Arms imports in Japan
Japan: Arms imports was 977.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
977.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
Change on year
up 2.1%
World rank
10th
of 173 countries
All-time high
2.94 billion SIPRI trend indicator values
in 1991
All-time low
239.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
in 1963
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Arms imports in Japan, 1960–2024
Source: Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in SIPRI trend indicator values.
Analysis
The most recent figure for arms imports in Japan is 977.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 2.1% on the previous year and up 209.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arms imports in Japan peaked at 2.94 billion SIPRI trend indicator values in 1991 and was at its lowest, 239.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, in 1963.
That places Japan 10th out of 173 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Arms imports in Japan, year by year
| Year | SIPRI trend indicator values | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 790.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | — |
| 1961 | 335.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -57.6% |
| 1962 | 263.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -21.5% |
| 1963 | 239.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -9.1% |
| 1964 | 1.72 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +618.0% |
| 1965 | 1.16 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -32.7% |
| 1966 | 324.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -71.9% |
| 1967 | 610.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +88.3% |
| 1968 | 557.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -8.7% |
| 1969 | 488.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -12.4% |
| 1970 | 502.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +2.9% |
| 1971 | 605.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +20.5% |
| 1972 | 484.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -20.0% |
| 1973 | 468.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -3.3% |
| 1974 | 730.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +56.0% |
| 1975 | 1.60 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +119.2% |
| 1976 | 1.48 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -7.6% |
| 1977 | 791.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -46.5% |
| 1978 | 903.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +14.2% |
| 1979 | 922.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +2.1% |
| 1980 | 1.03 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +11.9% |
| 1981 | 1.31 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +26.7% |
| 1982 | 1.44 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +10.4% |
| 1983 | 1.69 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +17.2% |
| 1984 | 2.05 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +21.2% |
| 1985 | 1.97 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -3.9% |
| 1986 | 1.89 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -4.2% |
| 1987 | 1.94 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 2.00 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 2.28 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +14.3% |
| 1990 | 2.68 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +17.3% |
| 1991 | 2.94 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +9.8% |
| 1992 | 2.52 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -14.3% |
| 1993 | 2.13 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -15.4% |
| 1994 | 1.02 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -52.1% |
| 1995 | 1.25 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +22.2% |
| 1996 | 867.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -30.4% |
| 1997 | 834.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -3.8% |
| 1998 | 1.48 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +77.5% |
| 1999 | 1.25 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -15.7% |
| 2000 | 488.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -60.9% |
| 2001 | 418.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -14.3% |
| 2002 | 433.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 452.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +4.4% |
| 2004 | 390.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -13.7% |
| 2005 | 369.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -5.4% |
| 2006 | 463.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +25.5% |
| 2007 | 553.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +19.4% |
| 2008 | 990.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +79.0% |
| 2009 | 990.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 658.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -33.5% |
| 2011 | 300.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -54.4% |
| 2012 | 239.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -20.3% |
| 2013 | 342.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +43.1% |
| 2014 | 316.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -7.6% |
| 2015 | 343.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +8.5% |
| 2016 | 332.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -3.2% |
| 2017 | 446.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +34.3% |
| 2018 | 764.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +71.3% |
| 2019 | 992.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +29.8% |
| 2020 | 929.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -6.4% |
| 2021 | 1.11 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +19.9% |
| 2022 | 1.57 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +41.0% |
| 2023 | 957.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -39.1% |
| 2024 | 977.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +2.1% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 977.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values is above the median for high income countries, which is 148.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, 6.6× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Japan's 977.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 58.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, 16.8× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Arms imports in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | +618.0% | 239.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.72 billion SIPRI trend indicator values |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 647.70 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 239.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.72 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1970s | 848.30 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 468.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.60 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.76 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.03 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 2.28 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.70 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 834.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 2.94 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 2000s | 554.60 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 369.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 990.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 2010s | 473.20 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 239.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 992.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.11 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 929.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.57 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 5 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 7 South Korea 1.01 billion SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 8 Australia 983.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 9 Pakistan 982.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 11 United Arab Emirates 932.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 12 Bahrain 848.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 13 United Kingdom 643.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
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Frequently asked questions
- What is arms imports in Japan?
- Arms imports in Japan was 977.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2024, according to Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest arms imports recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 2.94 billion SIPRI trend indicator values in 1991.
- What is the lowest arms imports recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 239.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 1963.
- How does Japan rank for arms imports?
- Japan ranks 10th out of 173 countries with data for 2024.
- Is arms imports rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 209.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Arms transfers (imports) cover the volume of transfers of major arms through sales and gifts, and those made through manufacturing licenses. Data cover major conventional weapons such as aircraft, armored vehicles, artillery, radar systems, missiles, and ships. Figures are SIPRI Trend Indicator Values (TIVs). A '0' indicates that the volume of deliveries is between 0 and 0.5 million SIPRI TIV.