Japan is an island nation located in East Asia. The two countries closest to Japan are South Korea and Russia.
South Korea: Located to the west of Japan, South Korea is separated from Japan by the Korea Strait. The distance between the two countries is approximately 200 kilometers (124 miles) at the closest point.
Russia: To the north of Japan, Russia’s Sakhalin Island and the Kuril Islands are the closest Russian territories. The distance between Japan’s northernmost island, Hokkaido, and Russia’s Sakhalin Island is about 43 kilometers (27 miles).
These two countries are geographically the nearest to Japan, making them important neighbors in terms of trade, culture, and history.