Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent in Japan

Japan: Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent was -0.6212 in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
-0.6212
Change on year
up 51.1%
World rank
57th
of 64 countries
All-time high
0.082
in 1998
All-time low
-1.37
in 2018
Years of data
28
1990–2020

Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent in Japan, 1990–2020

-1.5-1-0.501990200520201990: -0.9931994: -0.681995: -0.6421996: -0.6521997: -0.7351998: 0.0821999: -0.3532000: -0.4582001: -0.5692002: -0.452003: -0.4492004: -0.7022005: -0.9162006: -12007: -0.9482008: -0.5532009: -0.3542010: -0.5672011: -0.5752012: -0.692013: -0.7832014: -12015: -1.12016: -1.22017: -1.32018: -1.42019: -1.32020: -0.621

Source: International Monetary Fund.

Analysis

The most recent figure for vertical fiscal imbalance, percent in Japan is -0.6212, measured in 2020.

That represents a change of up 51.1% on the previous year and down 9.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, vertical fiscal imbalance, percent in Japan peaked at 0.082 in 1998 and was at its lowest, -1.37, in 2018.

That places Japan 57th out of 64 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 28 years of available data.

Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent (Central government) in Japan, 1990 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1990 -0.9931
1994 -0.6801 -31.5%
1995 -0.6423 -5.6%
1996 -0.6521 +1.5%
1997 -0.7346 +12.6%
1998 0.082 -111.2%
1999 -0.3526 -530.0%
2000 -0.4583 +30.0%
2001 -0.5688 +24.1%
2002 -0.4499 -20.9%
2003 -0.449 -0.2%
2004 -0.7017 +56.3%
2005 -0.9161 +30.5%
2006 -1 +9.2%
2007 -0.9485 -5.2%
2008 -0.5528 -41.7%
2009 -0.354 -36.0%
2010 -0.5671 +60.2%
2011 -0.5746 +1.3%
2012 -0.6901 +20.1%
2013 -0.7825 +13.4%
2014 -1.03 +31.2%
2015 -1.13 +10.2%
2016 -1.15 +1.8%
2017 -1.3 +13.1%
2018 -1.37 +5.2%
2019 -1.27 -7.3%
2020 -0.6212 -51.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s -0.5675 -0.9931 0.082 7
2000s -0.6399 -1 -0.354 10
2010s -0.9866 -1.37 -0.5671 10
2020s -0.6212 -0.6212 -0.6212 1

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 54 South Korea -0.3885 compare
  2. 55 Russia -0.4439 compare
  3. 56 Spain -0.5758 compare
  4. 58 Sweden -0.6223 compare
  5. 59 Moldova -0.6668 compare
  6. 60 Mexico -0.71 compare

See the full ranking of 64 places →

More public sector data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is vertical fiscal imbalance, percent in Japan?
Vertical fiscal imbalance, percent in Japan was -0.6212 in 2020, according to International Monetary Fund.
What is the highest vertical fiscal imbalance, percent recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 0.082 in 1998.
What is the lowest vertical fiscal imbalance, percent recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was -1.37 in 2018.
How does Japan rank for vertical fiscal imbalance, percent?
Japan ranks 57th out of 64 countries with data for 2020.
Is vertical fiscal imbalance, percent rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is down 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent (Central government). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/vertical-fiscal-imbalance-percent-central-government/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent (Central government)
Source
International Monetary Fund
Licence
IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
64 places, 1,123 data points, 1989–2020
Last refreshed

The Fiscal Decentralization dataset includes fiscal decentralization indicators for a sample of IMF member countries. The following indicators are included in the dataset: Revenue and Expenditure Decentralization Shares; Transfer dependency and Vertical Fiscal Imbalances; Deficit and Debt; Allocation of expenditure (economic classification); Allocation of expenditure (functional classification); Allocation of non-Tax Revenues; and Allocation of Taxes.