The US has a significantly larger GDP at approximately $27.4 trillion compared to Japan's $4.2 trillion, making the US economy roughly 6.5 times larger. This difference reflects the US's larger population, higher per capita income, and broader industrial base.
United States vs Japan GDP — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
World's largest economy with $28.7 trillion GDP and technology-driven growth model
Mature, technology-driven developed economy with low unemployment and high per capita wealth
Total GDP (2024). GDP per Capita (2024). Population (2024). Annual GDP Growth Rate (2024). Share of Global GDP. Labor Force Size (millions). Manufacturing Sector Contribution to GDP
The United States has a decisively larger economy in absolute terms with a GDP 6.5x larger than Japan's, reflecting its bigger population and higher per-capita wealth. However, Japan demonstrates stronger manufacturing efficiency with a higher percentage of GDP from manufacturing (19.3% vs 11.8%), making it more industrially concentrated. Choose the US for analyzing global economic dominance and financial markets; choose Japan for studying manufacturing excellence and efficiency in advanced industrial economies.
United States Economy: 3.5% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $30.0-30.5 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 17% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~6% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~16% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~3.8-4.0% | Japan Economy: N/A
Advanced Semiconductor Market Leadership
United States Economy: Dominant (Intel, TSMC partnership, Samsung); controls cutting-edge nodes | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 20-25% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Global leader in design and manufacturing | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Moderate exposure | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.2% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $925.8 billion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $4.18 trillion (2024) | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 0.3-0.5% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 30.0+ | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $4,175 billion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $4,481 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~20% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 6% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Leading edge (3nm and below) | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Minimal negative impact | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~10% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Leading in design and manufacturing | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Minimal (exporter advantage) | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.0-2.5% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: €925.8 billion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 25-30% of global EVs | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 8-10% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~4.0% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $310 billion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $4,175,432 million (2024) | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: €925,796.8 million | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $89,000 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $10,266.8 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $925.8 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Global market leader | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Lower exposure | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~6% of global | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Minimal | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 0.4-0.6% | Japan Economy: N/A
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Production
United States Economy: ~15% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $89,000+ | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 9% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 0.2-0.4pp | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 0.3-0.5% (from AI investment) | Japan Economy: N/A
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Production Share
United States Economy: 4% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 15% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 12% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $50-150B | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $31.5 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.1% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 1st | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 119% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 338M | Japan Economy: 123 million
United States Economy: $809 billion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: AI, semiconductors, cloud, fintech | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $35,000-45,000 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $94,430 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $11.1 trillion ahead | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Data not available | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~25-26% of global GDP | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 1st (maintained) | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~1.8% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 26.2% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Not specified | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $28.0 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $85,000 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $27.4 trillion | Japan Economy: $4.2 trillion
United States Economy: €10,217,935.3 million | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $3,981 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 44.5 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~2.8% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 1 EUR = 1.1797 USD | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.0-2.4% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.0% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $96,500+ | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $11.53 trillion lead | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $27.23 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 122.27% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 37.74% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $81,500 | Japan Economy: $31,546
United States Economy: 336 million | Japan Economy: 124 million
United States Economy: 2.8% | Japan Economy: 2.6%
United States Economy: 11.8% | Japan Economy: 19.3%
United States Economy: 25.5% | Japan Economy: 3.9%
United States Economy: 38.5 years | Japan Economy: 48.7 years
United States Economy: $27.4 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 4.2% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.9% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $156 billion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 167 companies | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 11.2% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $27.4T | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $82,000 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $0.13T | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 4.1% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $15.2T (Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Nvidia, Tesla, Broadcom) | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 38.9 years | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $2.1 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $76,398 | Japan Economy: $39,300
United States Economy: 2.5% | Japan Economy: 1.2%
United States Economy: $2.4 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $285 billion (2023) | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $82,500 | Japan Economy: $32,100
United States Economy: 4.1% | Japan Economy: 2.5%
United States Economy: 123% | Japan Economy: 264%
United States Economy: $62,400 | Japan Economy: $39,200
United States Economy: 2.8% | Japan Economy: 2.5%
United States Economy: 339 million | Japan Economy: 123 million
United States Economy: 65% | Japan Economy: 8%
United States Economy: 2.5% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $76,398 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $0.13 trillion | Japan Economy: $1.2T
United States Economy: 129% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $2.1 trillion | Japan Economy: $925 billion
United States Economy: $80,412 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 16.3% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $12.8 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 340 million | Japan Economy: 125 million
United States Economy: 21% of electricity | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $28.7 trillion | Japan Economy: $4.2 trillion
United States Economy: 136 companies | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $33.2 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.1% | Japan Economy: 1.2%
United States Economy: 11% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 80.1% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $285 billion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $31.2 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 16% | Japan Economy: 8%
United States Economy: -$73 billion deficit | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: -$773 billion (deficit) | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 123% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $2.3T | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 11.5% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 130% | Japan Economy: 264%
United States Economy: $820 billion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 714,000 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 8.2% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: -$73.1 billion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: +0.4% (growing) | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $27.9 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $68,420 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 0.38 million | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 9.8% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $42.8 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 16% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $7.1 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 11.8% | Japan Economy: N/A
Foreign Direct Investment Inflows (2024)
United States Economy: $269 billion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 63.0% | Japan Economy: N/A
Tech Sector Market Capitalization (Top 7 Companies)
United States Economy: $14.2 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
Average Annual GDP Growth Rate (2010-2023)
United States Economy: 2.4% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $28.2 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 26% of world GDP | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 0.41 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 17.3% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: -$773 billion deficit | Japan Economy: +$229B
United States Economy: 3.2% | Japan Economy: 2.8%
United States Economy: 398,144 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $370 billion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 170 million workers | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $28.7 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $12.4 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 615,000 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.6% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $0.13 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 11.6% | Japan Economy: 18.9%
United States Economy: 415,000 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $119 trillion | Japan Economy: $5.2 trillion
United States Economy: $120,000 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $76,500 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 680 GW | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.7% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 32.4% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 16.9% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 21.6% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $2.9 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 18% | Japan Economy: 7.2%
United States Economy: $12.5 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $32 trillion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 80% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 26% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 31% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $189 billion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 3.9% | Japan Economy: 2.5%
United States Economy: 3.4% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 82% | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 41.1 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $7.25 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $68.40 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $119 billion | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $289B | Japan Economy: N/A
Annual GDP Growth Rate (2020-2026 Average)
United States Economy: 195 companies | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 38.7 | Japan Economy: 49.2
United States Economy: 285,000 | Japan Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 18% | Japan Economy: N/A
Foreign Direct Investment Inflows (Annual)
United States Economy: N/A | Japan Economy: $13.2 billion
United States Economy: N/A | Japan Economy: 20% (high-tech focused)
United States Economy: N/A | Japan Economy: 28%
United States Economy: N/A | Japan Economy: $26 billion
United States Economy: N/A | Japan Economy: 310,000
United States Economy: N/A | Japan Economy: 4th largest exporter
How to choose between United States Economy and Japan Economy
Compare United States Economy vs Japan Economy
United States vs Japan GDP — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for United States vs Japan GDP. Contains 275 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
United States vs Japan GDP — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for United States vs Japan GDP.
Why is the US economy so much larger than Japan's if Japan's population isn't that much smaller?
The US economy is 6.5x larger primarily due to higher per capita GDP ($81,284 vs $31,546). The US has a younger, more dynamic population, larger labor force participation, higher productivity in technology and services sectors, and greater consumer spending. Additionally, the US has a 2.7x larger population (337M vs 124M), which compounds the difference in total economic output.
Is Japan's economy growing faster or slower than the US?
The US economy is growing slightly faster at 2.8% annually compared to Japan's 2.6%. However, Japan's growth is constrained by demographic challenges—an aging population with 29.1% aged 65+ creates workforce decline and higher pension burdens. The US benefits from higher population growth (0.7% annually) and immigration, supporting faster expansion.
Why does Japan have a higher percentage of its economy in manufacturing?
Japan's manufacturing sector represents 19.3% of GDP versus the US's 11.8% because Japan has historically specialized in high-value manufacturing (automotive, electronics, robotics, semiconductors). The US economy has shifted toward services (68% of GDP), finance, and technology. Japan's 'Manufacturing is National Policy' approach maintains production domestically, whereas the US has outsourced more manufacturing to other countries.
How do the US and Japan compare in global economic influence?
The US dominates with 26.3% of global GDP and controls major financial markets, currency reserves, and technology innovation. Japan ranks third globally (behind China at ~18% and the US) with 4.0% of global GDP. The US sets global economic policy through institutions like the IMF and World Bank, while Japan influences through manufacturing standards and automotive/electronics sectors.
Which economy is more vulnerable to recession?
Japan faces longer-term structural risks from an aging, shrinking population (declining birth rate of 1.2) that reduces workforce and consumer spending. The US is more cyclical—vulnerable to short-term recessions but has demographic tailwinds. However, the US carries higher national debt (123% of GDP) than Japan (264% of GDP, though with different composition and domestic ownership), making both vulnerable but for different reasons.
How to Choose Between United States Economy and Japan Economy
Total GDP (2024): United States Economy has $27.4 trillion USD, while Japan Economy has $4.2 trillion USD.
GDP per Capita (2024): United States Economy has $81,284 USD, while Japan Economy has $31,546 USD.
Population (2024): United States Economy has 337 million, while Japan Economy has 124 million.
Annual GDP Growth Rate (2024): United States Economy has 2.8%, while Japan Economy has 2.6%.
Share of Global GDP: United States Economy has 26.3%, while Japan Economy has 4.0%.
Labor Force Size (millions): United States Economy has 165 million, while Japan Economy has 75 million.
Consider: Manufacturing Sector Contribution to GDP
Manufacturing Sector Contribution to GDP: United States Economy has 11.8%, while Japan Economy has 19.3%.