Japan vs South Korea: Arms imports
Arms imports in 2025: 1.72 billion TIV in Japan and 222 million TIV in South Korea, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Japan, by 1.49 billion TIV, or 7.73 times that in South Korea.
JapanSouth Korea
Watch it change on the mapSIPRI trend-indicator values · SIPRI
Latest figures
SIPRI trend-indicator values · SIPRI
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 1.72 billion 2025 | 343 million | 5 of 110 |
| South Korea | 222 million 2025 | 268 million | 35 of 110 |
| World | 33.3 billion 2025 | 28.7 billion |
What the numbers say
- Japan has been higher since 2021, when it overtook South Korea.
- In 2025, Japan ranked 5 and South Korea ranked 35 of 110 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 33.3 billion TIV in 2025.
Every year
SIPRI trend-indicator values · SIPRI
| Year | Japan | South Korea | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.72 billion | 222 million | 33.3 billion |
| 2024 | 1.04 billion | 1.03 billion | 30.6 billion |
| 2023 | 852 million | 218 million | 29.5 billion |
| 2022 | 1.47 billion | 423 million | 33 billion |
| 2021 | 1.01 billion | 812 million | 26.8 billion |
| 2020 | 929 million | 1.27 billion | 23.4 billion |
| 2019 | 992 million | 1.61 billion | 26.9 billion |
| 2018 | 764 million | 1.03 billion | 27.3 billion |
| 2017 | 446 million | 962 million | 31.2 billion |
| 2016 | 332 million | 1.04 billion | 31.4 billion |
| 2015 | 343 million | 268 million | 28.7 billion |
| 2014 | 316 million | 742 million | 27 billion |
| 2013 | 341 million | 189 million | 27.4 billion |
| 2012 | 239 million | 1.08 billion | 27.9 billion |
| 2011 | 300 million | 1.57 billion | 29.9 billion |
| 2010 | 658 million | 1.3 billion | 25.8 billion |
| 2009 | 990 million | 798 million | 24 billion |
| 2008 | 990 million | 1.69 billion | 24.1 billion |
| 2007 | 553 million | 1.73 billion | 26.5 billion |
| 2006 | 469 million | 1.66 billion | 24.4 billion |
| 2005 | 375 million | 801 million | 21.3 billion |
| 2004 | 399 million | 1.06 billion | 21.3 billion |
| 2003 | 458 million | 767 million | 19.2 billion |
| 2002 | 442 million | 519 million | 17.7 billion |
| 2001 | 427 million | 768 million | 18.3 billion |
| 2000 | 497 million | 1.39 billion | 20.5 billion |
| 1999 | 1.26 billion | 1.64 billion | 25.3 billion |
| 1998 | 1.49 billion | 1.42 billion | 27.9 billion |
| 1997 | 843 million | 1.22 billion | 28.9 billion |
| 1996 | 876 million | 1.97 billion | 23.7 billion |
| 1995 | 1.26 billion | 1.95 billion | 22.9 billion |
| 1994 | 1.02 billion | 1.01 billion | 22.8 billion |
| 1993 | 2.13 billion | 1.01 billion | 25.8 billion |
| 1992 | 2.52 billion | 782 million | 24.3 billion |
| 1991 | 2.94 billion | 908 million | 27.8 billion |
| 1990 | 2.68 billion | 1.2 billion | 28.6 billion |
| 1989 | 2.28 billion | 1.84 billion | 31.7 billion |
| 1988 | 2 billion | 1.24 billion | 32.9 billion |
| 1987 | 1.94 billion | 773 million | 36.2 billion |
| 1986 | 1.89 billion | 857 million | 35.5 billion |
| 1985 | 1.97 billion | 760 million | 33.2 billion |
| 1984 | 2.05 billion | 524 million | 36.8 billion |
| 1983 | 1.69 billion | 496 million | 39.1 billion |
| 1982 | 1.44 billion | 673 million | 41.4 billion |
| 1981 | 1.31 billion | 872 million | 42 billion |
| 1980 | 1.03 billion | 877 million | 37.4 billion |
| 1979 | 920 million | 1.32 billion | 33.3 billion |
| 1978 | 901 million | 399 million | 39.2 billion |
| 1977 | 788 million | 1.2 billion | 37 billion |
| 1976 | 1.48 billion | 556 million | 33 billion |
| 1975 | 1.6 billion | 661 million | 34.2 billion |
| 1974 | 733 million | 458 million | 32.9 billion |
| 1973 | 468 million | 269 million | 32.6 billion |
| 1972 | 493 million | 413 million | 28.7 billion |
| 1971 | 605 million | 250 million | 29.3 billion |
| 1970 | 502 million | 100 million | 22.1 billion |
| 1969 | 488 million | 586 million | 24.7 billion |
| 1968 | 557 million | 359 million | 22.4 billion |
| 1967 | 610 million | 137 million | 22.1 billion |
| 1966 | 324 million | 578 million | 22.4 billion |
| 1965 | 1.16 billion | 632 million | 23.1 billion |
| 1964 | 1.72 billion | 332 million | 24.2 billion |
| 1963 | 239 million | 214 million | 18.1 billion |
| 1962 | 263 million | 65 million | 15.5 billion |
| 1961 | 335 million | 113 million | 15 billion |
| 1960 | 790 million | 122 million | 15.7 billion |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Major weapons the country received, in SIPRI trend-indicator values (TIV): what the arms are worth as military capability, priced by their production cost, not what was paid.
- Source: SIPRI Arms Transfers Database, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 110 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time