What Americans need to know to benefit from an EMERGING ASIA
It is the rags to riches success story of Asia. Just imagine if you got in on the ground floor when Japan was poor and backward. Japan is now the second largest economy in the world behind only the United States. Not bad for a country with fewer than half the people on a bunch of islands about the size of California. There was a time when “made in Japan” meant cheap manufactured goods. No longer. Japan is renowned for the latest technological advancements. As a result, it’s pretty expensive now. Investment opportunities must be approached as carefully as you would here in America. The culture is really cool. It is the land of ninjas, samurai and honor. It is also the home of Hello Kitty, Speed Racer, and Pokemon. There’s something for everyone.
Map of Japan
SIZE: About
the size of California. Japan is made up of more than 3000 islands. 97%
of the land mass is on four main islands - Honshu, Hokkaido., Kyushu
and Shikoku.
POPULATION: 127
million. Nearly all of them ethnic Japanese. Japan has the highest life
expectancy in the world, nearly 82 years! Tokyo is the largest
metropolitan area in the world with more than 30 million people.
PEOPLE: The
Japanese possess legendary politeness. They are courteous to most
foreigners when approached but try to stick to themselves. Don’t expect
the average person in the street to speak any English. However, most
public signs are also written in our alphabet so it’s possible to get
around with a good guide book. Don’t be intimidated. You are safe in
Japan. There is virtually NO CRIME!
GOVERNMENT: Very stable constitutional monarchy. Their royal line is unbroken for more than 1000 years. That’s the longest on Earth!
CURRENCY: The Japanese Yen. It is very strong against the US dollar so don’t expect your money to go very far in Japan.
LANGUAGE: Japanese.
Flag of Japan
ECONOMY: A Godzilla sized open market economy. Japan has a nominal GDP of 4.5 trillion dollars! The country itself has few natural resources so they import just about everything and export finished goods and technology. Japan produces some of the world's best cars, electronics, machine tools, robotics, semiconductors, metals, chemicals, textiles and processed food. In the 1960’s Japan’s economy grew an amazing 10% a year. That slowed to 5% in the 1970’s, 4% in the 1980’s, and nearly stopped in the 1990’s. The main cause was seen as overinvestment. It’s been a long, slow recovery for Japan but it seems to be on the verge of another spurt of growth. It will be interesting to see how much impact America’s economic woes will have on Japan.
TRAVEL: Extremely expensive but there’s lots to see and do. Tokyo is a concrete jungle rivaling New York. Kyoto and Nara are jammed with ancient temples to stir you inner samurai. The countryside holds serene Buddha’s and majestic Mt Fuji. If you like sushi… well that’s where it’s from. VISA: No visa required for Americans for stays up to 3 months. Passport must be valid for 3 months longer than planned stay.
GOING THERE: Direct flights from the United States to Japan are provided by Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, United Airlines, and Northwest Airlines. You can often get better deals on other airlines by flying through airports in other countries. For example, you could stop in Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific Airlines on the way to Japan. You can also stop in Japan on the way to another country like South Korea on Asiana Airlines or Korean Air. You can often pay less and get a free stopover in another cool place. Check around on sites like Orbitz, Expedia, Priceline or STA Travel then call the airlines directly to see if they can beat the price.
Both special administrative regions of the People’s Republic of China. That means they are officially part of China but completely different. It’s because both regions used to be run by European powers. Hong Kong by the British. Macau by the Portuguese. The colonies were used as trading posts but eventually returned to China. Hong Kong in 1997. Macau in 1999. Both regions flourished under capitalism. China pretty much kept them the way they are when they took over and say they will allow “one country two systems” for at least 50 years.
Location of Hong Kong
LOCATION: Hong Kong is on the south side of China facing the South China sea. Macau is 38 miles to the west also facing the South China sea. It is a short ferry ride.
SIZE: Hong Kong is made up of Hong Kong Island, Lantau Island, the Kowloon Peninsula, and the New Territories consisting of 260 islands. It covers 426 square miles. Macau is made up of the Macau Peninsula and the islands of Taipa and Coloane. It covers less than 15 square miles.
POPULATION: Hong Kong 7 million people. Macau 520,000 people, making it the most densely populated region in the world. That’s more than 18,000 per square kilometer!
PEOPLE: Hong Kong and Macau are both about 95% ethnic Chinese. The rest is a mix of Southeast Asians, Indians, Pakistanis, Japanese, Koreans, Europeans and Americans.
GOVERNMENT: Special administrative regions of China. They are somewhat autonomous regions enjoying capitalism. Both are modern, big cities. You would never know that you are standing on land owned by a communist government. There is also great freedom to walk around as you would like. This is quite different from mainland China. The government restricts the ability of their own citizens to travel from mainland China to Hong Kong or Macau. It is much easier for you to go there than for a Chinese citizen not already there.
CURRENCY:
Hong Kong dollar which is fixed to an exchange rate between 7.75 to
7.85 for a US dollar. The Macanese pataca is pegged to the Hong Kong
dollar and is valued slightly lower. Hong Kong dollars are widely
accepted in Macau so don’t bother changing money to patacas.
LANGUAGE: Most of the ethnic Chinese who make up 95% of Hong Kong’s and Macau’s population speak Cantonese Chinese. About 80 million people speak Cantonese, mostly in the south of China. English is also an official language of Hong Kong. Portuguese is also an official language of Macau.
Flag of Hong Kong
ECONOMY: Hong Kong is the wealthiest region of China with a capitalist economy that has made it the financial and trade center of Asia. Their open free market combined with little government regulation has created a money making machine. It is a world financial capital acting as a conduit for the giant manufacturing machine of China. Macau’s economy is based on tourism, mainly gambling. Macau now has Las Vegas style casinos that have revenues bigger than the Las Vegas strip. It is also a free port, tax haven and offshore financial center. Money pours in. Money pours out.
TRAVEL: A lot of those films by Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Chow Yun Fat and Bruce Lee were made in Hong Kong. It is a major city like New York, full of tall buildings and distractions. No trip to Hong Kong would be complete without a ride on the Star Ferry and a trip on the tram to the top of Victoria Peak to take in the view. The territory is full of fragrant markets, plentiful food and interesting people. Don’t forget to shop and check out the Giant Buddha on Lantau Island. Most people visit Macau for the casinos. It’s also enjoyable to hire a bicycle rickshaw and tour the territory. It’s isn’t very big so it wont take long. The façade of the old Cathedral of St Paul is the big landmark.
VISA: No visa required for Americans for stays up to 3 months in Hong Kong or Macau
GETTING THERE: Hong Kong is a major airline hub. It is just about the easiest city to fly to in Asia and is the perfect gateway for an Asian adventure. Direct flights to Hong Kong from the United States are provided by United Airlines, Continental Airlines, and Cathay Pacific Airlines,. You can fly from Hong Kong to virtually any city in Asia with an airport. Macau is a short ferry ride from Hong Kong. It is an easy and comfortable day trip.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: The first thing you will notice about Hong Kong and Macau are the staggering number of people squashed into a small space. There are many times that you literally can’t walk on the sidewalks because there are so many bodies jockeying for position. Take this in stride and adjust your idea of personal space. It’s just how they live there. Expect to get lost. The streets are a jumbled maze or winding pathways. While you can usually find someone who speaks some English, but don’t expect everyone to speak English. This is China after all. Most street signs and subway maps are written in both Chinese and English. This will help you to figure out where you are but still expect to get lost. Don’t worry about it. It’s part of the experience. Just use the same common sense you would use in any big city.
It is one of the richest and most economically successful countries in Asia. South Korea is one of the top ten exporters in the world and is still among the world's fastest growing developed countries. In less than a decade it is expected to surpass Germany, UK and France in per person GDP. South Korea's success story is known as the "Miracle on the Han River" and is a role model for many developing countries. It boasts a unique culture and people. South Korea is well worth a visit.
Location of South Korea
Flag of South Korea
LOCATION: The Southern half of the Korean Peninsula in the East China sea between China and Japan.
SIZE: 38,492 square miles
POPULATION: About 50 million people. More than 10 million live in Seoul making it one of the world's most populated cities.
PEOPLE: 98% are ethnic Koreans. There is a strong focus on education. South Korea has the world's highest estimated national IQ. It is ranked first in mathematics, science, problem solving and reading. There are also 31 thousand US military personel living in South Korea.
GOVERNMENT: Similar to the United States with a three branch system (executive, judicial, legislative) with checks and balances.
CURRENCY: South Korean Won
LANGUAGE: Korean
ECONOMY: South
Korea is the 3rd largest economy in Asia behind Japan and China. It is
also the 13th largest economy in the world. South Korea is a world
leader in science and technology. It has the world's most advanced IT
infrastructure and is the world's most wired nation. It is the only
country with nationwide DMB, WiBro and 100Mbit/s Broadband. South Korea
is also on the cutting edge in electronics, semiconductors, computers,
cell phones, biotechnology and robotics.
TRAVEL:
Seoul is a massive city with all the sites you would expect from a
major metropolis. It also boasts a number of beautifully preserved
temples and palaces. South Korea also has stunning natural beauty. A
visit to the mountains is recommended.
VISA: No visa required for Americans for stays up to 30 days.
GETTING THERE: Direct flights from the United States are provided by United Airlines, Delta Airlines, Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Singapore Airlines.
It's like the Disneyland of Asia. It is clean, efficient and ultramodern. If you have been tramping around the rougher parts of Asia, then Singapore is the place to go to find clean food, medical care and the finer elements of civilization. The city state is the model of an ideal society with no crime, no litter and no civil unrest. It comes at the expense of some personal freedoms, but the people who live there don't seem to mind a bit.
Location of Singapore
Flag of Singapore
LOCATION: At the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula between Malaysia and Indonesia. It's 85 miles north of the Equator.
SIZE: 63 islands covering 270 square miles.
POPULATION: 4.68 million of whom 3.7 million are Singaporean citizens
PEOPLE: A harmonious mix of 75.2% Chinese, 13.6% Malay, 8.8% Indian, 2.4% Eurasian and others.
GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary Democracy that is very protective of its citizens. The government encourages its people to live well and ruthlessly punishes them if they don't. Liberal democratic values are rejected. There are no jury trials and free speech is routinely restricted when deemed harmful to the harmony of society. Caning (whipping with a cane) is a common punishment as well as execution for murder and drug offenses. The result is a society of peaceful, law obeying citizens who enjoy a clean, crimefree city.
CURRENCY: Singapore Dollar
LANGUAGE: English is spoken everywhere and all signs are in English. Malay, Mandarin Chinese and Tamil are also official languages.ECONOMY: A very efficient market based economy. It has one of the most business friendly economies in the world. Many multi national corporations are set up there. Manufacturing is big, as is export. Singapore is the busiest port in the world in tonnage shipped. It's also a top notch tourist destination.
TRAVEL: You can eat at any street food cart without fear of getting sick. You can walk around by yourself in the middle of the night without fear of being mugged. You can go anywhere in Singapore and find someone who speaks English. It is an American traveler's dream. The city is beautiful and charming. The waterways are tranquil. The food is amazing. The people are friendly. What more could you want?
VISA: No visa required for Americans for stays up to 30 days. Passport must be valid for 6 months longer than planned stay.
GETTING THERE: Direct flights from the United States are provided by Singapore Airlines. Many other airlines including United Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airlines fly to Singapore through other cities like Hong Kong.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: You may have heard stories about people being executed for bringing small amounts of drugs into Singapore. BELIEVE THE STORIES! The Singapore government can and will execute you for having drugs of any kind and any amount. It has happened before and there's nothing the US government can do to help you. So don't mess around! It may sound harsh but Singapore has no drug problem at all. In many ways it is an ideal society. There are very few social ills. People of many different races and religeons live together peacefully and happily. You are expected to follow the rules. Do that and you will enjoy your Singapore experience.What Taiwan is or isn't, is a touchy subject. Essentially, the People's Republic of China on the mainland and the Republic of China on Taiwan both claim to be the legitimate government of all China. It's been that way since 1949 when the Communists took over the mainland, and the dispute wont be resolved any time soon. Both sides have agreed to disagree but keep a close eye on each other. Taiwan is also called Chinese Taipei in international organizations like the Olympics. It has a strong capitalist economy and is a major economic powerhouse in Asia.
LOCATION: Off the southeast coast of mainland China north of the Philippines.
SIZE: About 14 thousand square miles.
POPULATION: 23 million people.
PEOPLE: 98% Han Chinese, 2% Austronesian Aborigines
GOVERNMENT: A rather unique five branch system. The Premier is selected by the President without approval of the Legislature. The Legislature passes laws without regard for the President because he has no veto power. That gives the executive and legislative branches little incentive to work together.
CURRENCY: New Taiwan Dollar
LANGUAGE: Mandarin Chinese
ECONOMY: A powerful free market economy driven by exports. They have a significant trade surplus and the third highest foreign reserves in the world. Unlike Japan and South Korea, Taiwan is dominated by small to medium sized businesses. That has insulated them from some of the recent major economic downturns.
TRAVEL: Taipei is a major city with all the bustle you would expect. Taiwan has plenty of natural beauty that can be seen in its 6 national parks and 12 national scenic areas.
VISA: U.S. passport holders can enter Taiwan without a visa for up to thirty days (no extensions allowed) if they have a passport valid for at least six months from the date of entry into Taiwan and they have a confirmed return or onward air ticket.GETTING THERE: Direct flights from the United States are provided by United Airlines, China Airlines, Eva Air, Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines. Connecting flights are available on Cathay Pacific Airlines through Hong Kong.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: Taiwan's amazing economic growth and industrialization after 1949 is known as the Taiwan Miracle. It is one of the Four Asian Tigers along with the other fast developing economies of Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea.
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Thanks! Kent Ninomiya, Managing Editor EmergingDragon.com
