About Japan

Country name definition: Land of the Rising Sun

Famous name: Land of Sakura

National flag: Nichisho Flag (にっしょうき), rectangular in length and width The ratio is 3:2. The flag is white. White symbolizes integrity and purity, while red symbolizes sincerity and enthusiasm. The word Japan means "the land of the rising sun". The Japanese flag, also known as the "Sun Flag", has a red sun in the center, reflecting the white flag surface. Legend has it that Japan was created by the Sun God, and the Emperor is a descendant of the Sun God.

National emblem: a circle with 16 yellow chrysanthemum petals

National anthem: "King of Generations"

National flower: Sakura

National Bird: Green Pheasant

National Stone: Xiaozhu

Emperor: Akihito (era name 'Heisei')

Empress: Michiko (maiden name: Michiko Shoda , Japan has the habit of women changing their husband’s surname or removing their names after marriage)

Prime Minister (Prime Minister): Yasuo Fukuda

Japan joined the United Nations on December 18, 1956

Alias:

Japan (Japan belongs to Yan in "The Classic of Mountains and Seas", and was called in ancient times), Dongyang (Eastern), Fusang

Population:

127.77 million people (estimated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan as of January 1, 2008), including 62.33 million men and 65.42 million women. Japan is experiencing severe birthrate decline and aging. Japan’s elderly population over 65 years old accounts for 21% of Japan’s total population.

Ethnicity and Religion:

The main ethnic group is the Wa, and there are about 24,000 Ainu people in Hokkaido. Japanese is commonly spoken, and a small number of people in Hokkaido speak Ainu. The main religions are Shintoism and Buddhism, with the religious population accounting for 49.6% and 44.8% of the religious population respectively.

Capital:

Tokyo (Tokyo), with a population of approximately 12.29 million (as of February 2003). Tokyo is the largest city in Japan, with an average temperature of 3℃ in January and 25℃ in August.

The origin of the country’s name:

Japan was not originally called Japan. In ancient Japanese mythology, the Japanese called it the "Eight Continents", "Eight Island Countries", etc. According to the records of "Hanshu" and "Houhanshu", in ancient my country, Japan was called "Japanese" or "Japanese country". In the fifth century AD, after Japan was unified, the country was named "Yamato". Because the ancient Japanese worshiped the sun god, they regarded the sun as their country's totem. According to legend, in the early seventh century, Japan's Prince Shotoku wrote in his letter of credence to Emperor Yang of Sui: "The prince at sunrise is the prince at sunset." This was the prototype of Japan's country name. It was not until the second half of the seventh century that Japan sent Tang Shi to change its country's name to "Japan", which means "the place where the sun rises". It was later used and became Japan's official country name. "New Tang Book·Japanese Biography" records: In the first year of Xianheng (670), the Japanese state sent envoys to the Tang Dynasty. At this time, the Japanese state had "acquainted themselves with Xia's words a little, hated the Japanese name, and changed their name to Japan." The envoy said that because of the recent sunrise, In addition, in Chinese, "Fuso" and "Japan" are also nicknames for Japan's country name.