At a glance
Twelve headline indicators, latest available year.
What changed in Japan
Statistically notable movements in the latest data.
- Reversal2025MajorGDP growth turned positive in 2025 (1.2 %, after -0.2 % in 2024).
- Record low2024MajorCoal production fell to a record low of 4 TWh in 2024 (series since 1900).
- Sharp drop2023MajorHealth spending fell 1.6 points to 10.7 % in 2023 (largest drop on record).
- Record high2023NotableTertiary enrolment reached a record high of 64.5 % in 2023 (series since 2013).
Countries similar to Japan
Nearest peers by standardised distance on the selected dimension.
Country DNA
Percentile rank among all countries on nine dimensions. Descriptive, not a score.
2025
Key facts
Computed from the data — no model-generated numbers.
GDP grew 0.7 % a year on average over 2014–2025.
Life expectancy gained 3.0 years since 2000, from 81.1 years to 84.0 years in 2024.
With a median age of 49.0 years, Japan ranks 2nd of 216 countries worldwide (2023).
Unemployment of 2.5 % in 2025 is below the East Asia & Pacific median of 3.2 %.
Life expectancy of 84.0 years ranks 3rd of 37 in East Asia & Pacific (2024).
The fertility rate fell from 1.36 births/woman in 2000 to 1.15 births/woman in 2024.
Japan ranks 26th of 38 OECD members for GDP per capita (PPP), at intl $ 55,422 in 2025.
Renewables' share of electricity generation rose from 10.2 % in 2010 to 23.6 % in 2025 (+13.3 points).
Japan's population shrank 2.7 % between 2000 and 2025, from 126.8M people to 123.4M people.
GDP per capita fell from US$ 39,753 in 2000 to US$ 35,951 in 2025 (−9.6 % in current US dollars).
85.5 % of people used the internet in 2024, up from 78.2 % in 2010.
Trade is worth 44.9 % of GDP (2024), below the world median of 80.2 %.
Within East Asia & Pacific, Japan ranks 9th of 32 for GDP per capita (PPP) (intl $ 55,422, 2025).
92.3 % of the population lived in urban areas in 2025, compared with 78.6 % in 2000.
CO₂ emissions of 7.77 t per person are 2.6× the world median of 2.99 t (2024).
Languages: Japanese
Timeline
Records, reversals and turning points across the whole history.
- 2025
- ReversalGDP growth turned positive in 2025 (1.2 %).
- Sharp dropManufactures exports (% of merchandise exports) fell 1.9 points to 80.6 % in 2025.
- Sharp riseFDI inflows rose 0.6 points to 1.0 % in 2025.
- Sharp dropBroad money (% of GDP) fell 9.9 points to 246.8 % in 2025.
- Sharp riseICT service exports (% of service exports) rose 0.9 points to 6.0 % in 2025.
- ReversalReal house price growth (year on year) turned positive in 2025 (2.3 %).
- 2024
- Sharp riseWomen in parliament rose 5.4 points to 15.7 % in 2024.
- ReversalGDP growth turned negative in 2024 (-0.2 %).
- Sharp dropBroad money (% of GDP) fell 7.4 points to 256.7 % in 2024.
- Sharp dropGross debt / GDP fell 5.8 points to 214.5 % in 2024.
- Record highFDI outflows set a new high of 5.0 % in 2024, the first since 2019.
- Record highServices exports set a new high of US$ 229.4B in 2024, the first since 2019.
- Record highCurrent account set a new high of 4.6 % in 2024, the first since 2007.
- Record highWomen in parliament set a new high of 15.7 % in 2024, the first since 2009.
- Record highServices share set a new high of 71.4 % in 2024, the first since 2012.
- 2023
- Sharp riseTertiary enrolment rose 1.1 points to 64.5 % in 2023.
- Sharp dropMaternal mortality ratio fell 40.0 % to 3.0 per 100,000 in 2023.
- Sharp riseInflation, GDP deflator rose 3.9 points to 4.6 % in 2023.
- Sharp dropHealth spending fell 1.6 points to 10.7 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseAir transport, passengers carried rose 39.2 % to 120.3M passengers in 2023.
- Sharp riseTrade balance rose US$ 93.8B to US$ -64.7B in 2023.
- Sharp riseSolar electricity share rose 0.8 points to 9.6 % in 2023.
- Sharp dropAir pollution (PM2.5) fell 7.9 % to 11.5 µg/m³ in 2023.
- Sharp dropFuel exports (% of merchandise exports) fell 0.7 points to 1.8 % in 2023.
- Sharp dropICT service exports (% of service exports) fell 0.9 points to 5.6 % in 2023.
- Sharp dropFDI inflows fell 0.6 points to 0.5 % in 2023.
- Sharp dropImmunization, measles (% of children ages 12–23 months) fell 4.0 points to 94.0 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseRefugees hosted rose 44.6 % to 22,335 people in 2023.
- Sharp dropGross debt / GDP fell 7.5 points to 220.3 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseOut-of-pocket expenditure (% of current health expenditure) rose 1.1 points to 12.2 % in 2023.
Explore Japan by topic
19 topics · 265 indicators with data.
- Economy26 with data · 27 indicators
- Government & public finance12 with data · 18 indicators
- Population & demographics23 with data · 23 indicators
- Employment & wages14 with data · 19 indicators
- Income & inequality7 with data · 10 indicators
- Housing6 with data · 12 indicators
- Health22 with data · 23 indicators
- Education13 with data · 16 indicators
- Trade21 with data · 21 indicators
- Energy26 with data · 26 indicators
- Climate16 with data · 16 indicators
- Environment10 with data · 10 indicators
- Infrastructure & transportation10 with data · 10 indicators
- Digital economy & Internet6 with data · 6 indicators
- Innovation, research & technology9 with data · 9 indicators
- Agriculture & natural resources19 with data · 20 indicators
- Tourism5 with data · 5 indicators
- Security & governance7 with data · 15 indicators
- Quality of life13 with data · 14 indicators