Portal:Japan

Wikipedia portals: Culture Geography Health History Mathematics Natural sciences People Philosophy Religion Society Technology Main   Geography   Projects Japan, officially Nippon-koku (日本国?) is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of China, Korea and Russia. The characters that make up Japan's name mean "sun-origin", which is why Japan is sometimes identified as the "Land of the Rising Sun". Japan comprises over 3,000 islands, the largest of which are Honshū, Hokkaidō, Kyūshū and Shikoku. Most of the islands are mountainous, many volcanic; for example, Japan’s highest peak, Mount Fuji, is a volcano. Japan has the world's tenth largest population, with about 128 million people. The Greater Tokyo Area, which includes the capital city of Tokyo and several surrounding prefectures, is the largest metropolitan area in the world, with over 30 million residents. Influence from the outside world followed by long periods of isolation has characterized Japan's history. Since adopting its constitution in 1947, Japan has maintained a unitary constitutional monarchy with an emperor and an elected parliament, the Diet. A major economic power, Japan has the world's third largest economy by nominal GDP. It is a member of the United Nations, G8, G4, OECD and APEC, with the world's fifth largest defense budget. It is also the world's fourth largest exporter and sixth largest importer and a world leader in technology and machinery. More about Japan... Show new selections edit   Selected article The Imperial Japanese Navy, also known as the Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes. It was the third largest navy in the world by 1920 behind the United States Navy and Royal Navy. It was supported by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service for aircraft and airstrike operation from the fleet. It was a major force in the Pacific War. The origins of the Imperial Japanese Navy trace back to early interactions with nations on the Asian continent, beginning in the early medieval period and reaching a peak of activity during the 16th and 17th centuries at a time of cultural exchange with European powers during the Age of Discovery. After two centuries of stagnation during the country's ensuing seclusion policy under the shoguns of the Edo period, Japan's navy was comparatively backward when the country was forced open to trade by American intervention in 1854. This eventually led to the Meiji Restoration. Accompanying the re-ascendance of the Emperor came a period of frantic modernization and industrialization. The navy's history of successes, sometimes against much more powerful foes as in the 1895 Sino-Japanese war and the 1905 Russo-Japanese War, ended in almost complete annihilation during the concluding days of World War II. The IJN was officially dissolved in 1947. Archive Read more... edit   Selected picture Credit: Kentagon Lake Ashi is a crater lake in Hakone, Kanagawa. The lake is known for its views of Mount Fuji and its hot springs. Archive Read more... edit   On this day... Events 1930 - Sōka Kyōiku Gakkai, a Buddhist association later renamed Soka Gakkai, is founded by Japanese educators Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Josei Toda. Births 1980 - Junichi Okada, singer (V6) 1980 - Minori Chihara, voice actress/singer 1984 - Ryohei Chiba, singer w-inds. More November anniversaries edit   Selected quote “ Manga, anime and cosplay are exports Japan can take pride in. These are things that draw good feelings about Japan from the people of the world. ” —Katsuhito Asano, vice foreign minister Archive edit   Selected biography Felice Beato, sometimes known as Felix Beato, was a Corfiote photographer. He was one of the first photographers to take pictures in East Asia and one of the first war photographers. He is noted for his genre works, portraits, and views and panoramas of the architecture and landscapes of Asia and the Mediterranean region. Beato's travels to many lands gave him the opportunity to create powerful and lasting images of countries, people and events that were unfamiliar and remote to most people in Europe and North America. To this day his work provides the key images of such events as the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and the Second Opium War. His photographs represent the first substantial oeuvre of what came to be called photojournalism. He had a significant impact on other photographers, and Beato's influence in Japan, where he worked with and taught numerous other photographers and artists, was particularly deep and lasting. The origins and identity of Felice Beato have been problematic issues, but the confusion over his birth date and birthplace seems now to have been substantially cleared up. Based on an application for a travel permit that he made in 1858, Beato was born in 1833 or 1834 on the island of Corfu. Archive Read more... edit   In the news September 25: Nepal plane crash kills 19 August 25: Japan nuclear disaster: areas to remain off-limits for decades August 16: Japan to use renewable energy August 13: Renewed concern over nuclear response following atomic bomb anniversary August 8: Boeing rolls out first 787 Dreamliner to go into service July 12: Study shows long-term couples more satisfied with relationships and sex lives Wikinews Japan edit   Did you know... ... that in the 1430s, the feudal lord Ashina Morihisa kept Aizu Matsudaira's Royal Garden (pictured) as a villa believing it to be a sacred place? ...that pre-dreadnought battleships saw their most notable service in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905? ... that Chikara to Onna no Yo no Naka, released in 1933 and directed by Kenzō Masaoka, was the first "talkie" animated film in Japan? ... that Yukiko Iwai, at 4' 11'' (150 cm), was the shortest member of the 1980s all-girl Japanese pop group Onyanko Club? ...that Boneless Fish is a Japanese frozen food made from fish, which is deboned by hand and then glued to its original shape using a food-grade enzyme? Archive More... edit   Categories [−] Japan [+] Buildings and structures in Japan [+] Communications in Japan [+] Japanese culture [+] Economy of Japan [+] Education in Japan [+] Environment of Japan [+] Geography of Japan [+] Government of Japan [+] Health in Japan [+] History of Japan [+] Images of Japan [+] Japanese law [+] Japan-related lists [+] Military of Japan [+] Japanese people [+] Politics of Japan [+] Science and technology in Japan [+] Japanese society [+] Sport in Japan [×] Time in Japan [+] Transport in Japan [+] Japan stubs edit   Japan topics Eras Paleolithic | Jōmon | Yayoi | Kofun | Asuka | Nara | Heian | Kamakura | Muromachi | Azuchi-Momoyama | Edo | Meiji | Taishō | Shōwa | Heisei History Economic history | Educational history | Military history | Naval history | Meiji Restoration | Occupied Japan | Post-Occupation Japan Politics Constitution | Government | Emperors | Imperial Household Agency | Prime Ministers | Cabinet | Ministries | Diet of Japan (House of Councillors · House of Representatives) | Judicial system | Elections | Political parties | Foreign relations Culture Clothing | Customs and etiquette | Education | Festivals | Food | Holidays | Language | Religion Art Architecture | Cinema | Literature | Music | Theatre (Noh · Kabuki · Bunraku) Economy Primary sector | Industry | Currency | Tokyo Stock Exchange | Communications | Transportation (Shinkansen · Tokyo Metro · Railway companies) Other Demographics | List of Japanese people edit   Related Portals Ancient Japan Anime and Manga Japanese cars Japan News Tokyo Osaka Shinto Asia What are portals? · List of portals · Featured portals Coordinates: 36°30′N 139°00′E / 36.5°N 139°E / 36.5; 139