# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
The Japanese Constitution Written in 1946 | Constitute

# data[].attributes.body
Article 13 | All of the people shall be respected as individuals. Their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness shall, to the extent that it does not interfere with the public welfare, be the supreme consideration in legislation and in other governmental affairs.

This article looks inspired by the U.S. Constitution.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Check out Constitute to read, search, and compare the world's constitutions!

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Timeline of Japanese History | Columbia University

# data[].attributes.body
Japan's History is much longer than that of the United States

4000 BCE - 300 CE | The Early Period

This is the start of Japan's history. This period ranges from prehistoric human culture all the way to Japan's Tomb Period, in which the Yamato clan started the Imperial Dynasty.

552 CE - 1185 CE | The Classical Period

This period included the introduction of Buddhism to Japan, reorganization and reform, and the emergence of Japanese culture in the new capital of Kyoto.

1185 CE - 1867 CE | The Medieval Period

This period brought military rule to Japan through the Samurai. Warring factions and Shoguns led to bloody civil wars.

The unification of Japan in the Tokugawa (Edo) Period led to 250 years of peace under a military government.

1868 CE - Present | The Modern Period

Starting with the Meiji Restoration, this is the emergence of Contemporary Japan into the modern international world.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Jomon

Prehistoric culture characterized by handmade pottery with rope pattern design

Yayoi Culture

More advanced agricultural society, using metals and wheel-turned pottery

Tomb Period

Kofun (250-538) | Asuka (538-710)

Great earthen grave mounds and their funerary objects, such as clay haniwa - terra cotta figurines of people and animals, models of buildings and boats - attest to emergence of powerful clan rulers. Among these was the Yamato clan, whose rulers began the imperial dynasty that has continued to the present.

Introduction of Buddhism

Taika Reform

Reorganization and reform based largely on learning imported from China: Buddhism, writing system, bureaucratic organization, legal theories

Nara Period

Establishment of first permanent capital at Nara; emergence of Japanese patterns of administration and institutions. Beginning of classical period.

Heian Period; Late Heian (Fujiwara)

Great flowering of classical Japanese culture in new capital of Heian-kyo (Kyoto). Court aristocracy, especially women, produced great body of literature - poetry, diaries, the novel The Tale of Genji - and made refined aesthetic sensibility their society's hallmark.

Kamakura Period

Beginning of military rule, as samurai (warriors) replaced nobles as real rulers of Japan. Imperial court remained in Kyoto but shoguns governing organization based in Kamakura, south of modern Tokyo.

Kemmu Restoration

Ashikaga (Muromachi) Period

New warrior government in Kyoto retained weak control of the country, but from its base in Kyoto's Muromachi district became patron of newly flourishing artistic tradition, influenced by Zen Buddhist culture as well as samurai and court society.

Country at War

Warring factions engaged in lengthy, destructive civil wars

Unification

Tokugawa (Edo) Period

Country unified under military government which maintained 250 years of secluded peace, leading to development of vibrant urban, "middle-class" culture with innovations in economic organization, literature, and the arts.

Meiji Restoration

Meiji Era

Emergence, with Western stimulus, into modern international world, marked by dramatic alterations in institutions, traditional social organization, and culture.

Contemporary Japan:

Heisei Era (1989-present)

Reiwa (2019-present)

Prepared by Dr. Amy Vladeck Heinrich, Director, C.V. Starr East Asian Library, Columbia University, for the Columbia University Project on Asia in the Core Curriculum.
*2020

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Asia for Educators (AFE) is designed to serve faculty and students in world history, culture, geography, art, and literature at the undergraduate and pre-college levels.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Japanese Territory | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

# data[].attributes.body
Japan is made up of islands in East Asia. These mainly include Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, but there are also some smaller islands.

Japan is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the East China Sea.

Total land of Japan is roughly 378,000 square kilometers.

Japan has four seasons and is covered with mountains and forests. This combined with differing climates create a great diversity of plant and animal life in the differing ecosystems that inhabit Japan.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Government of Japan generally defines any issues of territorial sovereignty with other states that need to be resolved as

# data[].attributes.body
The Nisshoki is the national flag of Japan. It is called the Rising Sun Flag, or the Hinomaru.

Japan's National Anthem is called Kimi ga Yo.

This is the entire anthem, making it one of the shortest in the world:

Kimi ga Yo wa

Chiyo ni Yachiyo ni

Sazare-ishi no

Iwao to narite

Koke no musu made

The national flag and anthem were formalized in 1999.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
National Flag and Anthem of Japan | The Government of Japan - JapanGov -

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Rising Sun Flag and "Kimi Ga Yo" are respectively the national flag and anthem of Japan. This was formalized in 1999 with the Law regarding the National Flag and National Anthem.

# data[].attributes.body
Japan is led by the 102nd Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP).

Japan's government is made up of many different political bodies.

The Cabinet

This makes up the Prime Minister, Parliamentary Vice-Ministers, State Ministers, and Special Advisors to the Prime Minister.

Ministries and Agencies

The Cabinet Secretariat

Reconstruction Agency

Digital Agency

The Cabinet Office

And Ministries for many different things such as Health, Economy, Justice, Defense, Education, Foreign Affairs, and many more.

The Diet

The House of Representatives

The House of Councillors

The National Diet Library

The Supreme Court

Located 4-2 Hayabusa-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8651 JAPAN

Many other Governmental Agencies

Japan National Tourism Organization

Japan External Trade Organization

Japan International Cooperation Agency

The Japan Foundation

Bank of Japan

And many more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Government Directory | The Government of Japan - JapanGov -

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This page contains links to websites for the Cabinet, Ministries and Agencies, the Diet, the Supreme Court and other government agencies.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Japan Economic Information | International Monetary Fund

# data[].attributes.body
Population | 123.26 Million

Average Inflation rate | 2%

Unemployment rate | 2.5%

Real GDP Growth | 1.1%

GDP Current Prices | 4.39 Trillion

GDP Per Capita | 35.61 Thousand

General Government Gross Debt | 248.7% of GDP

Government Revenue | 36.95% of GDP

Government Expenditure | 41.16% of GDP

Overall Openness Index (All Asset Categories) | 0.91

AI Preparedness Index (AIPI) | 0.73

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Foreign Policy | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

# data[].attributes.body
Japan's Diplomatic Bluebook outlines Japan's International Diplomatic Policy

They believe it is necessary to maintain and develop order based on values such as freedom. democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

Since the Cold War, they believe a stable international order has been created through advanced democracies such as the United States and Japan.

A major point is the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which they consider a challenge to the free and open international order based on the Rule of Law.

Japan questions whether the UN is filling its role properly in response to this conflict.

They also bring up conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, revealing threats such as cyberattacks and the spread of disinformation which affects the rest of the world.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan 2-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8919, Japan MAP Japan Corporate Number(JCN): 9000012040001

# data[].attributes.body
"Japan 1946." Constitute, https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Japan_1946

"Foreign Policy." Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/index.html

"Japan." The World Factbook, https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/japan/

"Japan." International Monetary Fund, https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/profile/JPN

"JAPAN—Timeline of Historical Periods." Asia for Educators, https://afe.easia.columbia.edu/timelines/japan_timeline.htm

"Japanese Territory." Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, https://www.mofa.go.jp/territory/

"The Government of Japan." JapanGov, https://www.japan.go.jp/directory/index.html

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Jomon

Prehistoric culture characterized by handmade pottery with rope pattern design

Yayoi Culture

More advanced agricultural society, using metals and wheel-turned pottery

Tomb Period

Kofun (250-538) | Asuka (538-710)

Great earthen grave mounds and their funerary objects, such as clay haniwa - terra cotta figurines of people and animals, models of buildings and boats - attest to emergence of powerful clan rulers. Among these was the Yamato clan, whose rulers began the imperial dynasty that has continued to the present.

Introduction of Buddhism

Taika Reform

Reorganization and reform based largely on learning imported from China: Buddhism, writing system, bureaucratic organization, legal theories

Nara Period

Establishment of first permanent capital at Nara; emergence of Japanese patterns of administration and institutions. Beginning of classical period.

Heian Period; Late Heian (Fujiwara)

Great flowering of classical Japanese culture in new capital of Heian-kyo (Kyoto). Court aristocracy, especially women, produced great body of literature - poetry, diaries, the novel The Tale of Genji - and made refined aesthetic sensibility their society's hallmark.

Kamakura Period

Beginning of military rule, as samurai (warriors) replaced nobles as real rulers of Japan. Imperial court remained in Kyoto but shoguns governing organization based in Kamakura, south of modern Tokyo.

Kemmu Restoration

Ashikaga (Muromachi) Period

New warrior government in Kyoto retained weak control of the country, but from its base in Kyoto's Muromachi district became patron of newly flourishing artistic tradition, influenced by Zen Buddhist culture as well as samurai and court society.

Country at War

Warring factions engaged in lengthy, destructive civil wars

Unification

Tokugawa (Edo) Period

Country unified under military government which maintained 250 years of secluded peace, leading to development of vibrant urban, "middle-class" culture with innovations in economic organization, literature, and the arts.

Meiji Restoration

Meiji Era

Emergence, with Western stimulus, into modern international world, marked by dramatic alterations in institutions, traditional social organization, and culture.

Contemporary Japan:

Heisei Era (1989-present)

Reiwa (2019-present)

Prepared by Dr. Amy Vladeck Heinrich, Director, C.V. Starr East Asian Library, Columbia University, for the Columbia University Project on Asia in the Core Curriculum.
*2020

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Asia for Educators (AFE) is designed to serve faculty and students in world history, culture, geography, art, and literature at the undergraduate and pre-college levels.

# data[].attributes.body
Ethnic Groups: Japanese 97.5%, Chinese 0.6%, Vietnamese 0.4%, South Korean 0.3%, Other 1.2%

Gender Total | 0.95 Male/Female

Religion: Shintoism 48.6%, Buddhism 46.4%, Christianity 1.1%, Other 4%

Median Age | 49.9 Years

Population Growth Rate | -0.43%

Urban Population | 92%

Life Expectancy at birth | 85.2 Years

Improved Drinking Water Source | 99.1%

Sanitation Facility Access | 99.9%

Obesity | 4.3%

Tobacco Use Total | 20.1%

School Life Expectancy Total | 15 Years

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In 1603, after decades of civil warfare, the Tokugawa shogunate (a military-led, dynastic government) ushered in a long period of relative political stability and isolation from foreign influence. For more than two centuries this policy enabled Japan to enjoy a flowering of its indigenous culture. J…