When you say 'asia', does this include japan?

Question

how come sometimes when they report something in the news here in the Philippines, they say that this or that is the first or the biggest in Asia when it is common knowledge that the first or the biggest is in Japan? Is Japan grouped separately from the rest of Asia?

Answer 1

Traditionally Asia meant India and the countries surrounding it Such as Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Myanmar, China, etc.

Korea, Japan, The Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, etc. were considered Far East.

The older generation consider Asia to be one thing while the younger consider it another thing.

Answer 2

The term "Asia" has several meanings depending upon how you use the word.

Geographically --  Asia is any part of the world east of the Urals in Russia or the Dardenells in Turkey and includes the Middle East.

South Asia is India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangledesh and Sri Lanka (Ceylon).

Southeast Asia is Mynamar (Burma), Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei & Sarawak, Indonesia and the Philippines.

East Asia is China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan

Answer 3

When I say Asia it includes all parts there of.. including Japan. Unfortunately, your question is kind of vague: "they say that this or that" what is this or that... examples?