JAPAN

CURRENCY:

Japanese Yen - JPY, Symbol ¥

DENOMINATIONS:

NOTE: ¥10,000, 5,000, 2,000 and 1,000.

COIN: ¥500, 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1.

Please note: Credit cards are relatively recent in Japan, and many people use cash - it may be preferable to rely on cash if travelling to Japan as foreign credit cards have low acceptance levels.

US DOLLAR ACCEPTED?

CREDIT/DEBIT CARDS AND ATMS:

Most major credit cards are accepted in towns. There are also ATM machines but note: foreign bank cards will only be accepted at international banks. The hours of international banks may be longer than regular banks - please check in advance.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE:

Foreign currency services are available at banks and authorised money exchanges.

TRAVELLER'S CHEQUES:

These are best in Japanese Yen or US dollars and can be exchanged at larger banks or hotels.

BANKING HOURS:

Mon-Fri 0900-1500.

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS:

COUNTRY OVERVIEW:

Japan is an island country in East Asia. It lies in the Pacific Ocean and actually is made up of thousands of islands, many of which are volcanic and mountainous. There is record of occupation of Japan as long ago as 30,000 BC. The capital is Tokyo and the most widely spoken languages are Japanese and English - although there are many recognised regional languages and dialects. The country is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, which means there is an Emperor and an Prime Minister.

POPULATION:

Around 128 million

ECONOMY:

The economy of Japan is the most developed in Asia and the second largest in the world. It has been growing since the Victorian age, when it took on the capitalist model from the United Kingdom and the USA. Some of the main industries include banking, transportation, insurance, construction and real estate. Motors and electronic equipment are produced in Japan and the country is one of the most technologically advanced in the world. Japanese business culture has some unique concepts such as 'office lady' - a term used to describe the majority of women in the Japanese workforce, who make tea and perform basic office tasks. Around a third of the female workforce in Japan is made up of 'office ladies' or OLs.