Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of 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. The characters which make up Japan's name mean "sun-origin", which is why Japan is sometimes identified as the "Land of the Rising Sun".

Geography

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, Shikoku and Kyushu. The Ryukyu Islands, including Okinawa, are a chain of islands south of Kyushū. Together they are often known as the Japanese Archipelago.

About 70% to 80% of the country is forested, mountainous,and unsuitable for agricultural, industrial, or residential use. This is because of the generally steep elevations, climate and risk of landslides caused by earthquakes, soft ground and heavy rain. This has resulted in an extremely high population density in the habitable zones that are mainly located in coastal areas. Japan is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

Its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, at the juncture of three tectonic plates, gives Japan frequent low-intensity tremors and occasional volcanic activity. Destructive earthquakes, often resulting in tsunamis, occur several times each century.The most recent major quakes are the 2004 Chūetsu earthquake and the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995. Hot springs are numerous and have been developed as resorts.

Environment

Japan's environmental history and current policies reflect a tenuous balance between economic development and environmental protection.Today Japan is one of the world's leaders in the development of new environment-friendly technologies. Honda and Toyota hybrid electric vehicles were named to have the highest fuel economy and lowest emissions.[54] This is due to the advanced technology in hybrid systems, biofuels, use of lighter weight material and better engineering.

Healthcare

In Japan, healthcare services are provided by national and local governments. Payment for personal medical services is offered through a universal health care insurance system that provides relative equality of access, with fees set by a government committee. People without insurance through employers can participate in a national health insurance program administered by local governments.

Medical tourism has been around for centuries, though the concept of traveling for a specific medical procedure has gained enormous popularity in recent years. Its roots can be traced back to Greek pilgrims, who traveled to the small Mediterranean town of Epidauria in the Saronic Gulf. This area was the sanctuary of Asclepios, the god of healing, so Epidauria emerged as the world’s first recorded medical travel destination.

The medical tourism industry has evolved in recent years to focus more on surgical procedures in countries where the cost is significantly cheaper than in the patient’s home nation. Citizens of the United States, for example, often travel to Thailand or India for heart surgery at a fraction of the cost of the same treatment in the US. Cosmetic surgery and dental care are other sectors of health care that can be done abroad.

As a result of the economic savings gained by traveling abroad to get medical procedures done, the booming medical tourism travel industry looks set to continue growing. Today, patients combine their medical treatment with a few days or weeks of relaxing holiday afterwards.

According to an estimate of 2003, there are 9,168 hospitals in Japan. Of these, 1,080 are public hospitals. The rest are private hospitals. Most of the hospitals in Japan belong to the private sector. About 80 percent of the hospitals in Japan are private hospitals. Everyone must be insured medically in Japan.

While the Japanese hospitals are considered the best in the world by the World Health Organization, still Japan has not been able to establish itself as a major medical tourism destination. The cost of medical treatment is high in Japan. The cost of drugs in Japan is one of the highest in the world. The cost of drugs is often upto 30 percent of the total medical bill.All residents of Japan need to be covered by a public medical insurance scheme to ensure that they are covered by an insurance policy at all times.All foreigners who have completed one year in Japan are required to join the insurance scheme. People insured under these schemes need to pay only 30 percent of the actual bill of the hospital. The rest 70 percent is paid directly by the insurance company to the hospital or clinic.

Culture

Japanese culture has evolved greatly over the years, from the country's original Jōmon culture to its contemporary culture, which combines influences from Asia, Europe and North America. Traditional Japanese arts include crafts (ikebana, origami, ukiyo-e, dolls, lacquerware, pottery), performances (bunraku, dance, kabuki, noh, rakugo), traditions (games, tea ceremony, Budō, architecture, gardens, swords) and cuisine. The fusion of traditional woodblock printing and Western art led to the creation of manga, a typically Japanese comic book format that is now popular within and outside Japan.

Japanese music is eclectic, having borrowed instruments, scales and styles from neighboring cultures. Many instruments, such as the koto, were introduced in the ninth and tenth centuries. The accompanied recitative of the Noh drama dates from the fourteenth century and the popular folk music, with the guitar-like shamisen, from the sixteenth.Western music, introduced in the late nineteenth century, now forms an integral part of the culture.

History

Legend attributes the creation of Japan to the sun goddess, from whom the emperors were descended. The first of them was Jimmu, supposed to have ascended the throne in 660 B.C. , a tradition that constituted official doctrine until 1945.

Recorded Japanese history begins in approximately A.D. 400, when the Yamato clan, eventually based in Kyoto, managed to gain control of other family groups in central and western Japan. Contact with Korea introduced Buddhism to Japan at about this time. Through the 700s Japan was much influenced by China, and the Yamato clan set up an imperial court similar to that of China. In the ensuing centuries, the authority of the imperial court was undermined as powerful gentry families vied for control.

Hotels

Western-branded hotels are rare outside Tokyo and Osaka; elsewhere, it's Japanese brands like JAL/Nikko,Rihga Royal and Prince that rule the roost. Full-service five-star hotels can turn pampering into an artform, but tend to be rather bland and generic in appearance, despite steep prices starting from ¥20,000 per person (not per room). However, there are several types of uniquely Japanese and far more affordable hotel.

Capsule hotels are the ultimate in space-efficient sleeping: for a small fee (normally between ¥3,000 and ¥4,000), the guest rents himself a capsule, sized about 2x1x1 meters and stacked in two rows inside a hall containing tens if not hundreds of capsules.

Ryokan are traditional Japanese inns, and a visit to one is the highlight of many a trip to Japan. There are two types: the small traditional-style one with wooden buildings, long verandahs, and gardens, and the more modern high-rise sort that are like luxury hotels with fancy public baths.

Transportation

By Plane
Most intercontinental flights arrive at either Narita Airport (NRT) near Tokyo or Kansai Airport (KIX) near Osaka; a smaller number use Chubu International Airport (NGO) near Nagoya. All three are significant distances from their respective city centers, but are linked to regional rail networks and also have numerous bus services to nearby destinations. Other international airports include Hiroshima (HIJ), Fukuoka (FUK) and Sapporo New Chitose (CTS). Tokyo's other airport, Haneda Airport (HND), is the busiest in Asia but primarily serves domestic flights; the only international flights are shuttle services to and from Seoul-Gimpo, Shanghai-Hongqiao and Hong Kong.

By boat
There are a number of international ferries to Japan. Except for the ferries from Busan to Fukuoka and Shimonoseki, these are generally uncompetitive with discounted air tickets, as prices are high, schedules infrequent (and unreliable) and travel times long.

Visa to Japan

Nationals of following countries do not require a visa to stay in Japan for up to six months: Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Mexico. Nationals of the following countries do not require a visa to stay in Japan for up to 90 days: Singapore, Canada, U.S.A., Argentina, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, etc. Nationals of countries who have visa exemption agreements with Japan for six months in principle are permitted to stay in Japan for 90 days at a time. For stays of more than 90 days, the persons have to apply for a visa extension.

Shopping

Japan can be expensive. You might feel every item or meal comes with a high price tag in Japan. The main reason for this is that you have chosen an inner-city top-end shopping or eating district. If you wish to buy more reasonably priced items, consider carefully whether you are desperately looking for upmarket products, or just want daily commodities and groceries. The former should try intown premium department stores, boutiques and restaurants in the well-publicized shopping districts such as Isetan in Shinjuku and Matsuya in Ginza, the latter would be better off turn their steps toward suburban shopping malls or supermarkets such as Aeon or Ito-Yokado.