Japan full country facts

{"name":"Japan","currency":"JPY","vat":{"standard":10,"reduced":8,"name":"消費税 (Consumption Tax)","notes":"Reduced 8% applies to food/beverages (excl. dining out) and newspapers.","source_url":"https://www.nta.go.jp/english/taxes/consumption_tax/"},"tipping":{"customary":false,"guideline":"Tipping is not practiced and may be refused."},"plug":{"types":["A","B"],"voltage":"100V","frequency":"50/60Hz"},"date_format":"YYYY/MM/DD","number_format":{"decimal":".","thousands":","},"week_start":"sunday","business_hours_typical":"09:00-18:00 Mon-Fri","holidays_2026_sample":[{"date":"2026-01-01","name":"元日"},{"date":"2026-01-12","name":"成人の日"},{"date":"2026-02-11","name":"建国記念の日"},{"date":"2026-02-23","name":"天皇誕生日"},{"date":"2026-03-20","name":"春分の日"},{"date":"2026-04-29","name":"昭和の日"},{"date":"2026-05-03","name":"憲法記念日"},{"date":"2026-05-04","name":"みどりの日"},{"date":"2026-05-05","name":"こどもの日"},{"date":"2026-05-06","name":"休日"},{"date":"2026-07-20","name":"海の日"},{"date":"2026-08-11","name":"山の日"},{"date":"2026-09-21","name":"敬老の日"},{"date":"2026-09-22","name":"休日"},{"date":"2026-09-23","name":"秋分の日"},{"date":"2026-10-12","name":"スポーツの日"},{"date":"2026-11-03","name":"文化の日"},{"date":"2026-11-23","name":"勤労感謝の日"}],"driving_side":"left","emergency":"Police 110 / Ambulance & Fire 119","timezone":"UTC+9 (no DST)","languages":"Japanese","calling_code":"+81","postal_format":"123-4567 (7 digits)","tld":".jp","payment_culture":"Cash still common; cards, IC cards & QR (PayPay) widely accepted","tap_water":"Safe to drink","legal_ages":{"drinking":"20","smoking":"20"},"road_rules":{"speed_limits":"Urban 40-60 / Expressway 100-120 km/h","bac":"0.03% BAC"},"work_week":"Weekend: Sat-Sun","corporate_tax":{"rate":23.2,"notes":"National rate; ~30% effective incl. local taxes","source_url":"https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/quick-charts/corporate-income-tax-cit-rates"},"tax_free_shopping":"Yes: tax-free for visitors, min ¥5,000 at licensed stores","units":"Metric, Celsius","climate":"Temperate, four distinct seasons; humid summers","idp":"1949 IDP required (some licenses need official translation)","currency_detail":{"code":"JPY","symbol":"¥"},"minimum_wage":{"amount":1121,"currency":"JPY","period":"hourly","note":"National weighted average minimum wage across Japan's 47 prefectures, effective FY2025 (revisions took effect between Oct 2025 and Mar 2026 depending on prefecture). Japan uses a regional system set by prefecture; rates range from ~1,023 to 1,226 JPY/hour. Set by the Central Minimum Wages Council under MHLW.","source_url":"https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/koyou_roudou/roudoukijun/minimumichiran/index.html"},"public_transport_payment":{"method":"Rechargeable contactless IC cards (Suica, PASMO, ICOCA, etc.) using FeliCa NFC technology, plus IC-enabled smartphones (Apple Pay/Google Pay); ticket machines and cash also accepted.","contactless_supported":true,"note":"Suica (JR East), PASMO, and 8 other regional IC cards have been mutually interoperable since 2013, usable on nearly all trains/buses/subways nationwide and widely for retail payments. Due to a chip shortage, unnamed/personalized physical Suica/PASMO cards were suspended from 2023; 'Welcome Suica' (limited-validity visitor card) remains purchasable.","source_url":"https://www.pasmo.co.jp/visitors/en/"},"internet_connectivity":{"avg_fixed_broadband_mbps":196.4,"wifi_availability_note":"Median fixed broadband download speed ~196 Mbps per Ookla Speedtest data (early 2025). Free public Wi-Fi is available in many stations/convenience stores/tourist areas but less ubiquitous than in some other developed countries; visitors commonly rely on pocket Wi-Fi or SIM/eSIM data.","source_url":"https://www.speedtest.net/global-index/japan"},"sim_esim_availability":{"esim_available":true,"prepaid_sim_availability":"widely available","note":"eSIMs from third-party providers can be purchased/activated online before or after arrival. Physical prepaid data-only SIM cards are widely sold at major airports and electronics stores; voice SIMs require ID verification and are harder for short-term tourists to obtain.","source_url":"https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/joho_tsusin/eng/index.html"},"visa_requirement_common_passports":{"note":"Japan grants visa-exempt entry for short-term stays (generally up to 90 days) to passport holders of a designated list of countries/regions including the US, UK, most EU states, Canada, Australia, per MOFA visa exemption arrangements. Waiver does not permit paid work or long-term study.","source_url":"https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/short/novisa.html"},"travel_insurance_requirement":{"status":"not mandatory","note":"As of mid-2026 Japan does not legally require proof of travel/health insurance for entry, though strongly recommended. Since April 2026 Japan tightened re-entry screening for visitors with unpaid medical bills from prior visits — a debt-related measure, not an insurance mandate.","source_url":"https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/japan.html"},"customs_duty_free_allowance":{"note":"Duty-free allowance (age 20+): up to three 760ml bottles of alcohol; tobacco depends on residency (non-residents up to 400 foreign cigarettes plus 200 Japanese cigarettes duty-free; residents up to 200 foreign cigarettes). Under-20s get no alcohol/tobacco allowance. Other goods duty-free limit approx. JPY 200,000.","source_url":"https://www.customs.go.jp/english/summary/passenger.htm"},"mobile_roaming_note":{"note":"Four major MNOs: NTT Docomo, au (KDDI), SoftBank, Rakuten Mobile. Visitors typically can't buy carrier-branded plans directly (ID verification required); most tourist SIMs/eSIMs are data-only from resellers, largely on the Docomo network. Home-carrier international roaming also works normally on