Japan vs South Korea
Japan vs South Korea: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $504 in Japan and $924 in South Korea, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Korea, by $421, or 1.83 times that in Japan.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher since 2003, when it overtook Japan.
- In 2025, Japan ranked 44 and South Korea ranked 25 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $504 | $924 |
| 2024 | $437 | $920 |
| 2023 | $386 | $924 |
| 2022 | $344 | $895 |
| 2021 | $425 | $980 |
| 2020 | $406 | $890 |
| 2019 | $400 | $853 |
| 2018 | $382 | $835 |
| 2017 | $354 | $762 |
| 2016 | $366 | $721 |
| 2015 | $331 | $720 |
| 2014 | $368 | $747 |
| 2013 | $384 | $689 |
| 2012 | $469 | $647 |
| 2011 | $474 | $634 |
| 2010 | $426 | $579 |
| 2009 | $402 | $507 |
| 2008 | $362 | $540 |
| 2007 | $317 | $577 |
| 2006 | $325 | $525 |
| 2005 | $346 | $464 |
| 2004 | $355 | $375 |
| 2003 | $333 | $334 |
| 2002 | $309 | $299 |
| 2001 | $321 | $276 |
| 2000 | $359 | $296 |
| 1999 | $340 | $261 |
| 1998 | $299 | $227 |
| 1997 | $322 | $324 |
| 1996 | $350 | $361 |
| 1995 | $398 | $356 |
| 1994 | $362 | $300 |
| 1993 | $332 | $277 |
| 1992 | $290 | $261 |
| 1991 | $265 | $247 |
| 1990 | $234 | $231 |
| 1989 | $228 | $219 |
| 1988 | $231 | $181 |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence for each person living there, in US dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation.
- 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 in US dollarsJapan: $59.5B in 2025South Korea: $48.9B 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