China is the world's most populous country with 1.4 billion people and the second-largest economy at $17.9 trillion GDP, while Japan has 125 million people and a $4.2 trillion economy but ranks higher in per-capita income and quality of life indices. China covers 9.6 million km² compared to Japan's 377,975 km², making it geographically dominant.
Japan vs China — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
World's third-largest economy with advanced automotive, robotics, and precision manufacturing sectors.
World's second-largest economy with dominant manufacturing and 1.4 billion population.
Population. GDP (nominal, 2024). GDP Per Capita. Land Area. Human Development Index (HDI). Life Expectancy at Birth. Government System
Choose China if you're seeking a global economic and manufacturing powerhouse with massive resource reserves and geopolitical influence. Choose Japan if you prioritize quality of life, advanced technology innovation, political stability, and high per-capita wealth. Both are essential Asian economies but serve different strategic and 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: 1,400 million
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)
Japan vs China — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Japan vs China. Contains 197 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Japan vs China — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Japan vs China.
China has the world's second-largest economy at $17.9 trillion (2024), while Japan ranks fourth globally at $4.2 trillion. However, Japan has a significantly higher per-capita income of $33,815 compared to China's $12,720, indicating greater individual wealth despite China's larger total economy.
Why is China's population so much larger than Japan's?
China has 1.4 billion people versus Japan's 125 million due to historical, geographical, and policy differences. China's vast land area (9.6 million km²) can support much larger populations. Additionally, China abandoned its one-child policy in 2015, while Japan has experienced declining birth rates due to economic factors and social preferences, resulting in an aging population with median age of 49.4 years.
Japan operates as a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy, ranking 18th in the Democracy Index (2023). China is a single-party authoritarian communist state, ranking 157th in the Democracy Index. Japan has greater political freedoms and press freedom (ranked 18th globally), while China ranks 179th out of 180 countries in press freedom according to Reporters Without Borders.
Which country is better for quality of life?
Japan ranks significantly higher on quality-of-life metrics: HDI of 0.920 (3rd globally) versus China's 0.796 (ranked 79th). Japan has life expectancy of 84.5 years versus China's 77.9 years, lower pollution levels, universal healthcare, and greater political stability. However, China is rapidly improving urban living standards and infrastructure, though still lags in environmental quality.
What are the main differences in their roles in global trade?
China dominates global manufacturing with 28% of world output and controls critical supply chains: 70% of rare earth elements, 50% of lithium, and 30% of semiconductor manufacturing capacity. Japan specializes in high-value electronics, automotive, and precision manufacturing. China is the world's largest exporter ($3.6 trillion, 2023), while Japan exports $780 billion primarily in vehicles and electronics, emphasizing quality over volume.
Population: Japan has 125 million, while China has 1.4 billion.
GDP (nominal, 2024): Japan has $4.2 trillion, while China has $17.9 trillion.
GDP Per Capita: Japan has $33,815, while China has $12,720.
Land Area: Japan has 377,975 km², while China has 9,596,961 km².
Human Development Index (HDI): Japan has 0.920 (Very High), while China has 0.796 (High).
Life Expectancy at Birth: Japan has 84.5 years, while China has 77.9 years.
Government System: Japan has Constitutional Monarchy with Parliamentary Democracy, while China has Single-Party Communist State.