Japan

East Asia & Pacific·High incomeG20OECD

Population: 125M; 12th of 217
GDP: $4.03T; 4th of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $32,476; 51st of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 84; 8th of 217
Human development: 0.925; 18th of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Japan

Korea

China

Australia

Singapore

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

second-largest East Asian economy; trade-oriented and highly diversified; high public debt levels; following years of near-zero interest rates, gradual increases to address inflation and depreciation of yen; strong rebound in tourism; aging population poses challenges to labor force participation

Area: 377,915 km²
Resources: negligible mineral resources, fish

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Unaffiliated57.5%▲ 5.3pt
Buddhist37.2%▼ 4.6pt
Other2.9%▼ 0.7pt
Christian2.2%

Religious diversity: 6.18 / 10 · high · 23rd of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

JPN

KOR

CHN

AUS

GDP

current US$

$4.03T–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$17.2B–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

36%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

0.9%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

28.6%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

Population

people

125M–––

Population density

people per km²

343.3–––

Urban population

% of total

92%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

1.2–––

Net migration

people

153K–––

Population under 15

% of total

11.4%–––

Population 65+

% of total

29.8%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

11.4%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

3.2%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Safe drinking water

% of population

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

38.7K–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

8,260.8–––

Electricity generation

TWh

1,022.3–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

2.5%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.32–––

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.397–––

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

4.52–––

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

6.71–––

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

4.87–––

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

6.8–––

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

25.9%–––

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

2.15–––

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

14.7%–––

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

30.1%–––

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

60.2%–––

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

2.7%–––

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

59.3%–––

Luck matters more than work

1–10

4.86–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

6.18–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

57.5%–––

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

–––

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

2.36–––

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

2.73–––

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

3.04–––

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

2.03–––

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

8.7–––

National pride

mean, 1–4

3.16–––

Would fight for country

% yes

21.3%–––

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

2.65–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

–––

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

1.2%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#4/214

$4.03T2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#51/214

$32,4762024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#44/203

$49,897latest

GDP growth

annual %

#188/214

0.1%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#37/207

$36,0302024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#75/213

2.9%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#22/201

$17.2B2024

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#161/205

36%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#178/206

0.9%2023

Industry value added

% of GDP

#68/208

28.6%2023

Unemployment

% of labor force

#25/187

2.6%latest

Gini index

0–100

#49/168

32.3latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#64/168

1.2%latest

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#12/217

125Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#34/216

343.3latest

Urban population

% of total

#26/215

92%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#8/217

84latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#201/217

1.2latest

Net migration

people

#12/217

153K2024

Population under 15

% of total

#215/217

11.4%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#2/217

29.8%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#5/196

1.8latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#8/196

2.4latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#14/192

11.4%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#67/195

2.6latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#143/199

3.2%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#55/194

64.6%latest

Safe drinking water

% of population

#36/139

98.7%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#70/210

87%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#12/214

178.42023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#25/208

38.62023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#36/215

32.9K2024

Access to electricity

% of population

#57/215

100%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#35/198

38.7K2024

Electricity per capita

kWh

#30/202

8,260.82024

Electricity generation

TWh

#5/202

1,022.32024

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#116/202

23.2%2024

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#109/202

68.5%2024

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#200/204

961.92024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#172/204

7.82024

Share of global CO₂

#5/204

2.5%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#147/193

8.32023

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#23/172

0.8332022

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#26/172

0.7362022

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#19/178

732022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#20/193

1.542022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#9/193

1.622022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#15/193

1.562022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#20/193

1.072022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#82/172

0.7942022

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

#88/104

0.322019

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

#38/105

0.3972019

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

#102/113

4.522019

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

#17/112

6.712019

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

#26/114

4.872019

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

#21/114

6.82019

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

#20/114

1.392019

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

#1/111

1.262019

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

#71/113

25.9%2019

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

#74/109

2.152019

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

#60/112

14.7%2019

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

#31/112

30.1%2019

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

#21/114

60.2%2019

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

#114/114

2.7%2019

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

#49/110

59.3%2019

Luck matters more than work

1–10

#37/109

4.862019

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#23/193

6.182020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#7/193

57.5%2020

Trust & Institutions

Who people trust, and how much faith they place in government, press, and courts

theme overview →

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

#25/114

35.6%2019

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

#48/112

2.362019

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

#14/113

2.732019

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

#12/110

3.042019

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

#75/111

2.032019

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

#35/104

8.72019

National pride

mean, 1–4

#101/114

3.162019

Would fight for country

% yes

#112/113

21.3%2019

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

#19/114

2.652019

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#18/189

0.9252021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#24/170

0.0832021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#63/164

6.132025

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

#108/113

6.052019

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

#76/114

6.762019

Global Peace Index

1–5

#9/158

1.342023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#112/161

1.2%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.