Country Details

Japan

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

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Government

Detailed information and insights

Country name

Conventional long form

none

Conventional short form

Japan

Local long form

Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku

Local short form

Nihon/Nippon

Etymology

the English word for Japan comes from the Chinese name for the country, Cipangu; both Nihon and Nippon come from the Japanese words nichi, or "sun," and hon, or "origin," which is frequently translated as "Land of the Rising Sun"

Government type

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Capital

Name

Tokyo

Geographic coordinates

35 41 N, 139 45 E

Time difference

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

Etymology

originally known as Edo, meaning "estuary" because of its location on a bay; the name was changed to Tokyo, meaning "eastern capital," in 1868, as a contrast to Kyoto, the previous capital to the west

Administrative divisions

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

Legal system

civil law system based on German model; also reflects Anglo-American influence and Japanese traditions; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts

Constitution

History

previous 1890; latest approved 6 October 1946, adopted 3 November 1946, effective 3 May 1947

Amendment process

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

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Citizenship by 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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Chief of state

Emperor NARUHITO (since 1 May 2019)

Head of government

Prime Minister Sanae TAKAICHI (since 21 October 2025)

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



2025: Sanae TAKAICHI (LDP) elected prime minister on 21 October 2025; upper house vote - 125 of 171 votes (runoff); lower house vote - 237 of 386 votes

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

Legislative branch

Legislature name

National Diet (Kokkai)

Legislative structure

bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber

Chamber name

House of Representatives (Shugiin)

Number of seats

465 (all directly elected)

Electoral system

mixed system

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

4 years

Most recent election date

7/20/2025

Parties elected and seats per party

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) (191); Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (148); Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) (38); Democratic Party for the People (28); Komeito (24); Other (36)

Percentage of women in chamber

15.7%

Expected date of next election

October 2028

Legislative branch - upper chamber

Chamber name

House of Councillors (Sangiin)

Number of seats

248 (all directly elected)

Electoral system

mixed system

Scope of elections

partial renewal

Term in office

6 years

Most recent election date

10/27/2024

Parties elected and seats per party

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) (39); Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (22); Democratic Party for the People (17); Sanseito (14); Komeito (8); Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) (7); Independents (8); Other (10)

Percentage of women in chamber

29.4%

Expected date of next election

June 2028

Judicial branch

Highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Saiko saibansho (consists of the chief justice and 14 associate justices)

Judge selection and term of 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 during the first general election of the House of Representatives after 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)

Political parties

Conservative Party of Japan or CPJ
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan or CDP 
Democratic Party for the People or DPFP or DPP 
Japan Communist Party or JCP 
Japan Innovation Party or Nippon Ishin no kai or Ishin 
Komeito or Komei
Liberal Democratic Party or LDP 
Okinawa Social Mass Party or Okinawa Whirlwind or OW
Party to Protect the People from NHK or NHK
Reiwa Shinsengumi 
Sanseito Party
Social Democratic Party or SDP

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

Email address and website


emb-consulate.dc@ws.mofa.go.jp

https://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_en/index.html

Consulate(s) general

Chicago

Consulate(s)

Anchorage (AK), Atlanta, Boston, 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)

Diplomatic representation from the US

Chief of mission

Ambassador George GLASS (since 17 July 2025)

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 address and website


TokyoACS@state.gov

https://jp.usembassy.gov/

Consulate(s) general

Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo

Consulate(s)

Fukuoka, Nagoya

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

Independence

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

National holiday

Birthday of Emperor NARUHITO, 23 February (1960)

Note

note: celebrates the birthday of the current emperor

Flag

description: white with a large red disk that symbolizes the sun without rays, in the center

history: the current flag was adopted in 1854, but a sun flag has been in use in Japan since at least 1184; the sun has long been a national symbol: according to tradition, the sun goddess Amaterasu founded the country in the 7th century B.C.

National symbol(s)

red sun disc, chrysanthemum

National color(s)

red, white

National coat of arms

the Kikumon is the Japanese emperor's family coat of arms and dates from 1183; the Imperial chrysanthemum emblem (菊の御紋, kikunogomon) is a yellow or orange chrysanthemum with black or red outlines and background; a central disc is surrounded by a front set of 16 petals; a rear set of 16 petals are half-staggered in relation to the front set and are visible at the edges of the flower

National anthem(s)

Title

"Kimigayo" (“His Majesty’s Reign)

Lyrics/music

unknown/Hiromori HAYASHI

History

adopted 1999; unofficial national anthem since 1883; oldest anthem lyrics in the world, dating to the 10th century or earlier; some oppose the anthem because of its association with militarism and worship of the emperor

National heritage

Total World Heritage Sites

26 (21 cultural, 5 natural)

Selected World Heritage Site locales

Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area (c); Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (c); Himeji-jo (c); Shiretoko (n); Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group: Mounded Tombs of Ancient Japan (c); Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan (c); Yakushima (n); Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) (c); Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome) (c); Shirakami-Sanchi (n); Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama (c); Itsukushima Shinto Shrine (c); Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (c); Shrines and Temples of Nikko (c); Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu (c); Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (c); Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land (c); Ogasawara Islands (n); Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region (c); Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region (c); Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island (n); Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan (c)