Japan Series 日本系列 16 | Interesting Facts About Japan 关于日本的有趣事实
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Japan is an island country in the Pacific Ocean, with high-rise cities, palaces, mountainous national parks and thousands of shrines and temples. Tokyo, the crowded capital, is famous for its neon skyscrapers and pop culture. In contrast, Kyoto has Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, gardens and cherry blossoms. Look at these interesting, sometimes useful, often surprising and interesting facts about Japan.
日本是太平洋上的一个岛国，有高楼林立的城市、皇宫、山地国家公园以及数以千计的神社和寺庙。东京，拥挤的首都，以其霓虹摩天大楼和流行文化而闻名。相比之下，京都有佛教寺庙、神道教圣地、花园和樱花。寿司，这道国菜，从休闲酒吧到美食餐厅，应有尽有。看看这些有趣的，有时有用的，经常令人惊讶的关于日本和日本的事实。
Adults are more commonly adopted than children are in Japan. Over 90% of the people adopted in 2011 were men between the ages of 20 and 30. These adoptions are often a way for a family to secure an heir or pass down a business. Adult adoption is also used as a legal alternative to same-sex marriage, which is not formally recognized in Japan.
在日本，成年人比儿童更常被收养。2011年，超过90%的被收养者是20至30岁的男生。这些收养通常是为了让一个家庭获得继承人或继承企业的人。成人收养也被用作同性婚姻的合法替代法，因为同性婚姻在日本并没有得到正式法律保护。
Napping on the job—called inemuri—is seen as a sign of being a hard worker in Japanese business culture.
Inemuri指的是在工作打盹，这个行为被认为是日本商业文化中努力工作的标志。
Animated Japanese films and television shows (i.e.: Anime) account for 60% of the world’s animation-based entertainment. So successful is animation in Japan, that there are almost 130 voice-acting schools in the country.
日本动漫占全球动漫娱乐的60%。日本的动画非常成功，导致全国有近130所声乐表演学校。
21% of the Japanese population is elderly, the highest proportion in the world. Japan has more than 50,000 people who are over 100 years old. Japan’s population is aging rapidly. In 2012, there were more than 50,000 people over the age of 100.
百分之二十一的日本人是老年人，这是世界上比例最高的。日本有超过5万名是100岁以上的老人。日本人口正在迅速老龄化。2012年，100岁以上人口超过5万人。
Does it feel like time has been moving faster recently? The 2011 earthquake near Japan shifted the earth’s axis by 10 to 25 centimeters, increasing the rotation speed of the earth and shortening the day by 1.8 microseconds.
最近时间过得快吗？日本附近的2011级地震使地轴移动了10到25厘米，增加了地球的旋转速度，把每天缩短了1.8毫秒。
Japan has just 2 gun-related homicides per year on average. Japan feels very safe in general. They say you could leave your wallet on the floor of the busiest metro station and come back an hour later to still find it there, untouched.
日本平均每年只有2起与枪支有关的凶杀案。日本总体上感觉很安全。据说你可以把钱包放在最繁忙的地铁站地上，一个小时后仍然还能在原来的地方，都没有被动。
Roughly 541,000 Japanese between the ages of 15 and 39, most of whom are male, live lives of total seclusion. These young people are called hikikomori. The Japanese Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry defines the term, which was coined in the 1980s, as people who have not left their homes or interacted with others for at least six months. Support centers and virtual high schools have been established to help the hikikomori, whose condition is thought to stem from psychological issues as well as the high expectations Japanese society places on men.
大约54.1万名15至39岁的日本人，其中大多数是男性，过着完全与世隔绝的生活。这些年轻人被称为hikikomori。日本厚生劳动省《The Japanese Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry》将这一术语定义为至少六个月没有离开家或与他人交往的人，该术语起源于20世纪80年代。已经建立了支持中心和虚拟高中来帮助hikikomori，人们认为hikikomori的状况源于心理问题以及日本社会对男性的高期望。
Sometimes the trains in Japan are so crowded railway staff are employed to cram passengers inside. Japanese trains are among the world’s most punctual: their average delay is just 18 seconds! Trains are expected to be so punctual that if a train is five minutes late, the railway company may issue official delay certificates, to provide proof for employers and appointments. If a train is delayed for an hour or more, it may make the newspaper.
有时日本的火车非常拥挤，铁路工作人员会把乘客塞进车厢。日本火车是世界上最准时的火车之一：平均延误只有18秒！如果晚点5分钟，铁路公司会签发正式的晚点证明，为雇主和约会提供证明。如果晚点一个小时或更长时间，它可能会上新闻。
Square watermelons are grown by Japanese farmers for easier stack and store.
方形西瓜由日本农民种植，便于堆放和储存。
In Japan, there are more pets than children. The country has an estimated 22 million pets, but only 16.6 million children under the age of 15. Japan’s birth rate is so low that adult diapers are sold more than baby diapers.
在日本，宠物比小孩多。据估计，有2200万只宠物，但只有1660万15岁以下的儿童。日本的出生率如此之低，以至于成人尿布的销量超过婴儿尿布的。
The Japanese survivor of the Titanic was called a coward in his country for not dying with the other passengers.
泰坦尼克号的日本幸存者在他的国家被称为懦夫，因为他没有和其他乘客一起死去。
Around 24 billion pairs of chopsticks are used in Japan each year.
日本每年使用大约240亿双筷子。
Japan has 5.52 million vending machines offering anything from soda to sex toys and live crabs.
日本有552万台自动售货机，提供从苏打水到性玩具和活螃蟹等各种商品。
In Japan there is a train that “floats” above the tracks by magnetism, reaching a speed of 550km/h (311 mph).
在日本，有一列火车通过磁力“漂浮”在铁轨上方，时速达到550公里（311英里）。
In Japan, there is a ‘crying sumo’ contest where wrestlers compete to see who can make a baby cry first.
在日本，有一个叫“宝宝哭相扑”的比赛，相扑手们在相互竞争看谁能先让婴儿哭。
Coffee is so popular in Japan that Japan imports approximately 85% of Jamaica’s annual coffee production.
咖啡在日本很受欢迎，日本每年进口牙买加咖啡产量的85%左右。
Noodles, especially soba (buckwheat), are slurped somewhat loudly when eaten. It has been said slurping indicates the food is delicious. The slurping also serves to cool down the hot noodles for eating.
面条，特别是荞麦，要大声啜食的吃。据这样说明食物很美味，也可以用来冷却热面条。
Geisha means “person of the arts” and the first geisha were actually men.
艺妓的意思是“艺术之人”，很早以前的艺妓是男人。
There is almost no immigration in Japan. The population is 98% ethnic Japanese.
日本几乎没有移民。人口中98%都是日本人。
Japan is the world’s largest consumer of Amazon rain forest timber.
日本是世界上最大的亚马逊雨林木材消费国。
The greater Tokyo area is the largest metropolitan area in the world, with over 35 million people.
大东京地区是世界上最大的大都市区，人口超过3500万。
Japan has more than 70 flavors of Fanta, including Genius Energy, Snow Squash, and Hip-Hop.
日本有70多种口味的芬达，包括天才能源、雪地南瓜和嘻哈。
Fleeing motorists in Japan are shot by police with paintballs. This technique helps them to identify the defaulters easily.
在日本，逃跑的驾摩托车者会被警察用彩弹射。这项技术有助于他们轻松识别违约者。
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你最喜欢哪一个？或者我们错过了哪一个？请在下面留言告知我们。下次再见。
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