Germany has a larger GDP at approximately $4.5 trillion USD compared to Japan's $4.2 trillion USD, making Germany the larger economy by about 7%. However, Japan's economy is more export-dependent while Germany leads in manufacturing and automotive sectors.
Japan vs Germany GDP Comparison 2026 — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
World's third-largest economy with advanced automotive, robotics, and precision manufacturing sectors.
Largest European economy and manufacturing powerhouse with focus on industrial exports and engineering.
Nominal GDP (USD Trillions). GDP Per Capita (USD). Population (Millions). Exports as % of GDP. Manufacturing Output (% of GDP). Unemployment Rate (%). Public Debt as % of GDP
Germany has the larger and more productive economy with 7% higher nominal GDP and substantially higher GDP per capita ($54,629 vs $33,815). Choose Germany if analyzing advanced manufacturing capacity and per-capita wealth; choose Japan if examining total economic scale relative to population size or export dependency. Germany's lower debt-to-GDP ratio indicates greater fiscal sustainability, though Japan maintains lower unemployment.
Japan: $4.2 Trillion | Germany: $4.2 Trillion
Japan: $4.23 trillion | Germany: $4.52 trillion
Japan: 125.1 million | Germany: 84 million
Japan: 9.3 million vehicles | Germany: N/A
OLED Display Global Market Share (Leading Company)
Japan: 515 robots per 10k workers | Germany: N/A
Japan: $4.2 trillion | Germany: $5.4 trillion
Japan: $4.2 trillion | Germany: $4,690 billion
Japan: $750 billion | Germany: $1,270 billion
Japan: 9.2 million | Germany: 3.7 million
Industrial robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers
Japan: N/A | Germany: Ranked lower (regional power)
Japan vs Germany GDP Comparison 2026 — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Japan vs Germany GDP Comparison 2026. Contains 116 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Japan vs Germany GDP Comparison 2026 — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Japan vs Germany GDP Comparison 2026.
Which country has the larger economy, Japan or Germany?
Germany has the larger nominal GDP at $4.52 trillion USD compared to Japan's $4.23 trillion USD (2025-2026 estimates). However, Japan has a much larger population (125 million vs 84 million), so the difference is only about 7% in total size. Germany's economy is more productive per capita.
Why is Germany's GDP per capita so much higher than Japan's?
Germany's GDP per capita of $54,629 is 61% higher than Japan's $33,815 due to several factors: (1) Germany's smaller population is more evenly distributed across productive sectors, (2) higher wages in German manufacturing and services, (3) more efficient labor productivity, and (4) Japan's demographic challenges with an aging workforce reducing overall productivity per worker.
Is Japan's debt problem a major economic concern?
Japan's public debt of 264% of GDP is indeed extraordinarily high—the highest among developed economies. However, approximately 60% is held domestically by Japanese institutions, and the country maintains very low interest rates due to investor confidence. This is still unsustainable long-term and limits fiscal stimulus options, but hasn't triggered a crisis. Germany's 63% debt-to-GDP ratio is far more sustainable by international standards.
Japan is more export-dependent with exports representing 18.2% of its GDP compared to Germany's 14.8%. This makes Japan more vulnerable to global trade disruptions but also indicates strong competitiveness in sectors like automotive, electronics, and semiconductors. Germany relies more on its large domestic market.
What are the main economic challenges for each country?
Japan faces demographic collapse with a rapidly aging population reducing its workforce, unsustainable public debt, and deflationary pressures. Germany faces energy security challenges after Russian sanctions, moderate unemployment above Japan's rate, and dependence on imported energy. Both compete in advanced manufacturing but serve different global niches (Japan: consumer electronics/automotive; Germany: industrial machinery/luxury cars).
Nominal GDP (USD Trillions): Japan has $4.23 trillion, while Germany has $4.52 trillion.
GDP Per Capita (USD): Japan has $33,815, while Germany has $54,629.
Population (Millions): Japan has 125 million, while Germany has 84 million.
Exports as % of GDP: Japan has 18.2%, while Germany has 14.8%.
Consider: Manufacturing Output (% of GDP)
Manufacturing Output (% of GDP): Japan has 19.5%, while Germany has 21.2%.
Unemployment Rate (%): Japan has 2.5%, while Germany has 3.8%.
Public Debt as % of GDP: Japan has 264%, while Germany has 63%.