Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Japan
Japan: Military expenditure (% of GDP) was 1.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1.4%
Change on year
up 9.0%
World rank
102nd
of 167 countries
All-time high
1.4%
in 2025
All-time low
0.8%
in 1969
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military expenditure in Japan, 1960–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military expenditure in Japan is 1.4%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.0% on the previous year and up 52.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Japan peaked at 1.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 1969.
Japan ranks 102nd of 167 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Japan, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.1% | — |
| 1961 | 0.9% | -15.2% |
| 1962 | 0.9% | -3.7% |
| 1963 | 0.9% | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 0.9% | -3.1% |
| 1965 | 0.9% | +2.8% |
| 1966 | 0.9% | -2.3% |
| 1967 | 0.8% | -4.9% |
| 1968 | 0.8% | -5.1% |
| 1969 | 0.8% | -2.7% |
| 1970 | 0.8% | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 0.8% | +6.6% |
| 1972 | 0.8% | +2.2% |
| 1973 | 0.8% | -3.3% |
| 1974 | 0.9% | +5.8% |
| 1975 | 0.9% | +5.3% |
| 1976 | 0.9% | -1.7% |
| 1977 | 0.9% | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 0.9% | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 0.9% | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 0.9% | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 0.9% | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 0.9% | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 1.0% | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 1.0% | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 1.0% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 1.0% | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 1.0% | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 0.9% | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 0.9% | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 0.9% | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 0.9% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 0.9% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 1.0% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 0.9% | -6.7% |
| 1995 | 0.9% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 0.9% | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 0.9% | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 0.9% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 0.9% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 0.9% | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 0.9% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 0.9% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 0.9% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 0.9% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 0.9% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 0.9% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 0.9% | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 0.9% | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 1.0% | +7.3% |
| 2010 | 0.9% | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 1.0% | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 0.9% | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 0.9% | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 0.9% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 0.9% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 0.9% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 0.9% | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 0.9% | +5.3% |
| 2019 | 1.0% | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 1.0% | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 1.0% | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 1.0% | -5.5% |
| 2023 | 1.1% | +13.1% |
| 2024 | 1.3% | +18.0% |
| 2025 | 1.4% | +9.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 1.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.1%, 68% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Japan's 1.4% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.4%, 1.0× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.9% | 0.8% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.4% | 6 |
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 military expenditure in Japan?
- Military expenditure in Japan was 1.4% in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 1.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 1969.
- How does Japan rank for military expenditure?
- Japan ranks 102nd out of 167 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 52.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military expenditure by country as percentage of gross domestic product