Japan

The country of Japan is an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, consisting of four large islands—Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku—and thousands of small islands. The 2010 census estimated its population at 128 million with a density of 336 people per square kilometer, making it the 36th most densely populated country. Japan is governed by a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary structure having 47 prefectures and 1,844 local municipalities. The Japanese parliament devises its basic policies, which are subsequently detailed by the individual ministries, and the local governments are important in organizing and providing health care and social services within the community. Japan is considered a developed country, and its citizens the healthiest in the world, with the highest male and female healthy life expectancy.

Japan was ...