Japan vs South Korea
Japan vs South Korea: Life expectancy
Life expectancy in 2023: 84.7 years in Japan and 84.3 years in South Korea, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in Japan, by 0.4 years, or 1 times that in South Korea.
years · UN
What the numbers say
- Japan has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1950.
- In 2023, Japan ranked 4 and South Korea ranked 5 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts Japan at 94.4 years and South Korea at 93.1 years in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 73.2 years in 2023.
Every year
years · UN
| Year | Japan | South Korea | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 84.7 | 84.3 | 73.2 |
| 2022 | 84.1 | 82.7 | 72.6 |
| 2021 | 84.6 | 83.9 | 70.9 |
| 2020 | 84.7 | 83.7 | 71.9 |
| 2019 | 84.4 | 83.7 | 72.6 |
| 2018 | 84.3 | 83.3 | 72.4 |
| 2017 | 84.2 | 83.3 | 72.1 |
| 2016 | 84.1 | 82.9 | 71.9 |
| 2015 | 83.9 | 82.5 | 71.6 |
| 2014 | 83.6 | 82.4 | 71.4 |
| 2013 | 83.4 | 81.8 | 71.1 |
| 2012 | 83.2 | 81.3 | 70.8 |
| 2011 | 82.7 | 81.2 | 70.4 |
| 2010 | 82.9 | 80.7 | 70.1 |
| 2009 | 83 | 80.6 | 69.7 |
| 2008 | 82.6 | 80 | 69.3 |
| 2007 | 82.6 | 79.4 | 69 |
| 2006 | 82.4 | 79 | 68.6 |
| 2005 | 82 | 78.5 | 68.1 |
| 2004 | 82.1 | 78 | 67.7 |
| 2003 | 81.9 | 77.5 | 67.4 |
| 2002 | 81.8 | 77.2 | 67.1 |
| 2001 | 81.5 | 76.9 | 66.8 |
| 2000 | 81.2 | 76.2 | 66.4 |
| 1999 | 80.6 | 75.6 | 66 |
| 1998 | 80.7 | 75 | 65.7 |
| 1997 | 80.6 | 74.5 | 65.5 |
| 1996 | 80.4 | 74 | 65.2 |
| 1995 | 79.7 | 73.4 | 64.9 |
| 1994 | 79.8 | 72.9 | 64.3 |
| 1993 | 79.5 | 72.8 | 64.4 |
| 1992 | 79.3 | 72.2 | 64.3 |
| 1991 | 79.3 | 71.4 | 64.1 |
| 1990 | 79 | 71 | 64 |
| 1989 | 79 | 70.7 | 63.8 |
| 1988 | 78.6 | 70.2 | 63.4 |
| 1987 | 78.6 | 69.3 | 63.2 |
| 1986 | 78.2 | 69 | 62.7 |
| 1985 | 77.8 | 68.4 | 62.2 |
| 1984 | 77.5 | 68.1 | 61.9 |
| 1983 | 77.1 | 66.7 | 61.5 |
| 1982 | 77.1 | 67.1 | 61.3 |
| 1981 | 76.6 | 67.1 | 60.9 |
| 1980 | 76.1 | 64.9 | 60.5 |
| 1979 | 76.2 | 66.1 | 60.2 |
| 1978 | 75.7 | 65 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 75.3 | 64.6 | 59.2 |
| 1976 | 74.8 | 65 | 58.6 |
| 1975 | 74.4 | 64.7 | 58.3 |
| 1974 | 73.9 | 64.2 | 58.1 |
| 1973 | 73.4 | 63.8 | 57.7 |
| 1972 | 73.3 | 63.2 | 57.2 |
| 1971 | 72.8 | 62.7 | 56 |
| 1970 | 72 | 62.2 | 56.3 |
| 1969 | 71.9 | 61.4 | 56 |
| 1968 | 71.7 | 60.9 | 55.6 |
| 1967 | 71.4 | 60.9 | 55.1 |
| 1966 | 71.1 | 55.4 | 54.6 |
| 1965 | 70.3 | 55.8 | 54 |
| 1964 | 70.2 | 55.3 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 69.8 | 55 | 53.7 |
| 1962 | 68.7 | 55 | 53.2 |
| 1961 | 68.4 | 54.4 | 50.4 |
| 1960 | 67.7 | 53.8 | 47.8 |
| 1959 | 67.5 | 52.9 | 49.6 |
| 1958 | 67 | 51.8 | 51.6 |
| 1957 | 65.4 | 51.6 | 51.1 |
| 1956 | 65.6 | 50.2 | 50.7 |
| 1955 | 65.7 | 48.4 | 50.2 |
| 1954 | 64.5 | 46.1 | 49.7 |
| 1953 | 63.3 | 40.5 | 48.8 |
| 1952 | 63 | 36.6 | 48.2 |
| 1951 | 61 | 26.6 | 47.1 |
| 1950 | 59.3 | 22.2 | 46.4 |
| 1949 | 57.7 | – | – |
| 1948 | 56.8 | – | – |
| 1947 | 51.7 | – | – |
| 1945 | 30.5 | – | – |
| 1942 | – | 44.9 | – |
| 1938 | – | 42.6 | – |
| 1935 | 48.2 | – | – |
| 1933 | – | 37.4 | – |
| 1928 | – | 33.6 | – |
| 1927 | 45.7 | – | – |
| 1923 | – | 29.5 | – |
| 1922 | 42.6 | – | – |
| 1920 | 42 | – | – |
| 1918 | – | 27 | – |
| 1915 | 40.9 | – | – |
| 1913 | – | 25 | – |
| 1910 | 40 | – | – |
| 1908 | – | 23.5 | – |
| 1905 | 39.2 | – | – |
| 1900 | 38.6 | – | – |
| 1895 | 38.1 | – | – |
| 1890 | 37.7 | – | – |
| 1885 | 37.3 | – | – |
| 1880 | 37 | – | – |
| 1875 | 36.8 | – | – |
| 1870 | 36.6 | – | – |
| 1865 | 36.4 | – | – |
- 12.3Estimates, Our World in Data
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | Japan | South Korea | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 84.984–85.8 | 84.483.5–85.3 | 73.3 |
| 2025 | 8583.7–86.4 | 84.583.2–85.9 | 73.5 |
| 2026 | 85.283.5–86.8 | 84.683.1–86.2 | 73.8 |
| 2027 | 85.383.4–87.3 | 84.783–86.6 | 73.9 |
| 2028 | 85.483.3–87.5 | 84.982.9–86.9 | 74.1 |
| 2029 | 85.683.3–87.9 | 8582.8–87.2 | 74.2 |
| 2030 | 85.783.3–88.3 | 85.182.8–87.5 | 74.4 |
| 2031 | 85.983.3–88.6 | 85.282.8–87.8 | 74.5 |
| 2032 | 8683.3–88.7 | 85.382.8–88.1 | 74.7 |
| 2033 | 86.283.3–89.1 | 85.482.7–88.4 | 74.8 |
| 2034 | 86.383.3–89.3 | 85.582.8–88.6 | 75 |
| 2035 | 86.483.4–89.6 | 85.682.8–88.9 | 75.1 |
| 2036 | 86.683.4–89.8 | 85.782.7–88.9 | 75.3 |
| 2037 | 86.783.5–90 | 85.882.8–89.2 | 75.4 |
| 2038 | 86.883.5–90.4 | 8682.8–89.5 | 75.5 |
| 2039 | 8783.6–90.7 | 86.182.8–89.7 | 75.7 |
| 2040 | 87.183.5–90.9 | 86.282.8–90 | 75.8 |
| 2041 | 87.283.4–91.1 | 86.382.8–90.2 | 75.9 |
| 2042 | 87.483.6–91.2 | 86.482.8–90.3 | 76.1 |
| 2043 | 87.583.6–91.4 | 86.582.9–90.5 | 76.2 |
| 2044 | 87.683.7–91.7 | 86.682.9–90.8 | 76.3 |
| 2045 | 87.883.8–92.1 | 86.882.8–90.8 | 76.5 |
| 2046 | 87.984–92.2 | 86.983–91 | 76.6 |
| 2047 | 8883.8–92.4 | 8782.9–91.3 | 76.7 |
| 2048 | 88.283.9–92.7 | 87.182.9–91.5 | 76.8 |
| 2049 | 88.384–93.1 | 87.282.8–91.9 | 76.9 |
| 2050 | 88.483.9–93.2 | 87.382.8–91.9 | 77 |
| 2051 | 88.583.9–93.3 | 87.582.9–92.1 | 77.1 |
| 2052 | 88.784–93.6 | 87.682.9–92.3 | 77.2 |
| 2053 | 88.884–93.6 | 87.783–92.5 | 77.3 |
| 2054 | 88.984.1–93.8 | 87.882.9–92.5 | 77.4 |
| 2055 | 8984.2–94 | 87.983–92.9 | 77.6 |
| 2056 | 89.284.2–94.4 | 8883.1–93.1 | 77.7 |
| 2057 | 89.384.4–94.5 | 88.183.1–93.2 | 77.8 |
| 2058 | 89.484.4–94.7 | 88.383.3–93.7 | 77.9 |
| 2059 | 89.584.5–95 | 88.483.3–93.7 | 78 |
| 2060 | 89.784.4–95.2 | 88.583.3–93.9 | 78.1 |
| 2061 | 89.884.4–95.2 | 88.683.3–94.1 | 78.2 |
| 2062 | 89.984.7–95.6 | 88.783.2–94.3 | 78.3 |
| 2063 | 9084.6–95.8 | 88.883.4–94.3 | 78.4 |
| 2064 | 90.184.6–96 | 88.983.5–94.7 | 78.5 |
| 2065 | 90.384.6–96.2 | 8983.5–94.8 | 78.6 |
| 2066 | 90.484.6–96.4 | 89.283.7–95.2 | 78.7 |
| 2067 | 90.584.7–96.6 | 89.383.7–95.4 | 78.8 |
| 2068 | 90.684.9–96.8 | 89.483.9–95.4 | 78.9 |
| 2069 | 90.785–97 | 89.583.8–95.7 | 79 |
| 2070 | 90.985–97.2 | 89.683.8–95.9 | 79.1 |
| 2071 | 9185.1–97.4 | 89.783.8–96 | 79.2 |
| 2072 | 91.185–97.6 | 89.883.9–96.4 | 79.3 |
| 2073 | 91.285–97.6 | 9084–96.5 | 79.4 |
| 2074 | 91.485.2–98.1 | 90.183.8–96.7 | 79.4 |
| 2075 | 91.585.3–98.2 | 90.283.7–96.9 | 79.5 |
| 2076 | 91.685.5–98.4 | 90.383.9–97.2 | 79.6 |
| 2077 | 91.785.5–98.4 | 90.483.9–97.2 | 79.7 |
| 2078 | 91.885.6–98.5 | 90.583.8–97.3 | 79.8 |
| 2079 | 91.985.6–98.7 | 90.683.8–97.5 | 79.9 |
| 2080 | 92.185.8–98.9 | 90.783.9–97.7 | 80 |
| 2081 | 92.285.8–99 | 90.984–97.9 | 80.1 |
| 2082 | 92.385.8–99.5 | 9183.8–98.1 | 80.2 |
| 2083 | 92.485.9–99.5 | 91.184–98.3 | 80.3 |
| 2084 | 92.586.1–99.8 | 91.284–98.5 | 80.3 |
| 2085 | 92.686.2–99.9 | 91.384–98.6 | 80.4 |
| 2086 | 92.785.9–100 | 91.484.2–98.7 | 80.5 |
| 2087 | 92.986.1–100.1 | 91.684.4–98.9 | 80.6 |
| 2088 | 9386.3–100.2 | 91.784.3–99 | 80.7 |
| 2089 | 93.186.4–100.3 | 91.884.4–99.4 | 80.8 |
| 2090 | 93.286.4–100.8 | 91.984.4–99.5 | 80.9 |
| 2091 | 93.386.7–100.8 | 92.184.5–99.8 | 81 |
| 2092 | 93.586.4–101.1 | 92.284.8–99.8 | 81 |
| 2093 | 93.686.5–101.4 | 92.384.9–100.1 | 81.1 |
| 2094 | 93.786.5–101.5 | 92.484.9–100.4 | 81.2 |
| 2095 | 93.886.4–101.6 | 92.584.9–100.8 | 81.3 |
| 2096 | 93.986.6–101.8 | 92.785.1–100.9 | 81.4 |
| 2097 | 9486.7–102.2 | 92.885.2–101.1 | 81.5 |
| 2098 | 94.286.6–102.3 | 92.985.3–101.4 | 81.6 |
| 2099 | 94.386.7–102.2 | 9385.3–101.5 | 81.7 |
| 2100 | 94.486.7–102.4 | 93.185.4–101.6 | 81.7 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How long a newborn would live on average if the year’s death rates held all its life.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- Before 1950: Our World in Data, long-run life expectancy.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Japan vs South Korea
Health
- Child mortalityJapan: 0.2 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityJapan: 1.6 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterJapan: 98.7% in 2022South Korea: 99.3% in 2022
- DepressionJapan: 3.34% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateJapan: 15.7 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationJapan: 124 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthJapan: -0.48% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateJapan: 1.21 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationJapan: 92.3% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageJapan: 49 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overJapan: 29.6% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateJapan: 1.4 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingJapan: 1.41% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsJapan: $59.5B in 2025South Korea: $48.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personJapan: $504 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingJapan: 3.8% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelJapan: 261,000 people in 2020South Korea: 569,000 people in 2020
- National powerJapan: 2.47% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersJapan: 0.38% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsJapan: 1.72 billion TIV in 2025South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsJapan: 28 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025