Japan Facts

Japan's prominence in the news has made many people interested in Japan facts. This country is made up of a series of island on the Pacific coast of Asia. Japan's geography, paired with the strictly isolationist policy it pursued well into the 19th century, have shaped the culture of this unique country. Here are a few Japan facts you may not have previously known.

1. Japan is home to the world's longest railroad tunnel. It is called the Seikan Tunnel and connects the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido. The tunnel is over 33 miles long. Most of Japan's islands are connected by high speed rail.
2. Only eighteen percent of the land in Japan is easily habitable. As a result, cities in Japan are densely populated. The remainder of the country is mountainous terrain.
3. The are four different writing systems in Japan. The first, kanji, comes from Chinese characters. Hiragana and katagana are phonetic alphabets. The fourth is Romanji, which uses our Western alphabet to write Japanese words.
4. Japan is a constitutional monarchy. The current chief head of state is Emperor Akihito. They also have a prime minister and parliament. The role of the Emperor is mostly ceremonial. Citizens over the age of 20 are allowed to vote.
5. With nearly 56 million computers online, Japan has more computers connected to the internet than any country besides the United States. It is estimated that there are over 99 million internet users in Japan. This makes them the third most net-connected citizens on the planet.