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Japan (??, Nihon or Nippon?, officially ???
 Nippon-koku or Nihon-koku) is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south. The characters which make up Japan's name mean "sun-origin", which is why Japan is sometimes referred to as the "Land of the Rising Sun".Tourism in Japan has a vibrant domestic sector and eight million foreign visitors each year. It has sites such as Kyoto World Historical Site, attractions in Tokyo (see Tourism in Tokyo) and Nara, Mount Fuji, ski resorts such as Niseko in Hokkaid?, Okinawa, the shinkansen and a well-developed hotel and onsen network. Tourism remains a vital part of the Japanese economy and society. School children in many middle schools see the highlight of their years as a visit to Tokyo Disneyland or perhaps Tokyo Tower in the city. High school students visit Okinawa or Hokkaid?. The extensive rail network together with domestic flights sometimes in planes with modifications to favor the relatively short distances involved in intra-Japan travel allows efficient and speedy transport. In inbound tourism, Japan was ranked 28th in the world in 2007. Major tourist destinations
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