Japan has a long history spanning 35,000 years that was shaped by successive waves of settlers and cultural developments. A key turning point was the Meiji Restoration in 1868 that transitioned Japan into a modern nation. Japan is an archipelago of over 6,800 islands stretching from Hokkaido to Kyushu. Tokyo, with over 9 million residents, is the capital and largest city. Japan has a population of over 123 million and the world's third largest economy focused on automobiles, electronics, and steel.