China is the world's second-largest economy by nominal GDP ($17.9 trillion vs Japan's $4.2 trillion) with 3.6x larger population, while Japan leads in per capita GDP ($39,285 vs $12,720), technological innovation, and quality of life metrics. China dominates manufacturing and export volume; Japan excels in precision engineering, robotics, and consumer electronics.
Japan vs China — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Island nation with the world's third-largest economy, known for precision manufacturing, robotics, and traditional culture.
Upper-middle-income nation with world's 2nd-largest economy and dominant manufacturing base
GDP (Nominal). GDP Per Capita. Population. Human Development Index (HDI). Life Expectancy. Patent Filings (Annual). Manufacturing Output (% of GDP)
China wins for economic scale, manufacturing dominance, and global trade influence with a GDP 4.3x larger and 1.3 billion more people. Japan wins for quality of life, technological precision, innovation in robotics/semiconductors, and per capita prosperity. Choose China for understanding the world's largest manufacturing economy and emerging superpower; choose Japan for studying advanced technology adoption, demographic challenges, and high-income development models.
Japan: $4.2 Trillion | China: $17.7 Trillion
Japan: 125 million | China: 1.42 billion
Japan: €50.9 billion | China: €296.5 billion
Japan: $4.23 trillion | China: $17.9 trillion
Japan: 125.1 million | China: 1.42 billion
Japan: 0.920 (Very High) | China: 0.796 (Very High)
Japan: $4.2 trillion | China: $17.9 trillion
Japan: $28 billion | China: $163 billion
Japan: 9.3 million vehicles | China: N/A
OLED Display Global Market Share (Leading Company)
Japan: 515 robots per 10k workers | China: N/A
Japan: 289 thousand | China: 635,000 patents
Japan: $1.2 trillion | China: $3.2 trillion
Japan: $47 billion | China: $163 billion
Japan: $860 billion | China: $3,590 billion
Japan: 285 thousand | China: 1,200 thousand
Japan: $42 billion | China: $163 billion
Japan: 0.920 (Very High) | China: 0.796 (High)
Industrial robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers
Japan: 286k filings | China: 1,600k filings
Japan: N/A | China: 35% of global output
Japan: N/A | China: Limited by export controls
Japan: N/A | China: $400-800 billion potential loss
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Production
Japan: N/A | China: -0.5 to -2% ($400-800B reduction)
Japan: N/A | China: One-party communist state
Japan: N/A | China: 40% (global EV sales)
Government Education Expenditure Per Capita
Japan: N/A | China: 12% (design & manufacturing)
Japan: N/A | China: World's factory (services rising)
Japan: N/A | China: Largest — ~29% of global value-added
Years to Double GDP at Current Growth Rate
Foreign Direct Investment Inflows (2025)
Japan: N/A | China: 1.2 million base stations
Annual GDP Per Capita Growth (2020-2026)
Years to Double Per Capita GDP at Current Growth
Japan vs China — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Japan vs China. Contains 220 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Japan vs China — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Japan vs China.
No. China's nominal GDP (~$17.7 trillion in 2024) is approximately four times larger than Japan's (~$4.2 trillion). However, Japan's GDP per capita is about $33,000 vs China's approximately $12,500, reflecting Japan's status as a mature developed economy. Japan is the world's third-largest economy.
No. Japan and China have a complex, often tense relationship shaped by the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), territorial disputes (Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands), and competing regional ambitions. They are also each other's major trading partners. Japan is a US treaty ally; China considers this alliance a security concern.
Which country has a stronger military — Japan or China?
China has a significantly stronger and larger military. China's active forces number approximately 2 million; Japan's Self-Defense Forces number approximately 230,000. However, Japan is rapidly increasing defense spending toward 2% of GDP, and the US-Japan Security Treaty means US forces augment Japan's defense.
China has approximately 1.4 billion people; Japan has approximately 125 million — China's population is roughly 11 times larger. Japan's population is declining and aging rapidly; China's population has also begun to decline due to the legacy of the one-child policy.
How do Japanese and Chinese cultures differ?
While Japan historically absorbed Chinese cultural influences (kanji, Buddhism, Confucianism), the two cultures have distinct identities. Japanese culture is often characterized by precision, restraint, and craft (wabi-sabi, kaizen). Chinese culture spans one of the world's oldest continuous civilizations with distinct regional variations, Taoist and Confucian traditions, and one of the world's most influential culinary traditions.
GDP (Nominal): Japan has $4.2 trillion, while China has $17.9 trillion.
GDP Per Capita: Japan has $39,285, while China has $12,720.
Population: Japan has 125 million, while China has 1.417 billion.
Human Development Index (HDI): Japan has 0.920 (Very High), while China has 0.796 (High).
Life Expectancy: Japan has 84.6 years, while China has 78.2 years.
Patent Filings (Annual): Japan has 281,113, while China has 1,574,822.
Consider: Manufacturing Output (% of GDP)
Manufacturing Output (% of GDP): Japan has 20%, while China has 28%.
China is the world's second-largest economy by nominal GDP ($17.9 trillion vs Japan's $4.2 trillion) with 3.6x larger population, while Japan leads in per capita GDP ($39,285 vs $12,720), technological innovation, and quality of life metrics. China dominates manufacturing and export volume; Japan ex