Japan is one of the world's economic giants. Only that of the United States exceeds its economic output. The Japanese manufacture a wide range of products, including automobiles, computers, steel, television sets, textiles, and tires. The country's factories have some of the most highly developed equipment in the world. Japan has become a major economic power even though it has few natural resources. Japan imports many of the raw materials needed for industry and exports finished manufactured goods.
Early Japan was greatly influenced by the neighboring Chinese civilization. …
