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.
Key differences
- On population (2025), China is 1,040.2% higher than Japan.
- On gdp (nominal), China is 339.6% higher than Japan.
- On gdp per capita, China is 61.4% lower than Japan.
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