, Sadao FUCHIGAMI, secretary general]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue
partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CCC,
CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G- 5, G- 7,
G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE
(partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,
UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Shunji YANAI
chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700
FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187
consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver,
Detroit, Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City (Missouri),
Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San
Francisco, and Seattle
consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission:
Ambassador-designate Howard H. BAKER, Jr.
embassy: 10-5 Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420
mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 205, APO AP 96337-5004
telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000
FAX: [81] (03) 3224-5856
consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo
consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya
Flag description: white with a large red disk (representing the sun
without rays) in the center
Japan Economy
Economy - overview: Government-industry cooperation, a strong work
ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense
allocation (1% of GDP) have helped Japan advance with extraordinary
rapidity to the rank of second most technologically powerful economy
in the world after the US and third largest economy in the world
after the US and China. One notable characteristic of the economy is
the working together of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors
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. Industry,
the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on
imported raw materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural
sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields
|