Population 126,550 million people Population Density 867 per square mile Urban population 79% Ethnic Groups 99.4% Japanese Chief Religions Buddhism, Shintoism shared by 84% Geography Area 145,882 square miles Neighbors Russia to the north; South Korea to the west Four Main Islands Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku Capital Tokyo Other Major Cities Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kyoto, Fukuoka Economic Industries Electrical & electronic equipment, vehicles, machinery, steel, chemicals, fishing Chief Crops Rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruits Monetary Unit Yen (121.94 = $1. US October 2001) Life Expectancy 77.13 males; 83.45 females Education Compulsory for ages 6-15 Literacy 100%