t.)

Natural gas - consumption:
80.42 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
77.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
20.02 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$170.2 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
$538.8 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical
machinery, chemicals

Exports - partners:
US 22.7%, China 13.1%, South Korea 7.8%, Taiwan 7.4%, Hong Kong
6.3% (2004)

Imports:
$401.8 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles,
raw materials (2001)

Imports - partners:
China 20.7%, US 14%, South Korea 4.9%, Australia 4.3%, Indonesia
4.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.1%, UAE 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$664.6 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
NA (2002 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $7.9 billion (FY03/04)

Currency (code):
yen (JPY)

Currency code:
JPY

Exchange rates:
yen per US dollar - 108.19 (2004), 115.93 (2003), 125.39 (2002),
121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Japan

Telephones - main lines in use:
71.149 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
86,658,600 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of
every kind
international: country code - 81; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean
regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US
(via Guam) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485 repeaters, shortwave 21
(2001)

Radios:
120.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
211 plus 7,341 repeaters
note: in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV
cable services (1999)

Televisions:
86.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.jp

Internet hosts:
12,962,065 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
73 (2000)

Internet users:
57.2 million (2002)

Transportation Japan

Railways:
total: 23,577 km (16,519 km electrified)
standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electri