Availability in Europe of Japanese DVDs, VCD

[Jasper Sharp]

Hi,

I'm new to this mailing list, so this question may have been asked before.
I am fascinated by Japanese cinema, but the tiny amount available over in 
Europe is not enough for me so I've got a few questions:
What DVD region code is Japan? 
Do Japanese DVDs often have English subtitles? 
Are a lot of Japanese DVDs non-region coded?
How would a European get hold of these?
Are VCD's compatible anywhere? These I can play on my PC, can't I?

Thanks

Jasper