China vs Japan
Every indicator for China and Japan side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | China | Japan | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 1,406,585,000 | 123,366,734 | +1,040.2% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 19,498 | 4,435 | +339.6% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 13,862 | 35,951 | −61.4% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.0 | 84.0 | — |
| Area (km²) | 9,562,910 | 377,969 | +2,430.1% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 147 | 326 | −54.9% |
| Median age (years) | 39.6 | 49.4 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 91.6 | 85.5 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 4.6 | 2.5 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 0.1 | 3.2 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 66.3 | 92.3 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 313,658 | 55,274 | +467.5% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 1.71 | 1.37 | +24.8% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 5.06 | 3.25 | +55.7% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 223 | 448 | −50.2% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 2,535,000 | 261,000 | +871.3% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 1.8 | 2.1 | −14.8% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 0.33 | 0.38 | −13.2% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of China relative to Japan; a positive value favors China. Interpret it in context — for unemployment, a lower value is better.
At a glance
China is higher on 7 of the 12 indicators, while Japan leads on the remaining 5. The widest separation is in area, about 25 times; they are closest on armed forces as a share of the labor force.
Key differences
- Area shows the widest gap of all: China stands at 9,562,910 against Japan's 377,969 — roughly 25 times as much.
- Population (2025) shows the widest gap of all: China stands at 1,406,585,000 against Japan's 123,366,734 — roughly 11 times as much.
- China's armed forces personnel (2020) (2,535,000) is about 9.7 times Japan's (261,000).
- China's military expenditure (2024) (313,658) is about 5.7 times Japan's (55,274).
- China's gdp (nominal) (19,498) is about 4.4 times Japan's (4,435).
Frequently asked questions
Where do China and Japan differ most?
In area. China records 9,562,910 against Japan's 377,969 — a ratio of roughly 25 to one.
Where are China and Japan most alike?
In armed forces as a share of the labor force, at 0.38 and 0.33 — a gap of only %15.
On how many indicators is China ahead of Japan?
China is higher on 7 of the 12 ratio-scale indicators and Japan on 5. A higher number is not automatically better, though — population density, for instance, is a characteristic rather than an advantage.
ChinaJapan
The indicators use different scales, so the chart is a rough visual comparison only; use the table for exact figures.
Related comparisons
Other comparisons involving China or Japan.
China profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Japan profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI