Changes

2000 Estimates,[http://www.demographia.com/db-world-metro2000.htm]</ref>  Japan has a culture that is more masculine in nature than comparable Western countries.

2000 Estimates,[http://www.demographia.com/db-world-metro2000.htm]</ref>  Japan has a culture that is more masculine in nature than comparable Western countries.

Only about 1% of Japan is [[Christian]], and its birth rate is declining by about 5% annually such that it is in a horrific crisis of declining population.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/number-births-japan-hits-record-low-2023-2024-02-27/</ref>

Only about 1% of Japan is [[Christian]], and its birth rate is declining by about 5% annually such that it is in a horrific crisis of declining population.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/number-births-japan-hits-record-low-2023-2024-02-27/</ref> Japan was an early promoter of [[abortion]], which may have put it on its current path to self-extinction in its plummeting birth rate.

In November 2022, Japan edged out [[China]] as the largest foreign owner of [[U.S.]] debt, when Japan increased its holding to held $1.08 trillion in Treasury securities.

In November 2022, Japan edged out [[China]] as the largest foreign owner of [[U.S.]] debt, when Japan increased its holding to $1.08 trillion in Treasury securities.

Japan donated about 3,000 cherry blossom trees to the [[U.S.]] in 1912,<ref>https://www.nps.gov/subjects/cherryblossom/history-of-the-cherry-trees.htm</ref> which were planted in [[Washington, D.C.]] for a spectacular blooming every spring. For centuries in Japan there has been a celebration of the spring blooming of cherry blossom trees.

Japan donated about 3,000 cherry blossom trees to the [[U.S.]] in 1912,<ref>https://www.nps.gov/subjects/cherryblossom/history-of-the-cherry-trees.htm</ref> which were planted in [[Washington, D.C.]] for a spectacular blooming every spring. For centuries in Japan there has been a celebration of the spring blooming of cherry blossom trees.