Japan

• • • • c. 10,500 to c. 300 bce) • c. 300 bce– c. 250 ce) • • c. 250–552) • • • • • • • • • • ritsuryō system • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • bakufu • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • bakuhan system • bakufu and the han • • • • kokugaku • • • • • bakuhan • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Head Of Government: Prime Minister: ... (Show more) Capital: ... (Show more) Population: (2023 est.) 124,285,000 ... (Show more) Currency Exchange Rate: 1 USD equals 140.228 Japanese yen ... (Show more) Form Of Government: constitutional monarchy with a national Diet consisting of two legislative houses (House of Councillors [242]; House of Representatives [475]) ... (Show more) Complexity and contrast are the keynotes of life in Japan—a country possessing an intricate and ancient cultural tradition yet one that, since 1950, has emerged as one of the world’s most economically and technologically advanced societies. Heavy emphasis is placed on education, and Japan is one of the world’s most literate countries. Tension between old and new is apparent in all phases of Japanese life. A characteristic sensitivity to natural beauty and a concern with form and balance are evident in such cities as Humans have occupied Japan for tens of thousands of years, but Japan’s recorded history begins only in the 1st century bce, with mention in Chinese sources. Contact with China and Korea in the early centuries ce brought profound changes to J...