USEFUL BUSINESS INFORMATION ON JAPAN

1. Country Brief:

A. Introduction - Japan is in the continent of Asia. Its country is made up of many islands.  Since the sun rises in the east, Japan is often called "The Land of The Rising Sun." The Japanese refer to their country as "Nippon" or Nihon" which means "source of the sun". The Japanese flag represents a red sun on a white background.

Japan is in the unusual position of being a major world economic and political power, with an aggressive military tradition, resisting the development of strong armed forces. A military proscription is included as Article 9 of the 1947 constitution stating, "The Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes." That article, along with the rest of the "Peace Constitution," retains strong government and citizen support and is interpreted as permitting the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), but prohibiting those forces from possessing nuclear weapons or other offensive arms or being deployed outside of Japan.

B. Climate - Generally rainy; high humidity. Diverse climatic range: warm summers and long cold winters in north; hot humid summers and short winters in center; and long, hot, humid summers, and mild winters in southwest.

C. Geographical Area - Total 377,835 square kilometers, land area 374,744 square kilometers.

D. Language - Japanese

E. Currency With Exchange Rate – Japanese Yen (JPY)

1 JPY = 0.00863438 USD

F. Population - (2006 est.) - 127,463,611

G. Major Cities – Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kobe, Fukuoka, Kawasaki, Hiroshima

2. Transportation:

A. Railway - total: 23,577 km

B. Road - Total: 1,171,647 km; paved: 903,340 km (including 6,851 km of expressways); unpaved: 268,307 km (2001)

C. Airports - 174 (2004 est.).

D. Waterways - 1,770 km

E. Sea ports - Chiba, Kawasaki, Kiire, Kisarazu, Kobe, Mizushima, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo, Yohohama.

3. Economy:

A. Major Manufacturing - Automobiles, consumer electronics, computers.

B. Major Export - Transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical machinery, chemicals etc.

C. Major Import - Machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, raw materials.

E. Major Industry - Motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods.

F. Trade balance - In terms of Japan's international trade on a customs clearance basis in 2006, exports (FOB value) showed an annual increase of 14.6 percent to 75.25 trillion yen, marking the fifth consecutive year of increase. Imports (CIF value) grew by 18.3 percent to 67.34 trillion yen, thus increasing for the fourth consecutive year. As a result, Japan's trade surplus decreased for the second consecutive year, falling by 9.2 percent from the previous year to 7.90 trillion yen.

4. Trade Associations, Chamber of Commerce, Trade shows and Exhibitions in Japan:

Major Trade Associations

A) Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association Inc.

Jidosha kaikan, 1-30,

Shiba Daimon 1-chome,

Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0012, Japan

Web: www.jama-english.jp

B) Japan Auto Parts Industries Association

Jidosha Buhin Kaikan 5F

1-16-15 Takanawa, Minato-ku,

Tokyo 108-0074, Japan

TEL: +81-3-3445-4211

FAX: +81-3-3447-5372

Web: www.japia.or.jp

C) Japan Auto-Body Industries Association, Inc.

Jidosha Kaikan 15F, 1-30,

Shiba Daimon 1-chome, Minato-ku,

Tokyo 105-0012, Japan

TEL: +81-3-3578-1681

FAX: +81-3-3578-1684

Wen: www.jabia.or.jp

D) Japan Automobile Research Institute

2530 Karima, Tsukuba,

Ibaraki 305-0822, Japan

TEL: +81-29-856-1111

FAX: +81-29-856-1122

Web: www.jari.or.jp

E) Japan Automobile Importers Association

TBR Bldg., 5-7 Kojimachi

Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083, Japan

Tel: +81-(3)-3222-5421

Fax: +81-(3)-3222-1730

Web: www.jaia-jp.org

F) Japan Automobile Federation

Jidosha Kaikan 14F, 1-30,

Shiba Daimon 1-chome, Minato-ku,

Tokyo 105-0012, Japan

TEL: +81-3-3436-2811

FAX: +81-3-3436-3008

Web: www.jaf.or.jp

G) Japan Vehicle Inspection Association

3rd flr, 7-26-28 Toyoshima, Kita-ku,

Tokyo 114-0003, Japan

TEL: +81-3-5902-3455

FAX: +81-3-5902-3411

Web: www.jvia.or.jp

H) Japan Used Car Dealers Association

3-1-6 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku,

Tokyo 160-0022, Japan

TEL: +81-3-3359-2661

FAX: +81-3-3359-2651

Web: www.jucda.or.jp

I) Motorcycle Federation of Japan

No.29 Kowa Bldg., 7F Annex, 2-11-24 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku,

Tokyo 104-0045, Japan

TEL: +81-3-5565-0900

FAX: +81-3-5565-0907

Web: www.mfj.or.jp

Chambers of Commerce

The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Web: www.jcci.or.jp

Major Trade Shows

Tokyo Motor Show

Start Date: 27-OCT-07

End Date: 11-NOV-07

Venue

Makuhari Messe

Chiba, Japan

Event Profile:

Tokyo Motor Show offers a line-up of all new, re-designed or upgraded production models and concept cars from around the world. It is the most comprehensive show for the whole industry, which makes it the international platform for all those who develop, manufacture or use passenger cars.

Organizer:

Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc.

Jidosha Kaikan (NBF Tower), 16th Floor, 1-30, Shiba Daimon 1-chome, Minato-ku,

Tokyo, Japan.

Tel: +(81)-(3)-54056126

5. Useful Links:

Japanese Importers of Japanese Used Cars, Construction Machinery & Auto Parts.