I. Japan BrE AmE
a country in East Asia consisting of four large islands, Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, and many smaller ones. Population: 127,288,419 (2008). Capital: Tokyo. The main religions are Shinto and Buddhism. Japan is an ancient ↑ civilization , but during the 1970s and 1980s it became a rich country with advanced industries, known especially for making cars and electronic goods. When people in the US and UK think of Japan, they typically think of it as a place that develops and produces advanced electronic equipment and has trains that travel at high speeds. It is also known for its traditional ↑ culture , such as ↑ geisha s (=traditional female entertainers) wearing beautiful ↑ kimono s and ↑ sumo wrestler s .
II. Japan, the Sea of BrE AmE
the sea that separates Japan from Korea and the ↑ mainland of Asia. In Korea, it is called the East Sea.