World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh : Japan

Home

About

Membership

The Japan Minute

Click here to listen to the Japan minute.

Country Stats

Population:
127,078,679
(July 2009 est.)

Year of independence: 660 B.C.
(traditional date of the founding of the nation by Emperor JIMMU;
first recognized by Emperor Meiji in 1873)

Head of government:
Prime Minister Taro Aso

Ambassador to US:
Ichiro Fujisaki

Language:
Japanese

Famous Faces

Fujita Den (entrepreneur)
Akira Kurosawa (film director)
Hideki Matsui (baseball player)
Kyu Sakamoto (singer)
Sakichi Toyoda (inventor)

What's for Dinner

Japanese cuisine incorporates fish heavily, with most of it wrapped into sushi, although platters with unagi (eel) are popular as well. Noodles or rice are used in virtually every Japanese meal, and other side dishes include edamame (soybeans) and tempura (fried vegetables). Workers will often purchase a bento box for lunch, featuring multiple cold dishes arranged elaborately in a container.

International Student Summit - Cyber Security and Civil Liberties

September 17, 2010

The Student Summit will connect students in the Pittsburgh region to students in countries around the world through video conference and webcast, engaging them in a dialogue exploring the tensions between cyber security and civil liberties issues.

Click for Details!

40th World Affairs Institute for Student Leaders
Forecasting Global Trends: Your World in 2020 and Beyond

November 17, 2010

The World Affairs Institute is an annual daylong conference sponsored by Rotary International and the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh.

Click for Details!

Japan

Japan has the second most technologically powerful economy in the world after the US. It is also the third-largest economy in the world after the US and China, according to purchasing power parity (PPP).

Japan must import most raw materials and fuels needed for manufacturing. The country’s economy entered a recession in 2008, accompanied by a decline in business investment and global demand for its exports.

Japan also faces two growing problems that will prove difficult to solve: a government debt totaling 170% of GDP and an aging population.

Tourist Attraction: Mount Fuji

This 3776m (12,389ft) volcanic cone is one of the most famous volcanoes in the world and the highest peak in Japan. Of extreme historical and religious importance to the Japanese, Mount Fuji is also one of the nation’s most significant emblems. Although it has erupted 16 times since AD 781, the mountain is safe and popular for climbing, and has not erupted since 1707 when it last covered the streets of Tokyo in volcanic lava.

Pittsburgh Connection

Japan Association of Greater Pittsburgh (JAGP )
The activities of the JAGP promote cultural, social, informational and friendship networks.

The Japan America Society of Pennsylvania (JASP)
The JASP is the region's premiere organization for educational, business and arts activities related to Japan and Japanese-American relations.

Japan’s first black enka singer Jero is from Pittsburgh!