Sea Island Summit

1989 Minister of Health and Welfare (Uno Cabinet)
Chairman, National Organization Committee, LDP
Chairman, Research Commission on Fundamental Policies for Medical Care, LDP

1991 Chief Deputy Secretary-General, LDP

1992 Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (Reshuffled Miyazawa Cabinet)

1996 Minister of Health and Welfare (Second Hashimoto Cabinet)

1997 Minister of Health and Welfare (Second Reshuffled Hashimoto Cabinet)

Ran for President of LDP in 1995 and 1998

2001 President of LDP
Prime Minister

Japan Map Japan

Japan is an original member of the G8. Japan first hosted the G8 summit in Tokyo in 1979. They have hosted the summit a total of four times; Tokyo 1979, Tokyo 1986, Tokyo 1993, and Okinawa 2000. Japan will host the Summit again in 2008.

The Prime Minister of Japan is His Excellency Junichiro Koizumi. Prime Minister Koizumi was first elected in 2001.

Official Name: Japan

Geography
Area: 377,864 sq. km. (145,902 sq. mi.); slightly smaller than California.
Cities: Capital--Tokyo. Other cities--Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kobe, Kyoto, Fukuoka.
Terrain: Rugged, mountainous islands.
Climate: Varies from subtropical to temperate.

People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Japanese.
Population (2003 est.): 127.2 million.
Population growth rate (2003 est.): 0.11%.
Ethnic groups: Japanese; Korean (0.6%).
Religions: Shinto and Buddhist; Christian (about 0.7%).
Language: Japanese.
Education: Literacy--99%.
Health (2003): Infant mortality rate--3.3/1,000. Life expectancy--males 77 yrs., females 84 yrs.
Work force (64 million, 2001): Services--23%; trade, manufacturing, mining, and construction--56%; agriculture, forestry, fisheries--6%; government--3%.

Government
Type: Constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government.
Constitution: May 3, 1947.
Branches: Executive--prime minister (head of government). Legislative--bicameral Diet (House of Representatives and House of Councillors). Judicial--civil law system based on the model of Roman law.
Administrative subdivisions: 47 prefectures.
Political parties: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), New Clean Government Party (Komeito), Conservative New Party (CNP), Japan Communist Party (JCP), Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Suffrage: Universal at 20.

Economy
GDP (2002 est.): $3.55 trillion.
Real growth rate (2002 est.): -0.3%.
Per capita GDP (2002 est.): $28,000 Purchasing Power Parity Basis.
Natural resources: Negligible mineral resources, fish.
Agriculture: Products--rice, vegetables, fruit, milk, meat, silk.
Industry: Types--machinery and equipment, metals and metal products, textiles, autos, chemicals, electrical and electronic equipment.