Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) in Japan
Japan: Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) was 0.4% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Armed forces personnel in Japan, 1990–2020
Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Measured in % of total labor force.
Analysis
The most recent figure for armed forces personnel in Japan is 0.4%, measured in 2020.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Japan peaked at 0.4% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 1994.
That places Japan 135th out of 171 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) in Japan, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.4% | — |
| 1991 | 0.4% | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 0.4% | -4.5% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 0.3% | -4.2% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | +7.6% |
| 1996 | 0.4% | -2.3% |
| 1997 | 0.4% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 0.4% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 0.4% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 0.4% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 0.4% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.4% | +8.2% |
| 2006 | 0.4% | -7.5% |
| 2007 | 0.4% | -4.1% |
| 2008 | 0.4% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 0.4% | +8.0% |
| 2010 | 0.4% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 0.4% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 0.4% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 0.4% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 0.4% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 0.4% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 0.4% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 0.4% | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 0.4% | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | +0.2% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 0.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.9%, 41% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Japan's 0.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.0%, 37% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 132 Democratic Republic of Congo 0.4% compare
- 133 Switzerland 0.4% compare
- 134 South Africa 0.4% compare
- 136 Togo 0.4% compare
- 137 Senegal 0.4% compare
- 138 Philippines 0.4% compare
More public sector data for Japan
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 1.72 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 7.88 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0002 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 2.09 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel in Japan?
- Armed forces personnel in Japan was 0.4% in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 0.4% in 2005.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 1994.
- How does Japan rank for armed forces personnel?
- Japan ranks 135th out of 171 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies, published as part of Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if the training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces. Labor force comprises all people who meet the International Labour Organization's definition of the economically active population.