into Japan as paid couriers working out of Southeast Asia or Europe. In 2013, several U.S. citizens were arrested at Japanese airports for smuggling illegal drugs on flights originating in India. All claim that they did not realize they were carrying drugs. When traveling to Japan, never transport packages that do not belong to you, and keep immediate control of your luggage at all times.
• Knives: Possession of a knife with a locking blade, or a folding blade that is longer than 5.5 cm (a little more than two inches), is illegal in Japan. U.S. citizens and U.S. military personnel have been arrested and detained for more than 10 days for carrying pocket knives that are legal in the United States but illegal in Japan. Immigration
• Penalties: Japanese work visas are not transferable and are issued outside of Japan for a specific job with a specific employer at a specific place of employment. It is illegal for you to work in Japan while in tourist or visa-waiver status. Japanese authorities do not allow foreigners to change their immigration status from visa-waiver status to work status while in Japan. Japanese immigration officers may deny you entr

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Medical Facilities

While medical care in Japan is good, English-speaking physicians and medical facilities that cater to U.S. citizens’ expectations are expensive and not widespread.

Japan has a national health insurance system that is available only to those foreigners with long-term visas for Japan.

National health insurance does not pay for medical evacuation.

Medical caregivers in Japan require payment in full at the time of treatment or concrete proof of ability to pay before they will treat a foreigner who is not a member of the national health insurance plan.

U.S.-style and standard psychiatric care can be difficult to locate in major urban centers in Japan and generally is not available outside of Japan's major cities.

Extended psychiatric care for foreigners in Japan is difficult to obtain at any price.

U.S. prescriptions are not honored in Japan, so if you need ongoing prescription medicine you should arrive with a sufficient supply for your stay in Japan or enough until you are able to see a local care provider.

Certain medications, including some commonly prescribed for depression and Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), are not widely available.

Traffic Safety

While in a foreign country, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

The information below concerning Japan is provided for general reference only, and it may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Driving in Japan is quite complicated and expensive.

Traffic moves on the left side of the road.

Those who cannot read the language will have trouble understanding road signs.

Highway tolls can be as high as $1 (U.S.) or more per mile.

City traffic is often very congested.

A 20-mile trip in the Tokyo area may take two hours.

There is virtually no legal roadside parking, however, traffic is commonly blocked or partially blocked by those who illegally parked curbside.

In mountainous areas, roads are often closed during the winter, and cars should be equipped with tire chains.

Roads in Japan are much narrower than those in the United States.

Japanese compulsory insurance (JCI) is mandatory for all automobile owners and drivers in Japan.

Most short-term visitors choose not to drive in Japan.

Other than a few exceptions, turning on red lights is generally not permitted.

Japanese law provides that all drivers in Japan are held liable in the event of an accident, and assesses fault in an accident on all parties.

Japan has a national zero percent blood-alcohol level standard for driving, and drivers stopped for driving under the influence of intoxicants will have their licenses confiscated.

If you’re found guilty of "drunken, speeding, or blatantly careless driving resulting in injury" you are subject to up to 15 years in prison.

All passengers are required to fasten their seat belts.

The National Police Agency (NPA) oversees the administration and enforcement of traffic laws in Japan.

Emergency Assistance: Within Japan, please dial 110 for police, and 119 for an ambulance.

For roadside assistance, please contact the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) at 03-5730-0111 in Tokyo, 072-645-0111 in Osaka, 011-857-8139 in Sapporo, 092-841-5000 in Fukuoka, or 098-877-9163 in Okinawa.

For specific information concerning Japanese driving permits, vehicle inspection, road tax, and mandatory insurance, please refer to the Japan National Tourist Organization website for locations in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, or San Francisco.

In addition, information about roadside assistance, rules of the road, and obtaining a Japanese driver's license is available in English from the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) website.

International Driving Permits (IDPs): An international driving permit (IDP) issued in the United States by the American Automobile Association (AAA) or the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA) is required of short-term visitors who drive in Japan.

You must obtain an IDP issued in your country of residence prior to arriving in Japan.

The U.S.

9 facts — expand for details.

Airports - total

175

Airports with Paved Runways

142

Heliports

16

Railways

16,890 Miles 27,182 Kilometers

Roadways- total

752,015 Miles 1,210,251 Kilometers

Roadways- paved

604,739 Miles 973,234 Kilometers

Waterways

1,100 Miles 1,770 Kilometers

Ports and Terminals

Chiba, Kawasaki, Kobe, Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo, Tomakomai, Yokohama

Merchant Marine

• type: bulk carrier 168, cargo 34, carrier 3, chemical tanker 29, container 2, liquefied gas 58, passenger 11, passenger/cargo 117, petroleum tanker 152, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 52, vehicle carrier 54 Registered in other
• countries: 3,122 (Bahamas 88, Bermuda 2, Burma 1, Cambodia 1, Cayman Islands 23, China 2, Cyprus 16, Honduras 4, Hong Kong 79, Indonesia 8, Isle of Man 19, Liberia 110, Luxembourg 3, Malaysia 2, Malta 5, Marshall Islands 59, Mongolia 2, Netherlands 1, Panama 2372, Philippines 77, Portugal 9, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Sierra Leone 4, Singapore 164, South Korea 14, Tanzania 1, United Kingdom 5, Vanuatu 39, unknown 7) (2010)

3 facts — expand for details.

Pipelines: Gas

2,769 Miles 4,456 Kilometers

Pipelines: Oil

108 Miles 174 Kilometers

Pipelines: Oil/Gas/Water

65 Miles 104 Kilometers

7 facts — expand for details.

Telephones

64,668,000

Cell Phones

132,760,000

Internet Users

99,182,000

Internet Country Code

.jp

Internet Hosts

64,453,000

Broadcast Media

• A mixture of public and commercial broadcast TV and radio stations
• 6 national terrestrial TV networks including 1 public broadcaster
• a large number of radio and TV stations available provide a wide range of choices
• satellite and cable services provide access to international channels

Telephone System

• Assessment: excellent domestic and international service
• Domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of every kind
• International: country code - 81; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and United States; satellite earth stations - 7 Intelsat (Pacific and Indian Oceans), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region), 2 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions), and 8 SkyPerfect JSAT

10 facts — expand for details.

Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

859,700,000,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

936,200,000,000

Natural Gas Consumption - Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

112,600,000,000

Natural Gas Imports- Cubic Meters (cu m)

122,200,000,000

Natural Gas Production- Cubic Meters (cu m)

3,273,000,000

Natural Gas Reserves- Cubic Meters (cu m)

20,900,000,000

Oil Consumption- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

4,464,000

Oil Imports- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

3,472,000

Oil Production- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

17,480

Oil Reserves- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

44,120,000

Anthem Lyrics

• Kanji: 君が代は 千代に八千代に さざれ石の 巌となりて 苔の生すまで
• Hiragana: きみがよは ちよにやちよに さざれいしの いわおとなりて こけのむすまで

Anthem Lyrics English

Thousands of years of happy reign be thine; Rule on, my lord, till what are pebbles now By age united to mighty rocks shall grow Whose venerable sides the moss doth line.