Japan
Region Profile
The country’s capital is Tokyo, and its total area is about 377,976 square kilometers, composed mainly of the four major islands: Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Hokkaido. Japan is long, narrow, and arc-shaped, spanning nearly 3,000 kilometers. With a population of approximately 123.36 million (as of 2025), the major ethnic groups are the Yamato people and Ainu. The main religions are Shinto and Buddhism, with Japanese being the official language.
Development Overview
Japan asserts that its foundation dates back over 2,600 years. After the Meiji Restoration, the Sino-Japanese War, and the Russo-Japanese War, it became a major global power. After its defeat in WWII, the country experienced a short occupation by Allied forces, during which a new constitution was drafted under the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers’ direction, explicitly affirming “sovereignty rests with the people and the renunciation of war”. Japan’s economic strength was gradually restored with U.S. support following the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, and it is now a member of the G7 group of major industrialized nations.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant downturn in Japan’s economy, resulting in a real GDP growth rate of around −5.5%. Despite a JPY 23-trillion government stimulus plan, prospects for a rapid recovery were hindered by successive outbreaks of the virus. On the social front, Japan enjoys a stable structure with very few incidents of violent protest. Nevertheless, it is faced with major challenges, including population shrinkage, an accelerating low birth rate/aging population, and the growth of non-regular employment, which in turn strains government finances and leads to wider wealth gaps.
Competition Event and Participants
- Traditional Archery: Individual Event－Open Men’s Division (1 Participant) /Individual Event－Open Women’s Division (2 Participants)
- Traditional Music and Dance: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (6 Participants)
- Log Sawing: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (4 Participants)
- Traditional Tug-of-War: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (10 Participants)
- Net Casting: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (4 Participants)
- Traditional Canoe Racing: Individual Event－Open Men’s Division (2 Participants)
- Weight Carrying: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (4 Participants)