As of April 2002, the population of Japan was 127,290,000. There were 62,200,000 men and 65.110.000 women. The population of Tokyo, the capital of Japan stands at 8,221,000. In addition to the city, the surrounding areas of Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama make up the metropolitan area. Together with Tokyo they account for only 3% of Japan's land area, but 25% of her population.
	ニッポンの主要都市マップページへ！
	Japan covers an area of 378,000 square kilometres. This is approximately one twentieth the size of Australia. Around the coast however, land is frequently being reclaimed, so that the land area is steadily expanding. Around 67% of Japan is composed of mountainous forest, and there is very little flat land. The urban areas are crowded with high rise buildings, and in places like Tokyo, the subway system sprawls beneath the city streets like a huge net. The Ooedo line, opened in 2001 runs 49 metres below the ground.
	Japan's national flag is known as the "Nisshoki," or "the flag of the rising sun." The red circle in the centre, of course, represents the sun. The national anthem of Japan is called "Kimigayo." The words are taken from a waka poem found in an ancient literary text, the Kokinwakashu, which dates back more than a thousand years. The author of the poem is unknown.
	In Japan, 20 is the age at which one is considered to become an adult. You are allowed to vote, and also to smoke and drink once you reach this age. Driver's licences can be obtained at the age of 18. The minimum age for marriage stands at 18 for males, and 16 for females.
	According to data from the Ministry of General Affairs, the average hours worked per week in Japan in 2001 was 42.2, slightly down on the 1996 figure of 43.1. This fall is generally attributed to the recession and the resulting cuts in overtime and rising unemployment. 24 hour restaurants and convenience stores can be found everywhere in Japan, so it's no surprise that on an industry basis, the sector with the longest working hours is the retailing, wholesale and restaurant industry, at 51 hours per week. The average income in 2001 was 3,974,000 yen, or around $58,000 Australian. The 1996 figure again was slightly higher at 4,089,000 yen. In Japan, large regular winter and summer bonuses are a tradition for Japanese workers, but recent years have seen large declines and even complete bonus omissions. The fact that one of the corner stones of Japanese company life is affected in this way is proof that times are tough. Low unemployment has long been a source of pride for Japan. In 1996, the figure stood at a mere 3.4%. By 1999 it had grown to 4.7% and reached 5% in 2001, further evidence of the effect of the current recession on the ordinary Japanese.
	Perth's sister city in Japan is Kagoshima, in Kagoshima prefecture. Kagoshima is famous for.... Apparently there is a well-known street in the city called "Perth Doori", which translates as something like "Perth Terrace" or "Perth Way". Western Australia as a whole also has a sister relationship with Hyogo prefecture. The capital of Hyogo is Kobe, the site of the devastating Hanshin earthquake 6 years ago. The city is also famous for it's large harbour.

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