Japan
GDP was US$4.44 trillion in 2025 (current US dollars). Real GDP grew 1.2% in 2025. GDP per capita at purchasing-power parity was $48,283 (constant 2021 international dollars, 2025).
What is Japan’s position, and what is its link to Canada?
Japan grew 1.2% in 2025 with unemployment of 2.5%, an ageing population (30.0% aged 65 and over) and net energy imports of 87.3% of energy use
Structure and recent performance
Japan produced US$4.4 trillion in 2025. Real GDP grew 1.2% in 2025 after -0.2% in 2024. Consumer prices rose 3.2% in 2025, ranking 4th of 12 (highest first) among the economies with data for that year. Modelled unemployment is 2.5%, ranking 13th of 13 (highest first). Manufacturing is 18.8% of GDP (2024), research spending 3.4% of GDP and investment 27.7%. The current account surplus is 4.9% of GDP. Population is 123.4 million and changing by -0.5% a year; 30.0% of people are aged 65 and over, the highest share in the sample, up from 17.4% in 2000.
Strengths and vulnerabilities
The data show a high-investment, high-research, low-unemployment economy with a current account surplus. They also show the most advanced ageing and a shrinking population, heavy dependence on imported energy (87.3% of energy use) and output per worker ($87,888) below Canada's. This report holds no data series on Japan's government debt (the central-government series is not in the database) or interest rates.
Connections to Canada
Japan took 1.9% of Canada's merchandise exports in 2025 and supplied 2.7% of its imports; one yen cost C$0.00895 on average in October 2026. As a large importer of energy, Japan is exposed to the energy price rise described in the energy section; whether it affects Canadian exports is not measured here.
"The sample" in this profile means the twelve economies that have a profile here: the United States, China, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Australia. It is not a ranking of all countries, and each comparison uses the latest year available for each country, which can differ.
What the data say about Japan
GDP was US$4.44 trillion in 2025 (current US dollars). Real GDP grew 1.2% in 2025. GDP per capita at purchasing-power parity was $48,283 (constant 2021 international dollars, 2025). Consumer price inflation averaged 3.2% in 2025. The modelled unemployment rate was 2.5% in 2025. Exports plus imports equalled 45% of GDP in 2024. Population was 123.4 million in 2025.
| Indicator | Latest | Year | Freshness | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GDP (current US$) US$ (current) | 4.435e+12 | 2025 | current | WDI NY.GDP.MKTP.CD |
| GDP, PPP (constant 2021 international $) international $ (2021 PPP) | 5.957e+12 | 2025 | current | WDI NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.KD |
| GDP growth (annual %) % change, annual | 1.19 | 2025 | current | WDI NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG |
| GDP per capita, PPP (constant 2021 international $) international $ (2021 PPP) | 48,283.37 | 2025 | current | WDI NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.KD |
| GDP per capita (current US$) US$ (current) | 35,951.04 | 2025 | current | WDI NY.GDP.PCAP.CD |
| GDP per capita growth (annual %) % change, annual | 1.69 | 2025 | current | WDI NY.GDP.PCAP.KD.ZG |
| Inflation, consumer prices (annual %) % change, annual average | 3.17 | 2025 | current | WDI FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG |
| Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) % of labour force (modelled ILO estimate) | 2.45 | 2025 | current | WDI SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS |
| Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate) % of population 15+ (modelled ILO estimate) | 63.45 | 2025 | current | WDI SL.TLF.CACT.ZS |
| Trade (% of GDP) % of GDP | 44.85 | 2024 | current | WDI NE.TRD.GNFS.ZS |
| Exports of goods and services (% of GDP) % of GDP | 21.98 | 2024 | current | WDI NE.EXP.GNFS.ZS |
| Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) % of GDP | 22.87 | 2024 | current | WDI NE.IMP.GNFS.ZS |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) % of GDP | 4.86 | 2025 | current | WDI BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS |
| Gross capital formation (% of GDP) % of GDP | 27.68 | 2024 | current | WDI NE.GDI.TOTL.ZS |
| Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) % of GDP | 1.03 | 2025 | current | WDI BX.KLT.DINV.WD.GD.ZS |
| Manufacturing, value added (% of GDP) % of GDP | 18.82 | 2024 | current | WDI NV.IND.MANF.ZS |
| Services, value added (% of GDP) % of GDP | 71.43 | 2024 | current | WDI NV.SRV.TOTL.ZS |
| Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (% of GDP) % of GDP | 0.96 | 2024 | current | WDI NV.AGR.TOTL.ZS |
| Research and development expenditure (% of GDP) % of GDP | 3.44 | 2023 | current | WDI GB.XPD.RSDV.GD.ZS |
| GDP per person employed (constant 2021 PPP $) US$ (constant 2021 PPP) per person employed | 87,888.27 | 2025 | current | WDI SL.GDP.PCAP.EM.KD |
| Population, total persons | 1.234e+8 | 2025 | current | WDI SP.POP.TOTL |
| Population growth (annual %) % change, annual | -0.49 | 2025 | current | WDI SP.POP.GROW |
| Population ages 65 and above (% of total population) % of population | 29.99 | 2025 | current | WDI SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS |
| Energy use (kg of oil equivalent per capita) kg of oil equivalent per capita | 3,004.23 | 2024 | current | WDI EG.USE.PCAP.KG.OE |
| Renewable electricity output (% of total electricity output) % of electricity output | 21.1 | 2021 | aging | WDI EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS |
| Energy imports, net (% of energy use) % of energy use (net imports) | 87.28 | 2024 | current | WDI EG.IMP.CONS.ZS |
| Net migration persons (5-year net, UN estimate) | 140,579 | 2025 | current | WDI SM.POP.NETM |
| School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) % gross enrolment | 64.49 | 2023 | current | WDI SE.TER.ENRR |
Japan against Canada and the world
Annual series, 1990 onward.
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Recorded links between Japan and Canada
From the relationship graph, with each link’s evidence class.