Japan (Differently)

Japan is an island country in East Asia, bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the east and south, the Sea of Japan on the west and the Sea of Okhotsk on the north. The country's territory is an archipelago composed of over 6,000 islands, the four largest being Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu.

Japan is considered a great power, is among the largest economies of the world and benefits from a high Human Development Index and longevity. Japan is renowned for its historical and extensive cinema, influential music industry, anime, video gaming, rich cuisine and its major contributions to science and modern-day technology.

History
Japan is believed to have been inhabited by paleolithic peoples as early as 40,000 BC. By 14,000 BC, a sedentary hunter-gatherer culture with advanced pottery and tools was dominant. Intensive rice agriculture, as well as bronze and iron working, began around 300 BC in the Yayoi period.

Recorded history in Japan begins around 250, the same time Shinto emerged in the country. In the 6th century, Buddhism arrived in Japan from China and the country was renamed from Wa (倭) to Nihon (日本). By the 8th century, Japan began absorbing Chinese culture, including writing, religion and fashion. Feudalism was introduced in the 12th century, at the same time the shogun and samurai became dominant classes.

In the early 17th century, the Tokugawa shogunate introduced a strictly isolationist policy, in which almost no one could enter or leave the country; Japanese economy and culture flourished in isolation. In the 19th century, Japan was forced to open trade to the United States, Russia and Britain and gradually relinquished its isolationist policy. The Meiji Restoration of 1868 modernized the country.

In the early 20th century, Japan attempted to invade several neighboring countries and regions, but was stopped by China. Japan fought in the Allies side in the Great War, which is considered its last major military participation. Since 1918, Japan's adopted an comercial-oriented policy and played a major role in the development of modern technology, having also introduced a lot of internationally known cultural elements.