Japan Country & Tourist Information

Location
Far East.

Area
377,864 sq km (145,894 sq miles).

Population
127.7 million (UN, 2006).

Population Density
337.95 per sq km.

Capital
Tokyo.
Population: 8.1 million (2000).

Government
Constitutional monarchy.

Language
Japanese is the official language. Some English is spoken in major cities.

Religion
Shintoism and Buddhism (most Japanese follow both religions) with a Christian minority. In Okinawa, however, people believe in Niraikanai, the realm of the dead beyond the sea.

Time
GMT + 9.

Electricity
100 volts AC, 60Hz in the west (Osaka); 100 volts AC, 50Hz in eastern Japan and Tokyo. Plugs are flat two-pin and light bulbs are screw-type.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe since 2006.

Head of State
Emperor Akihito since 1989.

Telephone
Country code: 81. Three companies provide international communications services: KDDI, IDC and ISD, each possessing their own international access number (001 010, 0061 and 0041, respectively). Credit cards can also be used directly in some phone boxes. Phone boxes are found virtually everywhere in Japan. They are green and grey, and accept coins and magnetic pre-paid cards. IC phone boxes accept IC cards only.

Mobile Telephone
The Japanese mobile network uses PDC (Personal Digital Cellular System) technology, which is not compatible with GSM or other mobile services. Visitors can hire handsets from companies such as NTT  or Sony Finance. For UK travelers, mobiles can also be hired before departure. Coverage is good.

Internet
Internet is available; there are many Internet cafes in Tokyo and in the main cities in Japan. Some hotel telephones and the new grey telephones have modular sockets for computer network access.

Media
Japan’s broadcasting scene is advanced and vibrant, and very competitive. with established public and commercial outlets competing for audiences. Many millions now watch satellite and cable pay-TV services, including those provided by NHK. High-definition TV (HDTV) now has an NHK channel dedicated to such transmissions. Digital terrestrial TV broadcasting is in the process of being introduced, also. Newspaper readership is extremely high, and national dailies have circulations in the millions.


Post
Letters can be taken to the central post office in front of Tokyo Station or the International Post Office, near exit A-2 Otemachi subway station, which provide English-speaking personnel. Airmail to Europe takes four to six days.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700. Some main post offices are open daily.

Press
• The English-language daily newspapers in Tokyo include Daily Sports, Yomiuri Shimbun, The Japan Times and The Mainichi Daily News.

Radio
• NHK is a public broadcaster that operates a news- and speech-based radio station, as well as a cultural and educational network, a classical music-based network and an external service, Radio Japan.
• Inter FM, J-Wave and Tokyo FM are all commercial stations.
• TBS Radio is operated by the Tokyo Broadcasting System.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2007-December 2008 period.

2007
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
2-3 Jan* Bank Holiday.
8 Jan Coming of Age Day.
12 Feb National Foundation Day (forwarded from 11 Feb).
21 Mar Vernal Equinox.
30 Apr Showa Day (forwarded from 29 Apr).
3 May Constitution Memorial Day.
4 May Greenery Day.
5 May Children’s Day.
16 Jul Marine Day.
17 Sep Respect for the Aged Day.
24 Sep Autumnal Equinox.
8 Oct Sports Day.
3 Nov Culture Day.
23 Nov Labor Thanksgiving Day.
23 Dec Birthday of the Emperor.
31 Dec* Bank Holiday.

2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
2-3 Jan* Bank Holiday.
14 Jan Coming of Age Day.
11 Feb National Foundation Day.
20 Mar Vernal Equinox.
29 Apr Showa Day.
3 May Constitution Memorial Day.
5 May Greenery Day (forwarded from 4 May).
5 May Children’s Day. 
21 Jul Marine Day.
15 Sep Respect for the Aged Day.
23 Sep Autumnal Equinox.
13 Oct Sports Day.
3 Nov Culture Day.
24 Nov Labor Thanksgiving Day (fowarded from 23 Nov).
23 Dec Birthday of the Emperor.
31 Dec* Bank Holiday.

Note
* Bank and government employees only.
(a) With the exception of New Year Bank Holidays, if a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following day is treated as a holiday instead. (b) When there is a single day between two national holidays, it is also taken as a holiday. (c) Between 29 December and 3 January government offices and many shops and offices are closed.

Contact Information:

Embassy of Japan in the UK
101-104 Piccadilly, London W1J 7JT, UK
Tel: (020) 7465 6500 or 6565 (visa section).
Website: www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1300 and 1430-1730; 0930-1330 and 1430-1630 (consular section).

Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO) in the UK
Heathcoat House, 20 Saville Row, London W1S 3PR, UK
Tel: (020) 7734 9638.
Website: www.seejapan.co.uk

Embassy of Japan in the USA
2520 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 238 6700 or 6800 (visa section).
Website: www.us.emb-japan.go.jp 

Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO) in the USA
1 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1250, New York, NY 10020, USA
Tel: (212) 757 5640.
Website: www.japantravelinfo.com


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