This is the 1723rd most frequent Catalan word.
japó
Japan.
Here, 'Japó' is used as a proper noun referring to the country of Japan.
Japó és un país a l'est d'Àsia.
Japan is a country in East Asia.
Here, 'Japó' refers to Japanese cultural influence.
Aquest plat té un toc de cuina de Japó.
This dish has a touch of Japanese cuisine.
In this instance, 'El Japó' emphasizes the noun with the article 'El', again referring to the country of Japan specifically.