Japan
Japan : Country Information
Japan's complex topography provides the land with beautiful and at times dramatic scenery--snow-fed mountain lakes, rocky gorges and turbulent rivers, rugged peaks, and graceful waterfalls. They are a constant source of inspiration and pleasure to Japanese and foreign visitors alike. While retaining its time-honored culture, Japan rapidly absorbed Western technology during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After its devastating defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become the second most powerful economy in the world and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and business executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth.
