Why is Japan the second richest country in the world?

[goodman528]

Japan has:

no natural resources

mostly mountains, not great agricultural land (only 1% permanent crop, out of 11% arable)

smaller population than Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nigeria

is in an active earthquake zone

mostly destroyed by the bombing in WWII

many near by invasion threat, such as Russia, USA and China

5th largest military expenditure in the world (~US$50billion)*, but officially no military

lower productivity than France, Ireland, Canada, etc, and ranks 22 in the world*

*stats are always arguable, don't take them for the truth, as long as they do sound roughly reasonable just go with it.

so, why is Japan the second richest country in the world?

 

[KaZZaP]

Because they don't pour billions of dollars into missiles and then shoot them at thing's that cost less then the ammunition. That's my guess.

*edit*

Japan has:



5th largest military expenditure in the world (~US$50billion)*, but officially no military

hmmm okay I change my guess to robots, I dunno how or what but robots.

 

[Fronken]

Why is it that you keep creating geographical threads tonight?, bored?

Also: They are so far ahead when it comes to technology they are able to gain a shitload of money for technical stuff, i have no official source but i'd wager that might be one of the major causes for their wealth.

 

[deletemeplease107]

who knows...those asians have ways of doing the impossible...

 

[Lastbayking]

Well I believe the reason would be american fanboys who need there anime fix. Just a guess but it can't be too far from the truth....

 

[crepesack]

nanotech, basic technology, advance technology, cars, center of asian investment, epitome of development in E. Asia, its a technopole, and also its people are very industrious, way better then us lazy ass americans.

 

[Sparrow]

Robots.

/thread

 

[Flishiz]

nanotech, basic technology, advance technology, cars, center of asian investment, epitome of development in E. Asia, its a technopole, and also its people are very industrious, way better then us lazy ass americans.

SD

*Facepalm*

People who say Americans aren't industrious probably failed history.

 

[goodman528]

Why is it that you keep creating geographical threads tonight?, bored?

Also: They are so far ahead when it comes to technology they are able to gain a shitload of money for technical stuff, i have no official source but i'd wager that might be one of the major causes for their wealth.

Yep, bored. The American / Mexico thing has been puzzled me for a while though, especially after hearing wild stories from a western coast American about huge number of Mexicans running across the border.

 

[crepesack]

Sorry for the double post but ill put in my responses for this

Japan has:

no natural resources- agreed its a big rock

mostly mountains, not great agricultural land (only 1% permanent crop, out of 11% arable)- true but its the center of asia great location, its the path to the west

smaller population than Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nigeria- population won't matter check the Age Dependency Ratio first THEN check population totals

is in an active earthquake zone- they've built around it

mostly destroyed by the bombing in WWII- Was built back up by the US' post war plan

many near by invasion threat, such as Russia, USA and China- this is totally wrong.... Japan HAS THERMONUCLEAR WEAPONRY and is backed by the the United States, if you mess with Japan you mess with the US and all its allies

5th largest military expenditure in the world (~US$50billion)*, but officially no military -
huge nuclear stockpile, has a military force, and big ass navy (was largest navy in ww2) and today holds dominion over much of the pacific

lower productivity than France, Ireland, Canada, etc, and ranks 22 in the world*- depends on what productivity, for agriculture hell yah, why grow there when its cheaper to import from china but on an industrial level. no not at all.

*stats are always arguable, don't take them for the truth, as long as they do sound roughly reasonable just go with it.

so, why is Japan the second richest country in the world?

 

[crepesack]

nanotech, basic technology, advance technology, cars, center of asian investment, epitome of development in E. Asia, its a technopole, and also its people are very industrious, way better then us lazy ass americans.

SD

*Facepalm*

People who say Americans aren't industrious probably failed history.

uhh dude lemme just SHOW you how much japanese people enjoy work. http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/03/19/suicide.forrest.japan/index.html

 

[cainx10a]

Well I believe the reason would be american fanboys who need their anime fix. Just a guess but it can't be too far from the truth....

Fixed your grammatical error for you ... and it's quite far from the truth as piracy of anime in the form of manga scan and anime streaming could be way greater than software piracy in North America.

Japan spend a lot of money in new technology, and there is a consumer base as well for said technological research. And it is common knowledge that the Japanese are workaholics.

 

[minarri]

nanotech, basic technology, advance technology, cars, center of asian investment, epitome of development in E. Asia, its a technopole, and also its people are very industrious, way better then us lazy ass americans.

Yeah no. Japanese people make a point of looking like they're busy, staying at work late and hardly sleeping, but at the office they don't actually get all that much done.

 

[sms_117b]

Different perspective on industry, more of a pay 3 times up front save much much more in the long run.

Good quality (in most cases) electronics, maybe not in production, but in patents and design, that gets a lot of money.

 

[Veylon]

Two words: value added.

They buy something cheap (silicon, wood, metal, etc.), and then make something expensive out of it (computers, anime, walkmans) and sell it for a net profit back to the country they got the stuff from. And the then the government helps out by doing what they can to keep non-Japanese goods out of the country, which benefits domestic industry by ensuring the local market.

Of course, when foreigners aren't in the mood to purchase to purchase high end goods, such as now, things can get a bit iffy.

 

[The Electric Victorian]

Because apparently the only thing that beats out austere Protestant work ethic is a compulsive need to passive aggressively fuck your way to the top of the social ladder.

Seriously though, it is in part because the Japanese managed to quickly and efficiently corner a then semi nascent industrial niche (cheaply made, quality consumer electronics), and then reap the profits to jump start other homeland industries. That being said, the country, with its awful government and terrible economic management is ostensibly on its way out. Honestly, if anything, Japan is more a retarded bolt lightening than a historically relevant industrial power.

Also, I am so fucking sick of the lazy American trend. Just because we switched away from a manufacturing economy to a service one don't mean we're lazy. I work for a living you commie.

 

[The Electric Victorian]

Two words: value added.

They buy something cheap (silicon, wood, metal, etc.), and then make something expensive out of it (computers, anime, walkmans) and sell it for a net profit back to the country they got the stuff from. And the then the government helps out by doing what they can to keep non-Japanese goods out of the country, which benefits domestic industry by ensuring the local market.

Of course, when foreigners aren't in the mood to purchase to purchase high end goods, such as now, things can get a bit iffy.

Damn good point. Beat me to the punch.

 

[Kogarian]

Maybe they provide good services rather than resources. Their culture seems to have evolved around and embraced technology and unthought-of solutions.

 

[Kogarian]

Wait, wait. I figured it out: Anime.