Land area

377,899 sq km

Population

127.3m (2008)

Main towns

Population in millions (August 2009):

Tokyo (capital; 23 central wards): 8.8

Yokohama: 3.7

Osaka: 2.7

Nagoya: 2.3

Sapporo: 1.9

Kobe: 1.5

Kyoto: 1.5

Fukuoka: 1.5

Climate

Temperate, with the monsoon season in June, seasonal winds and typhoons in August-September, and heavy snow in December-February on the Japan Sea side

Weather in Tokyo (altitude 5.3 metres)

Hottest month, August, 29°C; coldest month, January, 7.6°C; driest month, August, 9.5 mm rainfall; wettest month, September, 319.5 mm rainfall

Language

Japanese

Measures

Mainly metric system; local measures include: 1 tsubo = 3.3 sq metres; 1 sun = 3 cm; 1 ri = 4 km; 1 kairi = 1.8 km (used for sea distances)

Currency

Yen (¥); ¥1 = 100 sen. Average exchange rates in 2010: ¥87.8:US$1

Fiscal year

April 1st-March 31st

Time

9 hours ahead of GMT

Public holidays

New Year, January 1st; Coming of Age Day, January 10th; National Foundation Day, February 11th; Vernal Equinox, March 21st; Golden Week holidays, April 29th and May 3rd-5th; Marine Day, July 18th; Respect for the Aged Day, September 19th; Autumnal Equinox, September 23rd; Sports Day, October 10th; Culture Day, November 3rd; Labour Thanksgiving, November 23rd; Emperor's Birthday, December 23rd