Japan | the past 12 months

#5The Year in Numbers

¥800 trillion
The national debt, which if stacked in ¥10,000 bills would be 19 times taller than Mt. Fuji.

127,055,023
Population of Japan as of March 31, down 3,505 from 2005.

¥3.3 million
Average savings stashed away by shrewd housewives in the first half of the year.

120,000
Tons of carbon dioxide emissions reduced during the summertime “Cool Biz” campaign.

14,376
Gangsters prosecuted in the first six months, 1.6 percent fewer than in 2005.

1,600
Traffic lights disabled in Tokyo during the August blackout.

200
Concerts held in Tokyo to celebrate Mozart’s 250th birthday.

78.53
Life expectancy of a Japanese man (85.49 for women), the first fall in six years because of an increase in flu-related deaths.

75
New maiko (apprentice geisha) this year, the most in a decade.

¥30
Cigarette box price increase in July.

1ºC
Increase in air conditioning temperatures on JR East trains this summer.