Japan’s Economy, Business and Development

Japan is the world’s third largest economy, having ceded the second spot to China in 2010. Since the collapse of the property bubble, Japan has endured a long period of economic stagnation, deflation and relatively high unemployment, compared with the country’s historically low levels. Among other issues, Japan’s economy continues to be hampered by weak domestic demand and a rigid labor market.

Despite Japan’s challenging domestic economic environment, many Japanese companies have continued to perform well on the world stage. Toyota became the world’s largest car company in 2009, before losing a bit of ground to unprecedented product recalls. Nintendo’s innovative Wii marked a virtual revolution in the large, global market for gaming and family entertainment products.

Japanese companies have continued to push the technology envelope in fields such as robotics, medical devices, clean energy, satellite communications and spacecraft, water processing and other high-tech industries.

Japanese Society, Language and Culture

Japanese society is strikingly homogeneous. Ethnic Japanese account for 98.5 percent of the country’s sizable population. While different areas of Japan, particularly the central Kansai region encompassing Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe, are known for having distinctive, colorful local dialects, the whole country essentially speaks the same language.

Traditional Japanese society and culture stress the values of harmony, consensus decision-making and social conformity. “The nail that sticks out gets hammered down” is a common Japanese saying and guideline of social behavior.

Japan’s Aging, Shrinking Population

Japan’s population has been aging and shrinking at an alarming rate due to the combination of a disproportionately large elderly population, one of the lowest fertility rates of any developed, OECD country and minimal net immigration. Japan’s fertility rate of roughly 1.2 children born for every Japanese woman is well below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman that is needed to maintain the existing population level. By 2050, the population of Japan has been forecast to contract by more than 25 percent to about 95 million people.

International Relations and Foreign Policy

Japan has deliberately elected to take a largely passive stance toward involvement in international conflicts and disputes for most of its post-WWII history. Article 9 of The Constitution of Japan, adopted on November 3, 1946, renounces going to war or “the use of force as a means of settling international disputes.” In lieu of a conventional military, Japan established the Japan Self-Defense Forces (also known as the SDF, JSDF or Jietai) as an extension of the Japanese police force and a strictly defensive mechanism to provide for the country’s national security and assist with national emergencies.

Japan first deployed the SDF abroad in 1991 when it dispatched minesweepers to the Persian Gulf after fighting ceased in the 1991 Gulf War. Since Japan enacted the International Peace Cooperation Law in 1992, the Japanese government has deployed the SDF on certain overseas missions to support the U.N.’s international peacekeeping operations.

The phenomenal turns of the seasons, diverse topography, and rich nature can easily be viewed through the naked eye in the fascinating nation of Japan. The old and the new, and the natural and the artificial merge with such perfection that draws a significant number of tourists to this spellbinding destination, only to increase year after year. But that isn’t all that Japan has to offer. Turn your head towards the city and you’ll find scores of modern skyscrapers and multinational houses lined up along the road. The advanced technology, unique learning techniques, worldwide eminent scholars, and extensive research options are responsible for bringing in a significant percentage of international students to take up higher studies.

Elementary School
Compulsory education begins with elementary school when the child turns six years old. Elementary school comprises of six years of education until the child is twelve years old and prepared to enter lower secondary school. Standard uniforms are maintained at elementary school in Japan; hence, it is common to sight young kids wearing bright yellow baseball hats, carrying bright yellow umbrellas, and adorning bright yellow raincoats. Leaving aside 5% schools that are private, the majority of the elementary school are state run.

Lower Secondary School/Junior High School
Lower secondary school covers three grades and is attended by students from 12-15 years of age. Academic studies are given great emphasis, as this stage of education prepares the students for upper secondary school. Lectures are the primary mode of imparting knowledge to the students, though other media, such as television and radio, and laboratory work are also included by some teachers. The curriculum largely comprises of Japanese language, social studies, mathematics, science, music, fine arts, health, and physical education.

Upper Secondary School/Senior High School
Upper secondary school is not compulsory for all students and requires them to sit in the entrance exam for admission. It lasts for three years and is attended by students from 15-18 years of age. Since the educational level and subjects taught have a major impact on the future career of Japanese students, competition is highly tough to procure admission in the right senior secondary school. Academic courses are offered to students to prepare and train them for higher education to find great jobs after graduation.

Higher Education
The Japanese educational system follows the 6-3-3-4 system (6 years of elementary school, 3 years of lower secondary school, 3 years of upper secondary school, and 4 years of university), similar to the American system. However, compulsory education lasts for just 9 years, 6 in the elementary school and 3 in the junior high school. Depending upon the type of the study program, students take admission in different higher educational institutions – universities, junior colleges, colleges of technology, graduate schools, and specialized training colleges.

Universities
The duration of a university is four years, comprising of undergraduate studies in various subjects. Students are required to achieve more than 124 credits within four years of study to be awarded with the bachelor’s degree and become a graduate. Some institutions offer six-year programs leading to a professional degree. Four-year colleges are segregated into national universities, local public universities, and private universities. The curriculum includes liberal arts, foreign language studies, physical education, basic studies of majoring subject, and majoring subject.