Armed forces personnel in Japan
Japan: Armed forces personnel 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 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% |
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 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 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
- Arms imports 977.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- 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)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 977.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 445.85 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0132 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate 14.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 55.27 billion current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 2,625 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
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.