Japan

Japan is one of the main characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers: Paint it, White and Hetalia: Axis Powers (anime) as a prominent member of the Axis Powers, alongside North Italy and Germany.

In 2007 and 2008 Himaruya had assigned some human names to some of the characters and Japan received the name Honda Kiku or Kiku Honda in the Western order; "Kiku" meaning "Chrystanthemum", the national flower of Japan and "Honda" being a common surname in Japan.

Appearance
Full Article: Uniform Guide: Japan 

Japan is the shortest of the Axis Powers at 165 cm, or 5'5", as well as one of the shortest recurring characters overall. He has fair skin and jet black hair cut into a bowl-cut and "souless" (flat) brown eyes. Typically he is seen wearing a white, Japanese naval uniform that's accents are both brown and gold. In more official setting, Japan has been seeing a white naval uniform with more complex accents.

Personality
Japan is a quiet and meek man who works hard and is a bit ignorant to the outside world and needs time in order to comfortable around other people. However, he's very interested in learning about other nations and their customs. He posses the ability to read the atmosphere and is incapable of becoming fully engraged (as he can only be "unpleasant"). It has been noted that he posesses a secret otaku side to him.

America
Japan first meets America in Black Ships have Come, when he is basically forced to accept America onto his formerly isolated island. Agitated at first, Japan eventually confessed his fear of not being able to get along with other countries to America in Japan and the footsteps of Westernization. With the help of "table turning", America is able to assure Japan that he will be fine. In modern-day strips, these two get along well, sharing a love of technology and video games, and are frequently at each others' houses to play them together. In the Hetalia Fantasia series, America and Japan have created a video game together, in HF2 America says that, for a limited time only, when fighting enemies a colored hamburger has the possibility of falling out, with Japan stating that collecting all seven colors enables them to buy bunny ears. Japan has also apparently learned how to appease a crying, devastated America, as in HF2 he offers him "some candy that old ladies always carry with them but you don't know where they buy them from," calming America down. When asked about his method, he replied "It is a technique native only to Japan!" At times, Japan does remark about it being difficult to handle the younger country, but still continues to be in his company. It has been said that Japan always sides with America's descisions. Differences between the American and Japanese culture and lifestyle are often explored using these two, such as in Traits of Japanese People that America-Kuns Have Noticed, and Why Americans Love Spring.

China
After being discovered by China as a small child, Japan was raised by him, who taught him how to use kanji (which Japan used to create the hiragana alphabet). One day, Japan turned against China and attacked him with a katana, leaving a disfiguring scar on China's back. From this point, the two were enemies in war, with China despairing over how war changed Japan. It can be inferred from a reference made about the Battle of Keichou that their relations were already starting to strain before the betrayal, combined with their differing views and Japan's vow to "become stronger". It is also to be noted that while China considered Japan a younger brother, Japan himself denied there being such a connection when asked.

England
The two nations are often shown to get along well. Despite not having much in common, Japan suggests they can be lonely together, as both of them do not have many friends. It is shown that throughout the course of the Anglo-Japanese alliance they were extremely loyal to each other, particularly with England going out of his way to make his decisions not only based on what would help himself but what could best benefit Japan as well. Though pitted against each other in World War 2, Japan and England are still seen to have a good friendship in present day, and enjoy spending time together.

Germany
Japan and Germany get along relatively well, and tend to be the only ones who adapt to the situation while joined together as the Axis Powers. Japan had known Germany for some time (as depicted in the original strips), although Germany said he can never tell what Japan has in mind.

Greece
The two nations have a very friendly relation and multiple strips can be seen of them visiting each other or bonding over their mutual love of cats. Their relationship could be associated with the real-life Greco-Japan diplomatic relationship, which started in 1899. It is implied in Lazy Comic Country that they slept together when Japan stated he had no "experience", and Greece said he'd fix that. He then woke up naked in bed with Greece, though Japan has denied that anything happened between them, believing that it was only a dream.

Italy
The two became acquainted with each other as part of the Axis, though Italy had once had a dream where he met a younger Japan. Japan is shown to often be unnerved by Italy's "shameless" and unusual behavior, even as going as far as to order him to "take responsibility" and marry him after having been hugged and kissed. Italy's erratic driving had also inspired him to invent safer cars. The two have been shown to have a mutual respect of each others' history and artwork, and seem to be friends.

Turkey
Turkey seems to have a soft spot for Japan, and Japan, in turn, has mutual respect for him. In one strip, Turkey starts fighting with Greece when he sees the two together, presuming Greece wanted to take over Japan. Turkey also threatened France on April Fool's with "Don't you dare try anything on Japan. Or else I'll invade you."

AU (Alternate Universe) Versions
Read more on the alternative versions of Japan, listed or not listed below, at: Memes in fandom

Character songs
Maru Kaite Chikyuu (Japan)

Hatafutte Parade (Japan)

Mawaru Chikyuu Rondo (Japan)

Excuse Me, I am Sorry

Country From Where The Sun Rises, Zipangu

Dream Journey

May You Smile Today

Wa! Wa!! World Ondo (featured)

Gakuen Fiesta (featured)

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (featured)

Trivia

 * His birthday (February 11th) corresponds to the date of National Foundation Day in Japan, which celebrates the foundation of Japan in 660 BC by Emperor Jimmu.
 * Though his exact age is unknown and Himaruya listed it as a "secret", some Japanese fans consider him to be approximately 2,670 years old. Japan himself has stated that his age turned 2,673 as of 2013 in the Hetalia; The Beautiful World Radio Show, proving their estimate as accurate.
 * Although being younger than China, Japan has expressed his old age on more than one occasion. In Salted Salmon, Germany and I, Japan explains how he no longer enjoys his birthday, suffers from high blood pressure which causes him to wake up early and wander his neighborhood, and has hip pains.
 * In one published strip it is shown he sees the world as an RPG, another hint at his otaku nature.
 * According to Himaruya, Japan would most likely have the blood type A (due to it being a common blood type in Japan).
 * As Hetalia was originally planned as a one chapter story, with Japan appearing only in a bonus strip, Himaruya drew him as a type of character he didn't often utilize, with "soulless" eyes. He also gave him shorter, shaggier hair in his initial appearance, and his face was drawn rather plain. He noted that if he had known the series would become bigger, the design would have been drastically different.