China is the world's second-largest economy with 1.4 billion people and dominance in manufacturing and technology exports, while Japan is a developed nation with 125 million people, advanced robotics, and the world's third-largest economy by nominal GDP. China emphasizes rapid growth and scale; Japan prioritizes quality, innovation, and efficiency.
China vs Japan — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
World's second-largest economy with 1.4 billion people, dominant in manufacturing and exports.
Advanced developed economy with 125 million people, leader in robotics, precision manufacturing, and quality.
Population. GDP (Nominal 2024). GDP Per Capita (2024). Manufacturing Output Share (Global). Life Expectancy. R&D Spending (% of GDP). Semiconductor Export Dominance (2024)
Choose China if you're seeking a manufacturing powerhouse with massive scale, rapid infrastructure development, and cost-effective production capabilities; it dominates global trade volume and emerging technology sectors. Choose Japan if you prioritize advanced robotics, precision engineering, healthcare innovation, and higher living standards with exceptional work-life quality and technological refinement.
People's Republic of China: $17.9 trillion | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: $35.0+ trillion | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 4.7% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 14.77% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 1.0x (baseline) | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 70% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 35% | Japan: N/A
Combined Global Economic Share (Nominal)
People's Republic of China: 42.46% (combined US-China) | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: $14,100 | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 15.2% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 80%+ | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: €467 | Japan: €1,047
People's Republic of China: 94% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: $45.78 trillion | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: $15,000 | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 4.5-4.8% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 35% | Japan: 7%
People's Republic of China: $17.9 trillion | Japan: $4.2 trillion
People's Republic of China: 4.6–4.8% | Japan: N/A
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Production
People's Republic of China: ~4.0% (estimated) | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 4.8% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 38.4 years | Japan: 49.0 years
People's Republic of China: $313.7 billion | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: €469 | Japan: N/A
JPMorgan Growth Leadership Outlook (2026)
People's Republic of China: Secondary | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: $18.74T | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 5.0-5.3% | Japan: 2.5%
People's Republic of China: $6,240,157.8M | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 32.94% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: €299,621.7M | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: $620,062.8M | Japan: $383,823M
People's Republic of China: €11,242 | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: $12,556 | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 28-30% | Japan: 3-4%
People's Republic of China: $7.8T | Japan: $750 billion
People's Republic of China: $296 billion | Japan: ~$45 billion
People's Republic of China: 2.1% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 48,000 km | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 1,500,000 | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 8 universities | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: $189 billion (2023) | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 77.9 years | Japan: 84.3 years
People's Republic of China: 1,500 thousand | Japan: 289 thousand
People's Republic of China: 1,854 GW | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 2.1 physicians | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: $12,556 | Japan: $33,809
People's Republic of China: $292 billion | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 1,200 | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: $17.8 trillion | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 1.426 billion | Japan: 125 million
People's Republic of China: 28% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 45,000 km | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 22% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: $296 billion | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 12.1 billion | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 28% | Japan: 19%
People's Republic of China: 1,050 million | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 2nd | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: $23.8T | Japan: N/A
Average Annual GDP Growth Rate (2024-2026)
People's Republic of China: 4.75% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: $17,000 | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 920M | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 5G, renewables, EVs | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 63% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 1,570,000 | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 12.3% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 28% of global | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: $3.27 trillion | Japan: $1.3 trillion
People's Republic of China: 1,700,000 | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 4.2% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 16.4% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: $163 billion | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 2.7% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 77% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: $296B | Japan: $47 billion
People's Republic of China: 76% | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: $17.8T | Japan: N/A
People's Republic of China: 1,430M | Japan: 125 million
People's Republic of China: 0.796 | Japan: 0.920 (Very High)
People's Republic of China: 78.2 | Japan: 84.7 years
People's Republic of China: 2.6% | Japan: 3.6%
People's Republic of China: 392 robots per 10k workers | Japan: 515 robots per 10k workers
People's Republic of China: 60% | Japan: 9%
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: $4.2 Trillion
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: $4.2
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: €50.9 billion
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 1.14%
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: ~15%
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 47.5
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 6 pathways
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: Rank 14
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: Lower ranking
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 28.8%
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: Baseline (0%)
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 281,113
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 264%
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 20.1%
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: $28 billion
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 3rd
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: -0.5%
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 25.6 Mbps
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 96.3%
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 11.4 million
OLED Display Global Market Share (Leading Company)
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: Samsung 49%
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: $47,825
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 286 thousand
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 99.0%
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 29.1%
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: $4.2 trillion
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 0.3
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: $4,849
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 9.8 billion
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 17.9 million
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: $4.23 trillion
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 2.5%
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 9.2 million
People's Republic of China: N/A | Japan: 1.2%
How to choose between People's Republic of China and Japan
Compare People's Republic of China vs Japan
China vs Japan — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for China vs Japan. Contains 130 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
China vs Japan — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for China vs Japan.
China has the larger nominal GDP at $17.9 trillion USD versus Japan's $4.2 trillion (2024 estimates). However, Japan has a much higher GDP per capita at $33,809 USD compared to China's $12,556 USD, reflecting Japan's advanced development status and higher average living standards.
Why is Japan's life expectancy so much higher than China's?
Japan's 84.3-year life expectancy (world's highest) results from universal healthcare, low smoking rates, traditional diet rich in fish and vegetables, and excellent preventive medicine. China's 77.9-year life expectancy reflects ongoing healthcare infrastructure development, higher pollution levels in urban areas, and less universal coverage in rural regions.
Which country leads in manufacturing and exports?
China dominates global manufacturing with 28-30% of world output and controls 97% of rare earth element processing. China produces 60% of the world's electric vehicles and leads in semiconductor exports (23% global share). Japan specializes in precision manufacturing and robotics but represents only 3-4% of global manufacturing output.
How do the countries compare for foreign investment?
China received $163 billion USD in foreign direct investment (2023), making it the world's top FDI recipient, though this represents a 8% decrease year-over-year. Japan received $28 billion USD in FDI (2023) but maintains more stable, long-term foreign investment patterns with higher investor confidence ratings.
Which country invests more in research and development?
Japan invests 3.6% of its GDP in R&D versus China's 2.6%, translating to approximately $150 billion USD for Japan and $280 billion USD for China in absolute terms. Despite lower percentage spending, China's R&D investment is growing at 10% annually, while Japan's remains relatively flat.
How to Choose Between People's Republic of China and Japan
Population: People's Republic of China has 1.426 billion, while Japan has 125 million.
GDP (Nominal 2024): People's Republic of China has $17.9 trillion USD, while Japan has $4.2 trillion USD.
GDP Per Capita (2024): People's Republic of China has $12,556 USD, while Japan has $33,809 USD.
Consider: Manufacturing Output Share (Global)
Manufacturing Output Share (Global): People's Republic of China has 28-30% of world manufacturing, while Japan has 3-4% of world manufacturing.
Life Expectancy: People's Republic of China has 77.9 years, while Japan has 84.3 years.
R&D Spending (% of GDP): People's Republic of China has 2.6%, while Japan has 3.6%.
Consider: Semiconductor Export Dominance (2024)
Semiconductor Export Dominance (2024): People's Republic of China has 23% of global semiconductor exports, while Japan has 8% of global semiconductor exports.