Studying Abroad: Japan!

Studying in Japan

Japan is the country of large metropolitans, gorgeous temples, warm water sources, beautiful blooming cherry trees, friendly people and amazing technology, sumo wrestlers, volcanoes, skiing and of course sushi. A study in Japan means excellent education, but also the chance to go sightseeing for many of the things mentioned above.

Japanese studies

Japan is one of the most densely populated and influential countries in the world. For that reason alone it’s interesting to study in this country. The quality of Japanese education is a number one priority to universities, and more and more universities are offering programmes in English.

Usually there are plenty opportunities to learn Japanese during your study and to familiarize yourself with the country and its customs. This valuable knowledge and experience make you an attractive job candidate.

Population

Less than 1% of the population consists of non-Japanese people, especially Koreans and Chinese. Important worries of Japan are overpopulation and aging. The standards of living have greatly improved in the past 50 years and Japanese people have the highest income per capita in all of Asia. Lots of attention is paid to social welfare and medical care and since 1961 the country has a health insurance policy that provides every citizen with necessary healthcare.
 

Economy

Japan is number three on the world ranking of largest economies, after the US and China. Since 2012 the Japanese economy, along with many others, has spiraled into a recession and is battling deflation. The service sector dominates the economy with a 75% share, followed by industrial (20%) and agricultural. In 2012 the working population was 65.9 million workers and unemployment was a mere 4%.

Climate

The climate varies from a cool and humid continental climate in the North with cold winters and hot summers to a humid subtropical climate in the south.  Especially in the summer rainfall is heavy and in August the average temperature in Tokyo is 27 degrees Celsius. Japan is one of the most seismically active places on Earth.

Facts and digits

Population: roughly 127 million

Capital city: Tokyo

Large cities: Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kobe, Kyoto

Language: Japanese

Currency: Yen (JPY)

Timezone: +8 (+7 summertime)