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From Birmingham 1998 to Köln 1999.

Japan

~ Japan Contents ~ Country Objectives ~

Political Data
Head Of State: Emperor Akihito
Prime Minister: : Keizo Obuchi (LDP)
elected July 1998, former Foreign Minister
Finance Minister: Kiichi Miyazawa
(former PM, 1991 - 1993)
Foreign Affairs Minister: Masahiko Komura
International Trade and Industry Minister: Kaoru Yosano
Central Bank Governor: Masaru Hayami
Deputy Governors: Sakuya Fujiwara ,Yutaka Yamaguchi
Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Minister: Shoichi Nakagawa
Environment Minister: Kenji Manabe
Justice Minister: Shozaburo Nakamura
Economic Planning Minister: Taichi Sakaiya
Labour Minister: Akira Amari
Political parties forming the government: Liberal Democratic Party and Liberal Party
Naoto Kan is the leader of the DPJ, the main opposition party in Japan.
Date of Last Election: Lower House 20 October 1996 (elections every four years)
Upper House 12 July 1998 (elections for half of House every three years)
 

Sherpa: TBA

Economic Data
Gross Domestic Product (GDP): Y499 861 000 000 000
GDP per Capita: Y3 965 105
Economic Growth Rate (1998): : -2.8% in 1998
(as compared to 1997)
Inflation: : 1.9%
(1997, using 1995 as base year)
Unemployment rate: : 3.4 % (1997), reached 4.3% in June 1998
Bank rate/interest rate: 0.5%
(has stayed this low since September 1995)
Exchange rate: Y121.56 = US$1
(13 May 1999)
Current Account: Y436 billion
Total Foreign Investment Japan: Y2 755 billion
(1997)
Foreign Aid as % of GDP: 0.32%
(July 1998)
(mostly through bilateral means)
World Ranking: 1st
Major Trading Partners:

Import: (1997)

  1. USA (22.3%)
  2. PRC (12.4%)
  3. Indonesia/Australia (4.3% each)

Export: (1997)

  1. USA (27.8%)
  2. Taiwan/Hong Kong (6.5% each)
  3. South Korea (6.2%)

Three Major

Exports: (1997)

  1. Non-Electric Machinery (23.8%)
  2. Electric Machinery (23.6%)
  3. Motor Vehicles (14%)

Imports: (1997)

  1. Machinery and Equipment (28%)
  2. Foodstuffs (13.6%)
  3. Petroleum (10.3%)

Sources: The Economist, The Europa World yearbook 1998, UNO Statistical Yearbook 1997, Japan Statistical Yearbook 1999, Japanese Government websites

Prepared by Gosia Bawolska, May 1999.

~ Japan Contents ~ Country Objectives ~

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