The purpose of this report was to provide comprehensive information on Japan and Canada and to determine which country would have the potential to provide profitable markets for "Cotton Australia" to expand its export sector. .
It was intended that this report would give an insight into facts about these two countries, culture, customs and location relative to Australia, from which a recommendation as to the most suitable country for "Cotton Australia's" expansion plans could be made. .
2.0 Findings of Japan.
2.1 Facts about Japan .
2.1.1 Population, land area and population density.
Japan, the world's tenth most populousnation (127,214,500; 2003 estimate), comprises four main islands. The country's total area is 377,837 sq km and has an average population density of 377 persons per sq km. The most crowded area is central Tokyo (13,000 persons per sq km). About 79 percent of Japan's people are concentrated in urban areas, making Japan one of the most heavily urbanized nations in the world.
2.1.2 Labour demographics .
In 2003 Japan's labour force totalled 67.35 million workers representing 61.5 percent of the whole population. The traditional low unemployment rate of 3.3 percent in 1996 rose to a post-war height of 4.8 percent by early 1999. In 2001 men comprised 58 percent of the labour force and women 42 percent. .
The services industries have gained in importance for Japan's economy, representing 23.5 percent of the labour force. Their contribution to GDP has increased from 48 percent in 1966 to 55 percent in 1981, to 67 percent in 2000. .
As in all maturing modern economies, Japan's manufacturing sector has decreased in importance. Between the early 1990s and 1996, 850,000 manufacturing jobs were eliminated. Factory workers represented 24.4 percent of the labour force, down from 26.3 percent in 1990 and 28.7 percent in 1970. .
2.1.3 Trade policy.
Japan's main trading partners are the United States, East and Southeast Asian countries, and the European Union particularly Germany and the United Kingdom.
