Government  Business  Culture Radio/TV Newspapers General Culture Books

• Overview
  • Economy - overview: Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of second most technologically powerful economy in the world after the US and the third-largest economy in the world after the US and China, measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. One notable characteristic of the economy is how manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors work together in closely-knit groups called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force. Both features are now eroding. Japan's industrial sector is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The tiny agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 60% of its food on a caloric basis. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades, overall real economic growth had been spectacular - a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the after effects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative excesses from the stock and real estate markets and to force a restructuring of the economy. From 2000 to 2003, government efforts to revive economic growth met with little success and were further hampered by the slowing of the US, European, and Asian economies. In 2004-06, growth improved and the lingering fears of deflation in prices and economic activity lessened. Japan's huge government debt, which totals 175% of GDP, and the aging of the population are two major long-run problems. Some fear that a rise in taxes could endanger the current economic recovery. Internal conflict over the proper way to reform the financial system will continue as Japan Post's banking, insurance, and delivery services undergo privatization between 2007 and 2017. The CIA Factfile
    
• Government
  • Guide to Japanese Visas Information provided by The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • Japan Statistics Bureau & Statistics Center Official government statistics collecting organ.
  • National Archives of Japan Organization for receiving important official documents and records as historical materials.
  • Embassy Avenue Information and List of Embassies in Japan.
  • Embassies and Consulates

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• Business
  • Hiroshima Convention Bureau Plan a convention in the self-proclaimed International City of Peace and Culture. Learn what kind of facilities and support the city offers.
  • Plaza Homes Leading corporate relocation and housing company in Tokyo with over thirty years experience in assisting foreigners relocating to Japan.
  • Standard Trade Index of Japan (The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry) Provides information on various Japanese companies interested in overseas trade.
  • Success Stories- Japan Executive Newsletter The authoritative executive newsletter specifically devoted to helping non-Japanese companies succeed in Japan.
  • U.S.- Japan Links A collaborative electronic media project of the 35+ Japan-America and Japan Societies across the United States. Job Bank and resources.
  • Universal currency converter
• Culture
  • Japan - A Country Study Overview of Japanese life, history, and culture by the US Library of Congress.
  • Japan Guide An online guidebook to Japan. 
  • WWW Virtual Library Site for Japan Stanford Guide to Japan Information Resource is a database of links to Japan related information sites on the web. 

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• Radio/TV
  • YOMIURI Telecasting Corporation, Osaka.
  • BeachFM Homepage Streaming Radio  Pop, Rock, Jazz. Japanese music.
  • Radio Nippon Streaming Radio  in Japanese. Originating in Vancouver BC, Canada.
  • Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) Japan's primary public broadcasting source.
  • Fuji Television Network One of the major television networks in Japan.
  • TV Tokyo Television Tokyo Homepage (Kanji)
  • Fuji-TV The San Francisco, California arm of Fuji Television (English/Kanji)
  • News of Japan Listing of several news broadcasting stations around Japan.

  • CNN Asia now Special edition of CNN, covers stories in Asia and Australasia

• Newspapers
  • Asahi Shimbun A well respected source with online news summaries. (Kanji/English)
  • Nikkei Net Interactive Financial news and information (English)
  • Japan Times Online Online extension of The Japan Times.
  • Daily Yomiuri On-Line The online presence of the Daily Yomiuri - one of Japan's most respected newspapers (English/Kanji) Its sections cover politics, economy, crime, culture, science and international news.
  • Kyodo News Web The Kyodo newswire service (English/Kanji)
  • Mainichi Interactive The online version of the Mainichi Newspaper
  • Hokkoku Shimbun News from Hokuriku Kanazawa City, Japan (English/Kanji)
  • J@pan.Inc - English language monthly magazine covering the people, technology and business stories of Japan's new economy.
• General
  • Japan home search The first online, searchable, multi-listing site in Japan - all in English ! Inside you will find information on currently available houses, apartments and short-term, furnished apartments. All information is updated on a daily basis
  • Tokyo Lease Corporation Furniture Rental Free Interior Decorating Service
• Books

	The Mind of the Strategist : The Art of Japanese Business by Kenichi Ohmae - Provocative insights into the ways of the Japanese strategic thinking.
	Different Games, Different Rules : Why Americans and Japanese Misunderstand Each Other by Haru Yamada - essential reading for anyone who travels to or communicates regularly with Japan

Hidden Differences : Doing Business With the Japanese by Edward T. Hall, Mildred Reed Hall

Doing Business in Asia : A Cultural Perspective by Robert Burns - this book has a very good chapter on Japan

	Office Ladies and Salaried Men : Power, Gender, and Work in Japanese Companies by Yuko Ogasawara- A fascinating study into gender related work issues in Japan, and some wonderful clues about the real balance of power in the office.
	Culture Shock! Japan by Rex Shelley Part of the useful series on culture shock, a good introduction and a well presented series for a first impression of another culture.
	The Japanization of British Industry : New Developments in the 1990s (Human Resource Management in Action) by Nick Oliver, Barry Wilkinson

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