1. Japan’s population is about 130 million. 10th largest in the world.

2. There are about 12 million people living in Tokyo. It is the largest population in one prefecture. The second largest is Osaka, followed by Kanagawa-ken in the 3rd position.

3. The land area of Japan is almost the same with Germany.

4. About 72% area of Japan is covered with mountain and hills.

5. Japan allocated 3.5% of GDP for Research and Development sector in 2005. It is the highest in the world.

6. The average life expectancy in 2006 : Male (79) and Female (86).

7. Total fertility rate in 2005 is only 1.29, means that between 100 women lives in their current age-specific fertility rate, there would be 129 children born.

8. Husband in single income family spent only 7 minutes a day for house keepings (in 2001). A survey by Social Research Institute of Michigan University (2002) stated that in Sweden, husband spent 24 hours a week for hous works, while in USA was 16 hours, compared with Japan with only 4 hours.

9. 21% Japanese people are over 65 years old in 2006.

10. Almost 90% of Japanese think that they belong to the middle class (in 2003 survey).

*directly taken from Topics on Japan lecture by Assoc. Prof. Yuriko Sato on October 10th, 2007.