Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south.

Japan is a country of over three thousand islands extending along the Pacific coast of Asia. The main islands, running from north to south, are Hokkaido, Honshu (the main island), Shikoku and Kyushu.

Japan's population is estimated at around 127.3 million. Japanese society is linguistically and culturally homogeneous with small populations of foreign workers.

Japanese culture has evolved greatly over the years, from the country's original Jomon culture to its contemporary culture, which combines influences from Asia, Europe and North America.

Traditionally, sumo is considered Japan's national sport and it is a popular spectator sport in Japan. Martial arts such as judo, karate and modern kendo are also widely practiced and enjoyed by spectators in the country.