Japan
Some figures reconciled across multiple sources via Civica's methodology (v0.2 BETA). Methodology →
Japan⌘K
Overview
- Background
- In 1603, after decades of civil warfare, the Tokugawa shogunate (a military-led, dynastic government) ushered in a long period of relative political stability and isolation from foreign influence. For more than two centuries, this policy enabled Japan to enjoy a flowering of its indigenous culture. Japan opened its ports after signing the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854 and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32, Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937, it launched a full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1941, triggering America's entry into World War II, and Japan soon occupied much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II, the country recovered to become an economic power and a US ally.
While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, elected politicians hold the decision-making power. After three decades of unprecedented growth, Japan's economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s, but the country remains an economic power. In 2011, Japan's strongest-ever earthquake and an accompanying tsunami devastated the northeast part of Honshu, killed thousands, and damaged several nuclear power plants. ABE Shinzo was reelected as prime minister in 2012, and he embarked on ambitious economic and security reforms to improve Japan's economy and bolster the country's international standing. In 2019, ABE became Japan's longest-serving post-war prime minister; he resigned in 2020 and was succeeded by SUGA Yoshihide. KISHIDA Fumio became prime minister in 2021.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 364,485 sq km
- Note
- note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)
- Water
- 13,430 sq km
- Total
- 377,915 sq km
- Climate
- varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
- Terrain
- mostly rugged and mountainous
Land Use
- Other
- 19% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 68.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 12.6% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 0.9% (2023 est.)
- Location
- Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
- Coastline
- 29,751 km
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Hachiro-gata -4 m
- Highest point
- Mount Fuji 3,776 m
- Mean elevation
- 438 m
- Irrigated land
- 15,730 sq km (2014)
- Map references
- Asia
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 0 km
Maritime Claims
- Contiguous zone
- 24 nm
- Territorial sea
- 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and the Korea and Tsushima Straits
- Exclusive economic zone
- 200 nm
- Natural hazards
- many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors but occasional severe earthquakes) every year; tsunamis; typhoons
volcanism: both Unzen (1,500 m) and Sakura-jima (1,117 m), which lies near the densely populated city of Kagoshima, have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Asama (Honshu Island's most active volcano), Aso, Bandai, Fuji, Iwo-Jima, Kikai, Kirishima, Komaga-take, Oshima, Suwanosejima, Tokachi, Yake-dake, and Usu; see note 2 under "Geography - note" - Geography note
- note 1: strategic location in northeast Asia; composed of four main islands (the "Home Islands") -- Hokkaido, Honshu (the largest, most populous, and site of Tokyo, the capital), Shikoku, and Kyushu
note 2: a 2023 Geospatial Information Authority of Japan survey detected 100,000 islands and islets, but only the 14,125 islands with a circumference of at least 100 m (330 ft) were officially counted; about 260 of the islands are inhabited
note 3: Japan annually records the most earthquakes in the world; it is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes - Natural resources
- negligible mineral resources, fish
- Area comparative
- slightly smaller than California
- Geographic coordinates
- 36 00 N, 138 00 E
- Population distribution
- all primary and secondary regions of high population density lie on the coast; one third of the population resides in and around Tokyo on the central plain (Kanto Plain)
Major Lakes (Area Sq Km)
- Fresh water lake(s)
- Biwa-ko 688 sq km
People & Society
Languages
- Languages
- Japanese
- Major language sample(s)
必要不可欠な基本情報の源、ワールド・ファクトブック(Japanese)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
- Religions
- Shintoism 48.6%, Buddhism 46.4%, Christianity 1.1%, other 4% (2021 est.)
Sex Ratio
- At birth
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 0 14 years
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 15 64 years
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- Total population
- 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 0.79 male(s)/female
- Birth rate
- 6.84 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 12.04 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median Age
- Male
- 48.3 years
- Total
- 50.2 years (2025 est.)
- Female
- 51.3 years
Population
- Male
- 59,875,269
- Total
- 123,201,945 (2024 est.)
- Female
- 63,326,676
Nationality
- Noun
- Japanese (singular and plural)
- Adjective
- Japanese
Tobacco Use
- Male
- 24.4% (2025 est.)
- Total
- 15.5% (2025 est.)
- Female
- 7.2% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 92% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- -0.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age Structure
- 0 14 years
- 12.1% (male 7,701,196/female 7,239,389)
- 15 64 years
- 58.4% (male 36,197,840/female 35,777,966)
- 65 years and over
- 29.5% (2024 est.) (male 15,976,233/female 20,309,321)
- Ethnic groups
- Japanese 97.5%, Chinese 0.6%, Vietnam 0.4%, South Korean 0.3%, other 1.2% (includes Filipino, Brazilian, Nepalese, Indonesian, American, and Taiwanese) (2022 est.)
Dependency Ratios
- Total dependency ratio
- 71.2 (2024 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 20.8 (2024 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 2 (2024 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 50.4 (2024 est.)
- Physician density
- 2.65 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Health Expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 10.8% of GDP (2021)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 23.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
- Net migration rate
- 0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Hospital bed density
- 12.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
- Total fertility rate
- 1.41 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- Improved: total
- total: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)
Education Expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 3.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 7.5% national budget (2022 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Male
- 2 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 1.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- Female
- 1.7 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population growth rate
- -0.45% (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 0.68 (2025 est.)
- Population distribution
- all primary and secondary regions of high population density lie on the coast; one third of the population resides in and around Tokyo on the central plain (Kanto Plain)
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Male
- 82.3 years
- Female
- 88.2 years
- Total population
- 85.2 years (2024 est.)
- Maternal mortality ratio
- 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation Facility Access
- Improved: total
- total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita
- Beer
- 1.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Wine
- 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Total
- 8.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Spirits
- 1.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Other alcohols
- 5.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Major urban areas population
- 37.194 million TOKYO (capital), 19.013 million Osaka, 9.569 million Nagoya, 5.490 million Kitakyushu-Fukuoka, 2.937 million Shizuoka-Hamamatsu, 2.666 million Sapporo (2023)
- Obesity adult prevalence rate
- 4.3% (2016)
- Mother's mean age at first birth
- 30.7 years (2018 est.)
- Currently married women (ages 15 49)
- 50% (2020 est.)
School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)
- Male
- 16 years (2022 est.)
- Total
- 16 years (2022 est.)
- Female
- 16 years (2022 est.)
Government
Civica · structure
How power is organised
ExecutiveLegislative
- Flag
- description: white with a large red disk that symbolizes the sun without rays, in the center
history: the current flag was adopted in 1854, but a sun flag has been in use in Japan since at least 1184; the sun has long been a national symbol: according to tradition, the sun goddess Amaterasu founded the country in the 7th century B.C.
Capital
- Name
- Tokyo
- Etymology
- originally known as Edo, meaning "estuary" because of its location on a bay; the name was changed to Tokyo, meaning "eastern capital," in 1868, as a contrast to Kyoto, the previous capital to the west
- Time difference
- UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Geographic coordinates
- 35 41 N, 139 45 E
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
- Citizenship BY birth
- no
- Citizenship BY descent only
- at least one parent must be a citizen of Japan
- Dual citizenship recognized
- no
- Residency requirement for naturalization
- 5 years
Constitution
- History
- previous 1890; latest approved 6 October 1946, adopted 3 November 1946, effective 3 May 1947
- Amendment process
- proposed by the Diet; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority of both houses of the Diet and approval by majority in a referendum
Country Name
- Etymology
- the English word for Japan comes from the Chinese name for the country, Cipangu; both Nihon and Nippon come from the Japanese words nichi, or "sun," and hon, or "origin," which is frequently translated as "Land of the Rising Sun"
- Local long form
- Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku
- Local short form
- Nihon/Nippon
- Conventional long form
- none
- Conventional short form
- Japan
- Independence
- 3 May 1947 (current constitution adopted as amendment to Meiji Constitution); notable earlier dates: 11 February 660 B.C. (mythological date of Emperor JIMMU founding the nation); 29 November 1890 (Meiji Constitution provides for constitutional monarchy)
- Legal system
- civil law system based on German model; also reflects Anglo-American influence and Japanese traditions; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts
- Government type
- parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Judicial Branch
- Note
- note: the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in constitutional issues
- Highest court(s)
- Supreme Court or Saiko saibansho (consists of the chief justice and 14 associate justices)
- Subordinate courts
- 8 High Courts (Koto-saiban-sho), each with a Family Court (Katei-saiban-sho); 50 District Courts (Chiho saibansho), with 203 additional branches; 438 Summary Courts (Kani saibansho)
- Judge selection and term of office
- Supreme Court chief justice designated by the Cabinet and appointed by the monarch; associate justices appointed by the Cabinet and confirmed by the monarch; all justices are reviewed in a popular referendum during the first general election of the House of Representatives after each judge's appointment and every 10 years afterward
Executive Branch
- Note
- note: Shigeru ISHIBA resigned as prime minister on 7 September 2025; the party vote on the new prime minister is expected in early October 2025
- Cabinet
- Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
- Chief of state
- Emperor NARUHITO (since 1 May 2019)
- Election results
2025: Sanae TAKAICHI (LDP) elected prime minister on 21 October 2025; upper house vote - 125 of 171 votes (runoff); lower house vote - 237 of 386 votes
2024: Shigeru ISHIBA (LDP) elected prime minister on 27 September 2024; upper house vote - 143 of 242 votes; lower house vote - 291 of 461 votes- Head of government
- Prime Minister Sanae TAKAICHI (since 21 October 2025)
- Election/appointment process
- the monarchy is hereditary; the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister
- National holiday
- Birthday of Emperor NARUHITO, 23 February (1960)
- National color(s)
- red, white
National Heritage
- Total world heritage sites
- 26 (21 cultural, 5 natural)
- Selected world heritage site locales
- Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area (c); Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (c); Himeji-jo (c); Shiretoko (n); Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group: Mounded Tombs of Ancient Japan (c); Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan (c); Yakushima (n); Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) (c); Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome) (c); Shirakami-Sanchi (n); Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama (c); Itsukushima Shinto Shrine (c); Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (c); Shrines and Temples of Nikko (c); Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu (c); Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (c); Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land (c); Ogasawara Islands (n); Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region (c); Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region (c); Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island (n); Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan (c)
- Political parties
- Conservative Party of Japan or CPJ
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan or CDP
Democratic Party for the People or DPFP or DPP
Japan Communist Party or JCP
Japan Innovation Party or Nippon Ishin no kai or Ishin
Komeito or Komei
Liberal Democratic Party or LDP
Okinawa Social Mass Party or Okinawa Whirlwind or OW
Party to Protect the People from NHK or NHK
Reiwa Shinsengumi
Sanseito Party
Social Democratic Party or SDP
Legislative Branch
- Legislature name
- National Diet (Kokkai)
- Legislative structure
- bicameral
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "Kimigayo" (“His Majesty’s Reign)
- History
- adopted 1999; unofficial national anthem since 1883; oldest anthem lyrics in the world, dating to the 10th century or earlier; some oppose the anthem because of its association with militarism and worship of the emperor
- Lyrics/music
- unknown/Hiromori HAYASHI
- National symbol(s)
- red sun disc, chrysanthemum
- National coat of arms
- the Kikumon is the Japanese emperor's family coat of arms and dates from 1183; the Imperial chrysanthemum emblem (菊の御紋, kikunogomon) is a yellow or orange chrysanthemum with black or red outlines and background; a central disc is surrounded by a front set of 16 petals; a rear set of 16 petals are half-staggered in relation to the front set and are visible at the edges of the flower
- Administrative divisions
- 47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi
Legislative Branch Lower Chamber
- Chamber name
- House of Representatives (Shugiin)
- Term in office
- 4 years
- Number of seats
- 465 (all directly elected)
- Electoral system
- mixed system
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Most recent election date
- 7/20/2025
- Expected date of next election
- October 2028
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 15.7%
- Parties elected and seats per party
- Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) (191); Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (148); Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) (38); Democratic Party for the People (28); Komeito (24); Other (36)
Legislative Branch Upper Chamber
- Chamber name
- House of Councillors (Sangiin)
- Term in office
- 6 years
- Number of seats
- 248 (all directly elected)
- Electoral system
- mixed system
- Scope of elections
- partial renewal
- Most recent election date
- 10/27/2024
- Expected date of next election
- June 2028
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 29.4%
- Parties elected and seats per party
- Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) (39); Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (22); Democratic Party for the People (17); Sanseito (14); Komeito (8); Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) (7); Independents (8); Other (10)
Diplomatic Representation in the US
- Fax
- [1] (202) 328-2187
- Chancery
- 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 238-6700
- Consulate(s)
- Anchorage (AK), Atlanta, Boston, Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville (TN), New York, Portland (OR), San Francisco, Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands), Seattle (WA)
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador YAMADA Shigeo (since 27 February 2024)
- Consulate(s) general
- Chicago
- Email address and website
emb-consulate.dc@ws.mofa.go.jp
https://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_en/index.html
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Fax
- [81] (03) 3224-5856
- Embassy
- 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420
- Telephone
- [81] (03) 3224-5000
- Consulate(s)
- Fukuoka, Nagoya
- Mailing address
- 9800 Tokyo Place, Washington DC 20521-9800
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador George GLASS (since 17 July 2025)
- Consulate(s) general
- Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo
- Email address and website
TokyoACS@state.gov
https://jp.usembassy.gov/
- International organisations
- ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, CPLP (associate), EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Quad, SAARC (observer), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
- International law organization participation
- accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Legislature
JAPAN · LOWER HOUSE
House of Representatives
465 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
465
Majority line
234
Largest party
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
Parties
10
All political parties
Upper house
JAPAN · UPPER HOUSE
House of Councillors
248 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
248
Majority line
125
Largest party
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
Parties
12
All political parties
Next election
Last: 2024
Leaders
Current
Naruhito
- Head of State
Sanae Takaichi
- Head of Government
Economy
Budget
- Note
- note: central government revenues and expenditures (excluding grants and social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
- Revenues
- $661.986 billion (2022 est.)
- Expenditures
- $897.03 billion (2022 est.)
Exports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $917.0B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
- Exports 2022
- $922.813 billion (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $923.488 billion (2023 est.)
- Exports 2024
- $922.447 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $952.0B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
- Imports 2022
- $1.081 trillion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $996.364 billion (2023 est.)
- Imports 2024
- $965.047 billion (2024 est.)
- Industries
- motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods
- Labor force
- 69.382 million (2024 est.)
Public Debt
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 215.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Note
- note: central government debt as a % of GDP
- Public debt 2022
- 215.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances
- Note
- note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
- Remittances 2022
- 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Remittances 2024
- 0.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange Rates
- Currency
- yen (JPY) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 106.775 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 109.754 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 131.498 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 140.491 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 151.366 (2024 est.)
- Economic overview
- 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
Unemployment Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 2.5%
- Note
- note: % of labor force seeking employment
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 2.6% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 2.6% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 2.6% (2024 est.)
- Exports partners
- USA 19%, China 18%, Taiwan 6%, S. Korea 6%, Hong Kong 4% (2023)
- Imports partners
- China 22%, USA 11%, Australia 8%, UAE 5%, Saudi Arabia 5% (2023)
Real GDP Per Capita
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $52,039
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $45,000 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $45,900 (2023 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2024
- $46,100 (2024 est.)
Real GDP Growth Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 0.1%
- Note
- note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- 0.9% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2023
- 1.5% (2023 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2024
- 0.1% (2024 est.)
- Agricultural products
- rice, milk, sugar beets, vegetables, eggs, chicken, potatoes, onions, cabbages, pork (2023)
- Exports commodities
- cars, integrated circuits, machinery, vehicle parts/accessories, construction vehicles (2023)
- Imports commodities
- crude petroleum, natural gas, coal, integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment (2023)
Current Account Balance
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $189.8B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
- Current account balance 2022
- $90.21 billion (2022 est.)
- Current account balance 2023
- $156.592 billion (2023 est.)
- Current account balance 2024
- $194.257 billion (2024 est.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $4.026 trillion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY End Use
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
- Household consumption
- 55.5% (2022 est.)
- Government consumption
- 21.6% (2022 est.)
- Investment in inventories
- 0.5% (2022 est.)
- Investment in fixed capital
- 26.3% (2022 est.)
- Exports of goods and services
- 21.5% (2022 est.)
- Imports of goods and services
- -25.3% (2022 est.)
Average Household Expenditures
- On food
- 15.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
- On alcohol and tobacco
- 2.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 2.7%
- Note
- note: annual % change based on consumer prices
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
- 2.5% (2022 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
- 3.3% (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
- 2.7% (2024 est.)
- Industrial production growth rate
- 1.4% (2023 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $5.715 trillion (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $5.627 trillion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $5.71 trillion (2023 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
- $5.715 trillion (2024 est.)
Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)
- Male
- 4.2% (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
- Total
- 3.9% (2024 est.)
- Female
- 3.7% (2024 est.)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
- Note
- note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
- $1.228 trillion (2022 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
- $1.295 trillion (2023 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
- $1.231 trillion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Industry
- 28.6% (2023 est.)
- Services
- 69.8% (2023 est.)
- Agriculture
- 0.9% (2023 est.)
Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share
- Note
- note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
- Lowest 10%
- 2.4% (2020 est.)
- Highest 10%
- 23.9% (2020 est.)
Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income
- Note
- note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
- Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2020
- 32.3 (2020 est.)
Energy
Coal
- Exports
- 1.615 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 170.874 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- Production
- 27.657 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 197.612 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- Proven reserves
- 350 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- Total petroleum production
- 8,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- Crude oil estimated reserves
- 44.115 million barrels (2021 est.)
- Refined petroleum consumption
- 3.14 million bbl/day (2024 est.)
Electricity
- Consumption
- 902.769 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Installed generating capacity
- 361.617 million kW (2023 est.)
- Transmission/distribution losses
- 41.79 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Natural Gas
- Exports
- 271.607 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Imports
- 85.003 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Production
- 2.019 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 88.317 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Proven reserves
- 20.898 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Nuclear Energy
- Number of operational nuclear reactors
- 14 (2025)
- Percent of total electricity production
- 5.5% (2023 est.)
- Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors
- 12.63GW (2025 est.)
- Number of nuclear reactors under construction
- 2 (2025)
- Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down
- 27 (2025)
Electricity Access
- Electrification total population
- 100% (2022 est.)
Energy Consumption Per Capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 129.504 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity Generation Sources
- Wind
- 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Solar
- 10.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Nuclear
- 8.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Geothermal
- 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Fossil fuels
- 65.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Hydroelectricity
- 7.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Biomass and waste
- 6.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 87% (2023 est.)
- Broadcast media
- a mix of public and commercial TV and radio stations; 5 national terrestrial TV networks including 1 public broadcaster; large number of radio and TV stations; satellite and cable services provide access to international channels (2023)
- Internet country code
- .jp
Telephones Fixed Lines
- Total subscriptions
- 59.758 million (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 48 (2023 est.)
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- Total subscriptions
- 219 million (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 168 (2022 est.)
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Total
- 47.9 million (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 39 (2023 est.)
Transport
Ports
- Large
- 11
- Small
- 54
- Medium
- 26
- Key ports
- Kawasaki Ko, Kobe, Mikawa, Nagasaki, Nagoya Ko, Onomichi-Itozaki, Osaka, Tokyo Ko, Wakamatsu Ko, Wakayama-Shimotsu Ko, Yokohama Ko
- Very small
- 71
- Total ports
- 163 (2024)
- Size unknown
- 1
- Ports with oil terminals
- 99
- Airports
- 280 (2025)
Railways
- Note
- 22,207 km 1.067-mm gauge (15,430 km electrified)
48 km 0.762-m gauge (48 km electrified) - Total
- 27,311 km (2015)
- Dual gauge
- 132 km (2015) 1.435-1.067-m gauge (132 km electrified)
- Narrow gauge
- 124 km (2015) 1.372-m gauge (124 km electrified)
- Standard gauge
- 4,800 km (2015) 1.435-m gauge (4,800 km electrified)
- Heliports
- 3,036 (2025)
Merchant Marine
- Total
- 5,229 (2023)
- BY type
- bulk carrier 166, container ship 49, general cargo 1,893, oil tanker 666, other 2,455
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- JA
Environment
- Climate
- varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
Geoparks
- Global geoparks and regional networks
- Aso UNESCO; Hakusan Tedorigawa; Itoigawa; Izu Peninsula; Mt. Apoi; Muroto; Oki Islands; San'in Kaigan; Toya - Usu; Unzen (2023)
- Total global geoparks and regional networks
- 10
Land Use
- Other
- 19% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 68.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 12.6% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 0.9% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 92% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- -0.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Methane Emissions
- Other
- 22.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- Waste
- 208.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- Energy
- 214.7 kt (2022-2024 est.)
- Agriculture
- 972.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and Recycling
- Municipal solid waste generated annually
- 42.72 million tons (2024 est.)
- Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 11.5% (2022 est.)
- Environmental issues
- air pollution from power plants results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality; waste management issues; ongoing environmental clean-up in small area of Fukushima after nuclear accident in 2011
Total Water Withdrawal
- Municipal
- 13.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Industrial
- 13 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Agricultural
- 53 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Total emissions
- 960.23 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From consumed natural gas
- 190.043 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From coal and metallurgical coke
- 367.144 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From petroleum and other liquids
- 403.042 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- Particulate matter emissions
- 10.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Total renewable water resources
- 430 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International Environmental Agreements
- Party to
- Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
- Signed, but not ratified
- none of the selected agreements
Military & Security
- Military note
- the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) has a range of missions, including territorial defense, monitoring the country’s air and maritime spaces, countering piracy and terrorism, and conducting humanitarian operations; the JSDF exercises regularly with the US military and increasingly with other regional countries, including Australia and the Philippines
Japan’s alliance with the US is one of the cornerstones of the country’s security, as well as a large component of the US security posture in Asia; the US-Japan mutual defense treaty grants the US the right to base US military forces in Japan, including aircraft and ships, in return for US security guarantees; the Japanese Government provides approximately $3 billion on average per year to offset the cost of stationing US forces in Japan; in addition, it pays compensation to localities hosting US troops, rent for bases, and costs for new facilities to support the US presence; Japan also has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation
Japan was disarmed after its defeat in World War II; shortly after the Korean War began in 1950, US occupation forces in Japan created a 75,000-member lightly armed force called the National Police Reserve; the JSDF was founded in 1954; Article 9 of Japan’s 1947 constitution renounced the use of force as a means of settling international disputes; however, Japan has interpreted Article 9 to mean that it can maintain a military for national defense purposes and, since 1991, has allowed the JSDF to participate in noncombat roles overseas in a number of UN peacekeeping missions and in the US-led coalition in Iraq; in 2014-2015, the Japanese Government reinterpreted the constitution as allowing for "collective self-defense," described as the use of force on others’ behalf if Japan’s security was threatened; in 2022, the government released security policy documents that declared Japan’s intention to develop "counterstrike” capabilities, including armed drones and cruise missiles, and outlined plans to increase Japan’s security-related expenditures to 2% of GDP (2025) - Military deployments
- maintains a presence of about 400 military personnel at a permanent base in Djibouti (2025)
Military Expenditures
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 1.4%
- Military expenditures 2020
- 1% of GDP (2020 est.)
- Military expenditures 2021
- 1% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Military expenditures 2022
- 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Military expenditures 2023
- 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Military expenditures 2024
- 1.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Military and security forces
- Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF): Ground Self-Defense Force (Rikujou Jieitai, GSDF; includes aviation), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jieitai, MSDF; includes naval aviation), Air Self-Defense Force (Koukuu Jieitai, ASDF) (2025)
- Military service age and obligation
- 18-32 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)
- Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the JSDF is equipped largely with domestically produced weapons platforms; most of its imported arms are from the US; Japan's defense industry is capable of producing a wide range of air, ground, and naval weapons systems; some domestically produced weapons are US-origin and manufactured under license (2025)
- Military and security service personnel strengths
- approximately 230-240,000 active Self Defense Forces (2025)
Space
- Space launch site(s)
- Tanegashima Space Center/Yoshinobu Launch Complex (Kagoshima), Uchinoura Space Center (Kagoshima), Noshiro Testing Center (Akita) (2025)
- Space agency/agencies
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA; established in 2003) (2025)
- Space program overview
- has one of the world’s largest and most advanced space programs, with independent capabilities in all areas except autonomous manned space flight; designs, builds, launches, and operates the full spectrum of satellites; designs, builds, and independently launches satellite/space launch vehicles (SLVs) and other spacecraft; has a wide range of research and development programs; has an astronaut training program; participates in international programs such as the International Space Station and the Square Kilometer Array radio telescope project; leads the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum and co-leads the Global Earth Observation System of Systems; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Canada, the ESA and its member states, India, Russia, the UAE, the US; has a commercial space industry that develops space-related capabilities and technologies, including satellites, satellite payloads and subcomponents, and SLVs; in recent years, the Japanese Government has supported space startup companies (2025)
- Key space program milestones
- 1966-1970 - initiated satellite launch vehicle (SLV) program and launched first domestically produced satellite (OHSUMI)
1985 - launched two Halley’s Comet observation satellites (Japan’s first missions beyond Earth’s orbit)
1992 - first astronaut in space on US Space Shuttle
1998 - launched its first Mars orbiter (failed to enter orbit)
2003 - launched world’s first uncrewed spacecraft (Hayabusa 1) to return with a sample from an asteroid (2010)
2007 - launched Lunar orbiter (Kaguya) mission
2010 - launched Venus orbiter (Akatsuki) mission
2014 - launched asteroid probe with lander/rover (Hayabusa 2); first Japanese International Space Station commander
2018 - launched joint Japan-ESA probe to Mercury (BepiColombo); began operation of a navigational/positioning satellite constellation (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, QZSS)
2019 - began participating in US-led lunar orbital station and Moon exploration programs
2024 - soft-landed unmanned spacecraft (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon or SLIM) on the Moon; conducted first successful test launch of domestically produced H3 medium-lift SLV
Transnational Issues
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
- Idps
- 29,244 (2024 est.)
- Refugees
- 60,361 (2024 est.)
- Stateless persons
- 505 (2024 est.)
Scores & Rankings
ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index80.0 / 100as of 2024-Q420 / 190−1.02024-Q4
Civica Pulse−3.8as of 2026-05-06—2026-05-06
V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.73as of 2024-Q427 / 170−0.042024-Q4
Freedom House StatusFree (100/100)as of 2024-Q4—−0.52024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Free press (72/100)as of 2024—2024
Human Development Index0.920as of 2022—2022
Corruption Perceptions Index73 / 100as of 202316 / 1802023
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Japan — vintage 2026-Q1: Japan factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/japan
Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), OECD.Stat, UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata