| Japanese natural resources:
Minerals:
Practically, Japan has no minerals & their stocks according to the statistics of 1976 are: coal - 8630 million tons; iron ore - 228 million ton; sulphur - 67,6 million ton; manganese ores - 5,4 million ton; Lead and zinc - 4,7 million ton; fuel - 3,8 million ton; copper ores - 2,0 million tons; chromites -
Climate:
Japan belongs to temperature zone with four different seasons but its climate fluctuates from cold temperatures in the north to subtropical in the south. Climate also depends on seasonal winds, blowing from continent in the winter & in the opposite direction during summers.
Flora:
Forests cover over 66 % of country. Flora of Japan accounts for more than 700 kinds of trees.
Fauna:
Owing to island isolation of Japan, fauna is little impoverished in comparison with continental (forms are blended) but endemic and relic kinds were preserved in the country. Japan's fauna accounts to 270 kinds of mammals, about 800 kinds of birds & 110 kinds of reptiles. More than 600 kinds of fishes and more than 1000 types of mollusk are found in the seas, which wash the country.
Soil:
Soils of Japan are unsuitable for agriculture without pre-treatment. Podzolic & meadow - marsh soils are found in the northern part of the country & in southern part of moderate belt - brown forest soils, in subtropics & tropics - zheltozems & red soils. In mountains, soil is predominantly rubble & often with volcanic ash inclusions and on plains - cultivable alluvial soils.
In 2009, around 127.47 million people lived in Japan. According to 2007, 89.07 % of Japanese lived in cities.
Majority of Japanese population follow Buddhism (71.4 %) and Shintoism (83.9 %). Chinese Confucianism, Zen-Buddhism and Amidaism also influenced Japanese beliefs & traditions. Christians represent religious minority with only 2 % of population following Christianity.
Economics of Japan:
Tokyo Stock Exchange is the second largest stock exchange in the world.
At the end of 2009 fiscal year, Japan stood second in the world (after USA) according to nominal GNP rating, which is more than 5 trillion US dollars, however, according to experts, Chinese economy overtook Japanese in August, 2010 according to this indicator; Japan occupies third place with respect to purchasing power capacity (after USA & China). Bank services, insurance, real estate, transport, retail trade, telecommunications & construction play an appreciable role in national economy. Japan possesses large production facilities & some of the largest manufacturers of automobiles, electronics, machines, steel, ships, chemical substances, textile & food products are found in Japan. Service sector constitute three quarters of internal national produce.
In Japanese culture, black color - symbol of nobleness, age & experience in contrast with white color, which symbolizes apprenticeship & youth. Black color symbolizes higher rank in many martial arts (black belt).
Japan - one of the leading countries in the field of scientific researches, particularly in high-end technologies, biomedicine & robotic technology. National budget for R&D constitutes 130 billion US dollars & around 700 000 scientists are involved in research works. Japan occupies third place in the line of countries, which spend on science. Japan leads in fundamental science: 13 Nobel laureates in physics, chemistry or medicine, three 3 laureates of Field Awards & laureate of Gauss Award are from Japan. Japan occupies first place in the manufacture & use of robots. So, more than half (402 200 of 742 500) of the manufactured industrial robots work in Japan. Robots such as QRIO, ASIMO & AIBO were developed in Japan.
Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is engaged in space, planetary, aviation researches & also produce rockets and satellites. Agency has the capabilities to launch Earth satellites, automatic interplanetary stations, participates in International Space Station Program. JAXA launched PLANET-C for studying Venus in 2010, readying itself to study Mercury by 2013 & construct base on Moon by 2030. On September 14, 2007 JAXA has launched second lunar satellite by name "Kaguya" with the help of rocket carrier H-IIA from Tanegashima Space Centre. This is the largest research mission to study Moon after the program "Apollo". Satellite will be used for collecting information on occurrence & evolution of Moon. It exited into lunar orbit on October 4, & travels at height of about 100 km over surface of Moon.
Sports:
Sumo is considered national sport in Japan & is the third popular professional sport. Some kinds of martial arts such as judo, Kendo & karate also gather considerable number of audience. After restoration of Meiji, many western sports have appeared and widely spread thanks to education system.
Summer Olympic Games of 1964 & also Winter Olympic games 1998 & 1972 were conducted in Japan.
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