Which Is a National Capital? Tokyo, Alice Springs, or Rio de Janeiro?

Tokyo, Japan is the national capital.

Why the Others Are Not

• Alice Springs: Major town in Australia's Northern Territory (pop. ~25,000). Canberra is Australia's capital.
• Rio de Janeiro: Former capital of Brazil (1763–1960); iconic city, but Brasília has been the purpose-built capital since April 21, 1960.

Tokyo at a Glance

• Status: Capital since 1868 (Meiji Restoration); de facto from 1603 (Tokugawa shogunate in Edo).
• Population: 14M (23 wards); 37M (Greater Tokyo Area—world's largest metro).
• Location: Southeastern Honshu, Tokyo Bay.
• Role: Political (Diet, PM residence, ministries), economic (Tokyo Stock Exchange, HQs), cultural, transport hub.

Tokyo is one of the world's definitive global cities—unquestionably Japan's capital.