Country
Countries A-Z
Japan
Nippon
Note: On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck off of the coast of northern Japan, causing a devastating tsunami and tidal wave warnings across the Pacific; the quake was the most powerful in recorded history to ever strike the country. At the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, explosions and partial meltdowns caused dangerous leaks of radioactive gas and fire at one station. Japanese officials struggled to repair the damage, and a month later declared the disaster was the worst since Chernobyl. As of late April, the death toll had risen to 14,000, and with many victims still missing, the numbers are expected to surpass 20,000. More than 130,000 people were still homeless.
Political Status: Constitutional monarchy established May 3, 1947; under multiparty parliamentary system.
Area: ...