Japan

Capital: Tokyo Coordinates: 35° 40" North, 139° 45" East

Japan, an island nation in east Asia, is an archipelago
(large group of islands) located east of the Korean
peninsula. It has an area of 377,835 square kilometers
(145,882 square miles)

Japan is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the

north and east, by the Philippine Sea .
Japan's population was estimated at 126,549,976 in July
2007.
 Language

Japanese ( 日本語 , Nihongo)

 Japanese is the de facto official language of Japan. There

is a form of the language considered standard: hyōjungo
( 標準語 ?), meaning "standard Japanese", or kyōtsūgo
( 共通語 ?), "common language"
Official language(s) japanese

Main language(s) Japanese

Regional language(s) Ryukyuan (Okinawan et

al.)

Minority language(s) Ainu

Main Korean, Chinese,

immigrant language(s) Tagalog, Portuguese

Main foreign language English

(s)

Sign language(s) Japanese Sign Languag

e
New Year's in Japan

The Japanese celebrate the New Year in a big way.

however, in actuality the season itself runs from the 31st
of December through the 3rd of January.
New Year's postcards usually purchased from the
Japanese Postal Service known as nengajo