llion; ODA outlay of $9.1
billion in 1990 (est.)
Currency:
yen (plural - yen); 1 yen (Y) = 100 sen
Exchange rates:
yen (Y) per US$1 - 132.70 (March 1992), 134.71 (1991), 144.79 (1990), 137.96
(1989), 128.15 (1988), 144.64 (1987)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

:Japan Communications

Railroads:
27,327 km total; 2,012 km 1.435-meter standard gauge and 25,315 km
predominantly 1.067-meter narrow gauge; 5,724 km doubletrack and multitrack
sections, 9,038 km 1.067-meter narrow-gauge electrified, 2,012 km
1.435-meter standard-gauge electrified (1987)
Highways:
1,111,974 km total; 754,102 km paved, 357,872 km gravel, crushed stone, or
unpaved; 4,400 km national expressways; 46,805 km national highways; 128,539
km prefectural roads; and 930,230 km city, town, and village roads
Inland waterways:
about 1,770 km; seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas
Pipelines:
crude oil 84 km; petroleum products 322 km; natural gas 1,800 km
Ports:
Chiba, Muroran, Kitakyushu, Kobe, Tomakomai, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo,
Yokkaichi, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Niigata, Fushiki-Toyama, Shimizu, Himeji,
Wakayama-Shimozu, Shimonoseki, Tokuyama-Shimomatsu
Merchant marine:
976 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,684,459 GRT/34,683,035 DWT;
includes 10 passenger, 40 short-sea passenger, 3 passenger cargo, 89 cargo,
44 container, 36 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 111 refrigerated cargo, 93 vehicle
carrier, 227 petroleum tanker, 11 chemical tanker, 40 liquefied gas, 9
combination ore/oil, 3 specialized tanker, 260 bulk; note - Japan also owns
a large flag of convenience fleet, including up to 55% of the total number
of ships under the Panamanian flag
Civil air:
360 major transport aircraft
Airports:
163 total, 158 usable; 131 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways
over 3,659 m; 31 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 51 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
excellent domestic and international service; 64,000,000 telephones;
broadcast stations - 318 AM, 58 FM, 12,350 TV (196 major - 1 kw or greater);
satellite earth stations - 4 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean
INTELSAT; submarine cables to US (via Guam), Philippines, China, and Russia

:Japan Defense Forces

Branches:
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
(Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force), Maritime Safety Age