Japan

[[Yokohama]] is the largest incorporated city.

2 Japan was founded on this date by the legendary [[Emperor Jimmu]], first emperor of Japan; it is seen as largely symbolic.

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{{otheruses1|the country in East Asia}}

{{nihongo|'''Japan'''|[[Japanese language|Japanese:]] 日本/日本国|''Nihon'' or ''Nippon'',The westernized pronunciation is believed to have arisen from that of a south Chinese dialect, in which it is pronounced /jāk-bəng/{{fact}} officially ''Nihon-koku'' or ''Nippon-koku''}} is an [[Island nation|island country]] in [[East Asia]]. Located in the [[Pacific Ocean]], it lies to the east of [[China]], [[Korea]], and [[Russia]], stretching from the [[Sea of Okhotsk]] in the north to the [[East China Sea]] in the south. The [[kanji|characters]] that make up [[Names of Japan|Japan's name]] literally mean "Sun's Origin", thus Japan is also sometimes known as "''The Land of the Rising Sun''", a name that comes from the country's eastward position relative to [[China]]. Its [[capital]] is [[Tokyo]].

At 377,872 [[square kilometre]]s (145,898 [[square mile|sq mi]]), Japan is the [[List of countries and outlying territories by area|62nd largest country]] by area. It encompasses over 3,000 islands, the largest of which are [[Honshū]], [[Hokkaidō]], [[Kyūshū]] and [[Shikoku]]. Most of Japan's islands are mountainous, and many are [[volcano|volcanic]], including the highest peak, [[Mount Fuji]]. It has the world's [[List of countries by population|10th largest population]], with nearly 128 million people. The [[Greater Tokyo Area]], with over 30 million residents, is the [[Largest Metropolitan Area|largest metropolitan area]] in the world.

[[Archaeology|Archaeological]] research indicates that people were living on the islands of Japan as early as the [[Upper Paleolithic|upper paleolithic]] period. The first written mention of Japan begins with brief appearances in [[History of China|Chinese history]] texts from the 1st century [[AD]]. Japanese history has been marked by alternating periods of long isolation and radical influence from the outside world. Its culture today is a mixture of outside influences and internal developments.

Since it adopted its [[Constitution of Japan|constitution]] on [[May 3]], [[1947]], Japan has maintained a [[unitary state|unitary]] [[constitutional monarchy]] with an [[Emperor of Japan|emperor]] and an elected parliament, the [[Diet of Japan|Diet]], which is one of the oldest legislative bodies in [[Asia]]. Japan is an economic [[world power]] with the world's [[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|second largest economy]], and is the sixth largest [[export]]er and [[import]]er and is a member of the [[United Nations]], [[G8]], [[G4 nations|G4]], and [[APEC]].

==History==

===Jomon and Yayoi eras===

[[Image:MiddleJomonVessel.JPG|thumb|left|125px|A Middle [[Jomon]] vessel (3000 to 2000 BC)]]

The first signs of civilization