Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025) (Percent) in Japan
Japan: Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025) (Percent) was 39.44 in 2031. ▲ Rising
Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP in Japan, 1980–2031
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
The most recent figure for expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Japan is 39.44, measured in 2031.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and down 4.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Japan peaked at 43.56 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 28.54, in 1989.
That places Japan 7th out of 26 countries with data for 2031, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025) (Percent) in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 30.05 | — |
| 1981 | 30.81 | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 31.02 | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 31.13 | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 30.5 | -2.0% |
| 1985 | 29.73 | -2.5% |
| 1986 | 29.72 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 29.96 | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 29.23 | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 28.54 | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 28.8 | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 28.64 | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 29.62 | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 31.42 | +6.1% |
| 1994 | 32.11 | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 32.85 | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 33.13 | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 32.43 | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 38.15 | +17.6% |
| 1999 | 35.16 | -7.8% |
| 2000 | 35.42 | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 34.69 | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 34.87 | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 34.63 | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 33.35 | -3.7% |
| 2005 | 33.22 | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 32.73 | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 32.8 | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 33.75 | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 38.34 | +13.6% |
| 2010 | 37.45 | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 38.44 | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 38.36 | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 38.41 | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 37.77 | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 36.58 | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 36.48 | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 35.9 | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 35.95 | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 36.42 | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 43.56 | +19.6% |
| 2021 | 41.35 | -5.1% |
| 2022 | 40.21 | -2.8% |
| 2023 | 37.78 | -6.1% |
| 2024 | 37.31 | -1.2% |
| 2025 | 36.86 | -1.2% |
| 2026 | 37.62 | +2.1% |
| 2027 | 37.92 | +0.8% |
| 2028 | 38.39 | +1.2% |
| 2029 | 38.68 | +0.8% |
| 2030 | 39.08 | +1.0% |
| 2031 | 39.44 | +0.9% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 39.44 is above the median for high income countries, which is 37.53, 1.1× the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Japan's 39.44 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 24.32, 1.6× the median. (7 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 30.07 | 28.54 | 31.13 | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.23 | 28.64 | 38.15 | 10 |
| 2000s | 34.38 | 32.73 | 38.34 | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.18 | 35.9 | 38.44 | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.97 | 36.86 | 43.56 | 10 |
| 2030s | 39.26 | 39.08 | 39.44 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Japan
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 expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Japan?
- Expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Japan was 39.44 in 2031, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest expenditure, general government, percent of gdp recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 43.56 in 2020.
- What is the lowest expenditure, general government, percent of gdp recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.54 in 1989.
- How does Japan rank for expenditure, general government, percent of gdp?
- Japan ranks 7th out of 26 countries with data for 2031.
- Is expenditure, general government, percent of gdp rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The World Economic Outlook (WEO) database is created during the biannual WEO exercise, which begins in January and June of each year and results in the April and September/October WEO publication. Selected series from the publication are available in a database format.