Japan is the subject of more gullible and misguided musings than perhaps any other place in the world: the best way to approach it is to discard your preconceptions. Somewhere between the elegant formality of Japanese manners and the candid, sometimes boisterous exchanges that take place over a few drinks, between the sanitised shopping malls and the unexpected rural festivals, everyone finds their own vision of Japan. Whether you end up taking photos of a reproduction Eiffel Tower, surfing an indoor wave, shacking up in a converted love hotel or kipping down in a capsule, you'll do best to come with an open mind and be prepared to be surprised.

Full country name: Japan (Nihon)
Area: 377,835 sq km (147,356 sq mi)
Population: 126.9 million
Capital city: Tokyo (pop 12 million)
People: Japanese (including indigenous Ainu & Okinawans), Korean
Language: Japanese
Religion: Shinto, Buddhist, Christian
Government: Constitutional monarchy
Head of State: Emperor Akihito
Prime Minister: Junichiro Koizumi

GDP: US$3.15 trillion
GDP per head: US$24,900
Annual growth: 1.3%
Inflation: -0.7%
Major industries: High-tech electronic products, motor vehicles, office machinery, chemicals, steel, textiles, processed foods
Major trading partners: USA, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Germany, China

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