Japan vs South Korea
Japan vs South Korea: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $59.5B in Japan and $48.9B in South Korea, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Japan, by $10.6B, or 1.22 times that in South Korea.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Japan has been higher since 2024, when it overtook South Korea.
- In 2025, Japan ranked 10 and South Korea ranked 11 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $59.5B | $48.9B |
| 2024 | $54.3B | $47.6B |
| 2023 | $45.9B | $46.8B |
| 2022 | $39.8B | $46.6B |
| 2021 | $42.3B | $47.6B |
| 2020 | $39.3B | $45.6B |
| 2019 | $39.7B | $43.3B |
| 2018 | $38.6B | $40.1B |
| 2017 | $36.7B | $38.1B |
| 2016 | $37B | $37.4B |
| 2015 | $37.2B | $36.5B |
| 2014 | $36.6B | $35.2B |
| 2013 | $36.2B | $33.8B |
| 2012 | $36.3B | $32.8B |
| 2011 | $36.8B | $32B |
| 2010 | $36.3B | $31.6B |
| 2009 | $36.1B | $31.3B |
| 2008 | $35.5B | $29.5B |
| 2007 | $35.8B | $27.7B |
| 2006 | $36.3B | $26.5B |
| 2005 | $36.8B | $25.5B |
| 2004 | $36.8B | $23.6B |
| 2003 | $37B | $22.6B |
| 2002 | $36.9B | $21.9B |
| 2001 | $36.7B | $21.3B |
| 2000 | $36.1B | $20.7B |
| 1999 | $35.9B | $19.5B |
| 1998 | $36.1B | $20B |
| 1997 | $36.1B | $20.8B |
| 1996 | $35.8B | $20.3B |
| 1995 | $35.1B | $20B |
| 1994 | $34.6B | $18.3B |
| 1993 | $34.6B | $17.8B |
| 1992 | $34.7B | $17B |
| 1991 | $34.2B | $16B |
| 1990 | $33.4B | $15.6B |
| 1989 | $31.8B | $15B |
| 1988 | $30.5B | $14.1B |
| 1987 | $29B | $13.3B |
| 1986 | $27.9B | $13B |
| 1985 | $26.7B | $12B |
| 1984 | $25.3B | $11.1B |
| 1983 | $24.2B | $10.9B |
| 1982 | $23.1B | $10.4B |
| 1981 | $22.3B | $10B |
| 1980 | $21.6B | $9.66B |
| 1979 | $21.2B | $8.82B |
| 1978 | $20B | $9.39B |
| 1977 | $18.9B | $7.54B |
| 1976 | $18.3B | $6.34B |
| 1975 | $18.2B | $4.41B |
| 1974 | $17.5B | $3.82B |
| 1973 | $17B | $2.99B |
| 1972 | $16.2B | $2.97B |
| 1971 | $14.5B | $2.54B |
| 1970 | $13.1B | $2.16B |
| 1969 | $12B | $2.09B |
| 1968 | $11B | $1.81B |
| 1967 | $10.3B | $1.54B |
| 1966 | $9.64B | $1.38B |
| 1965 | $8.92B | $767M |
| 1964 | $8.31B | $730M |
| 1963 | $7.57B | $771M |
| 1962 | $6.97B | $933M |
| 1961 | $6.81B | $804M |
| 1960 | $7B | $771M |
| 1959 | $6.99B | $796M |
| 1958 | $7B | $750M |
| 1957 | $6.85B | $635M |
| 1956 | $7.16B | $739M |
| 1955 | $7.66B | $516M |
| 1954 | $7.38B | $465M |
| 1953 | $6.55B | $185M |
| 1952 | $6.3B | – |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, in constant 2024 US dollars so that years compare, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
- Ranks count the 151 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
Japan vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancyJapan: 84.7 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- 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 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