Countries of the World/COUNTRYS.BIN/dp/0198/01985.txt

Text File | 1991-06-25 | 42KB | 709 lines

$Unique_ID{COW01985}
$Pretitle{230}
$Title{Japan
Front Matter}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Frederica M. Bunge}
$Affiliation{HQ, Department of the Army}
$Subject{percent
japan
party
united
economic
japanese
states
government
national
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$Date{1981}
$Log{Global Map*0198501.scf
Figure 1.*0198502.scf
}
Country:     Japan
Book:        Japan, A Country Study
Author:      Frederica M. Bunge
Affiliation: HQ, Department of the Army
Date:        1981

Front Matter

Foreword

     This volume is one in a continuing series of books now being prepared by
the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress under the Country
Studies-Area Handbook Program. The last page of this book lists the other
published studies.

     Most books in the series deal with a particular foreign country,
describing and analyzing its political, economic, social, and national
security systems and institutions, and examining the interrelationships of
those systems and the ways they are shaped by cultural factors. Each study is
written by a multidisciplinary team of social scientists. The authors seek to
provide a basic understanding of the observed society, striving for a dynamic
rather than a static portrayal. Particular attention is devoted to the people
who make up the society, their origins, dominant beliefs and values, their
common interests and the issues on which they are divided, the nature and
extent of their involvement with national institutions, and their attitudes
toward each other and toward their social system and political order.

     The books represent the analysis of the authors and should not be
construed as an expression of an official United States government position,
policy, or decision. The authors have sought to adhere to accepted standards
of scholarly objectivity. Corrections, additions, and suggestions for changes
from readers will be welcomed for use in future editions.

Louis R. Mortimer
Acting Chief
Federal Research Division
Library of Congress
Washington, D.C. 20540

Acknowledgments

     The authors are grateful to individuals in various government agencies
and private institutions who gave of their time, data, special knowledge, and
authoritative perspective. Appreciation is also extended to members of the
Foreign Area Studies staff who contributed directly to the preparation of the
books. These persons include Karen R. Sagstetter, editor in chief, and Kathryn
R. Stafford and Dorothy M. Lohmann who, with the assistance of Janet B.
Connors, edited the manuscript and the accompanying tables and figures;
Harriett R. Blood, who prepared the graphics with the assistance of Gustavo
Arce, and John Dupont and Margaret Quinn who typed the manuscript. The team
appreciates as well the assistance provided by Gilda V. Nimer, librarian,
Ernest A. Will, publications manager, and Eloise R. Brandt, administrative
assistant.

     The calligraphy on the cover of this volume is the work of Reiko I.
Seekins, to whom we are deeply indebted. Special thanks are also owed to Marti
Ittner who designed the illustrations on the title page of each chapter. The
inclusion of photographs in this book was made possible by the generosity of
various individuals and public and private agencies. We acknowledge our
indebtedness especially to those persons who contributed original work not
previously published. Donald Seekins wrote portions of the addendum to the
Introduction.

Preface

     This study replaces the Area Handbook for Japan, which was completed in
June 1973. Three and one-half years later, a general election was held, and
the results seemed to foreshadow the end of conservative rule and the start of
a new day in Japanese politics. In that election the ruling Liberal Democratic
Party, which had dominated the political scene since 1955, failed to gain a
simple majority in the House of Representatives. The expected new era never
materialized, however, and in the election of June 1980 the party registered
an impressive comeback, winning a higher percentage of the popular vote for
the Lower House than at any time since 1967. On the economic front the country
continued to achieve substantial growth, albeit at a somewhat lessened pace
during the 1970s than in the preceding decade. More significant was the
enviable recovery of the economy from the oil crises of 1973 and 1979, a
success without parallel among free-market countries.

     Japan: A Country Study examines especially the changes that have ensued
and the problems that have arisen in the period since completion of the
previous book. Like its predecessor, this study is an attempt to treat in
compact and objective manner the dominant social, economic, and national
security forces at work and to give readers insight into the attitudes and
values of the people. Sources of information used in its preparation include
scholarly works, official reports of governmental and international
organizations, journals, and newspapers. Available books, articles, and other
documents provide important amplification at the end of each chapter. Full
references to these and other valuable sources used by the authors are
included in the Bibliography.

     The spelling of place names follows usage of the United States Board on
Geographic names, as set forth in the official gazetteer published in 1953.
The generic parts of some place names, however, have been dropped in favor of
their English equivalents. Personal names are written in accordance with
Japanese practice, giving the family name first. The prime minister, Mr.
Suzuki for example, is referred to on first mention as Suzuki Zenko,
thereafter simply as Suzuki. Toyotomi Hideyoshi and a few other historic
personages are referred to by their given names, rather than their family
names, since they are better known in the West by those names.

     Measurements are given in the metric system; a conversion table is
provided to assist those readers who are unfamiliar with metric measurements
(see table 1, Appendix). A glossary is also included.

Country Profile

[See Global Map: Map of Japan on the globe.]

Country

     Formal Name: Japan (Nihon or Nippon).

     Term for Citizens: Japanese.

     Capital: Tokyo.

Geography

     Size: The archipelago stretches in an arc 3,800 kilometers from north to
south. Total land area, 377,643 square kilometers. Four main islands,
Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, and thousands of adjacent, smaller
islands.

     Topography: Largely mountainous. Plains and basins account for less than
25 percent of total land area. Long, narrow archipelago traversed by mountain
ridge separating Pacific Ocean side and Sea of Japan side of the country.
Mount Fuji highest point of elevation. Coast long and varied. Deep indentation
provides some excellent harbors.

Society

     Population: In 1980, estimated 118 million persons. Rate of natural
increase in 1979 of 8.3 per 1,000. Korean residents numbered about 675,000.
Ten largest cities all had populations of more than 1 million; Tokyo about 8.2
million in 1981.

     Education: Literacy near universal among adults. Compulsory education for
nine years provided free to all children six to fifteen years of age.
Vocational training and education for the handicapped provided in special
schools. In 1981 upper level secondary schools had enrollment of 4.7 million,
junior colleges 371,000, universities 1.8 million.

     Health: General health conditions excellent. Increasing life
expectancy-nearly seventy-three years for men; over seventy-eight for women.
In 1978 modern medical services included more than 7,500 general hospitals,
75,000 clinics, and 35,700 dental clinics.

     Languages: National language is Japanese, used and understood by all,
including minority ethnic groups.

     Religion: Traditional, dominant religions are Shinto and Buddhism, both
split into numerous schools and sects. Christians number less than 1 percent
of population. Many Japanese adhere simultaneously to more than one faith.

The Economy

     Gross Natio