Military personnel as a share of total population in Japan
Japan: Military personnel as a share of total population was 0.1976 in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
0.1976
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
108th
of 194 countries
All-time high
8.45
in 1945
All-time low
0
in 1863
Years of data
157
1860–2022
Military personnel as a share of total population in Japan, 1860–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military personnel as a share of total population in Japan is 0.1976, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of up 0.5% on the previous year and up 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel as a share of total population in Japan peaked at 8.45 in 1945 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1863.
Japan ranks 108th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel as a share of total population in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 0.0369 | — |
| 1861 | 0.0367 | -0.6% |
| 1862 | 0.0365 | -0.6% |
| 1863 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1864 | 0 | — |
| 1865 | 0 | — |
| 1866 | 0 | — |
| 1867 | 0 | — |
| 1868 | 0 | — |
| 1869 | 0.0175 | — |
| 1870 | 0.0174 | -0.6% |
| 1871 | 0.0491 | +181.7% |
| 1872 | 0.0575 | +17.0% |
| 1873 | 0.1143 | +99.0% |
| 1874 | 0.1166 | +2.0% |
| 1875 | 0.1161 | -0.5% |
| 1876 | 0.1041 | -10.4% |
| 1877 | 0.1059 | +1.8% |
| 1878 | 0.1189 | +12.2% |
| 1879 | 0.1207 | +1.5% |
| 1880 | 0.1228 | +1.8% |
| 1881 | 0.1244 | +1.3% |
| 1882 | 0.1261 | +1.4% |
| 1883 | 0.1278 | +1.3% |
| 1884 | 0.1264 | -1.0% |
| 1885 | 0.1357 | +7.3% |
| 1886 | 0.1453 | +7.1% |
| 1887 | 0.1602 | +10.3% |
| 1888 | 0.1589 | -0.8% |
| 1889 | 0.1748 | +10.0% |
| 1890 | 0.1779 | +1.8% |
| 1891 | 0.2211 | +24.3% |
| 1892 | 0.195 | -11.8% |
| 1893 | 0.1738 | -10.9% |
| 1894 | 0.2017 | +16.1% |
| 1895 | 0.4981 | +146.9% |
| 1896 | 0.2453 | -50.8% |
| 1897 | 0.3113 | +26.9% |
| 1898 | 0.3638 | +16.8% |
| 1899 | 0.3387 | -6.9% |
| 1900 | 0.4151 | +22.6% |
| 1901 | 0.4644 | +11.9% |
| 1902 | 0.4648 | +0.1% |
| 1903 | 0.4699 | +1.1% |
| 1904 | 0.4725 | +0.6% |
| 1905 | 0.5363 | +13.5% |
| 1906 | 0.5655 | +5.5% |
| 1907 | 0.5526 | -2.3% |
| 1908 | 0.5692 | +3.0% |
| 1909 | 0.5623 | -1.2% |
| 1910 | 0.5754 | +2.3% |
| 1911 | 0.5496 | -4.5% |
| 1912 | 0.5437 | -1.1% |
| 1913 | 0.5769 | +6.1% |
| 1914 | 0.5765 | -0.1% |
| 1915 | 1.23 | +113.7% |
| 1916 | 1.22 | -1.4% |
| 1917 | 1.22 | +0.3% |
| 1918 | 1.21 | -1.1% |
| 1919 | 0.556 | -53.9% |
| 1920 | 0.5471 | -1.6% |
| 1921 | 0.54 | -1.3% |
| 1922 | 0.5332 | -1.3% |
| 1923 | 0.5265 | -1.3% |
| 1924 | 0.5197 | -1.3% |
| 1925 | 0.5122 | -1.4% |
| 1926 | 0.4972 | -2.9% |
| 1927 | 0.4444 | -10.6% |
| 1928 | 0.4553 | +2.5% |
| 1929 | 0.4664 | +2.4% |
| 1930 | 0.4546 | -2.5% |
| 1931 | 0.4461 | -1.9% |
| 1932 | 0.5569 | +24.8% |
| 1933 | 0.5502 | -1.2% |
| 1934 | 0.5841 | +6.2% |
| 1935 | 0.592 | +1.4% |
| 1936 | 0.5933 | +0.2% |
| 1937 | 0.5564 | -6.2% |
| 1938 | 0.521 | -6.4% |
| 1939 | 1.34 | +157.3% |
| 1940 | 1.33 | -0.8% |
| 1941 | 4.26 | +220.0% |
| 1942 | 4.22 | -0.9% |
| 1943 | 4.16 | -1.4% |
| 1944 | 5.81 | +39.6% |
| 1945 | 8.45 | +45.4% |
| 1952 | 0.1392 | -98.4% |
| 1953 | 0.1419 | +1.9% |
| 1954 | 0.1876 | +32.2% |
| 1955 | 0.2202 | +17.4% |
| 1956 | 0.239 | +8.6% |
| 1957 | 0.2469 | +3.3% |
| 1958 | 0.2654 | +7.5% |
| 1959 | 0.2759 | +3.9% |
| 1960 | 0.2821 | +2.3% |
| 1961 | 0.2445 | -13.3% |
| 1962 | 0.2475 | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 0.2534 | +2.4% |
| 1964 | 0.2518 | -0.6% |
| 1965 | 0.2511 | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 0.2296 | -8.6% |
| 1967 | 0.2313 | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 0.2326 | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 0.2309 | -0.8% |
| 1970 | 0.2282 | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 0.2214 | -3.0% |
| 1972 | 0.2174 | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 0.2143 | -1.4% |
| 1974 | 0.2151 | +0.4% |
| 1975 | 0.2124 | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 0.2093 | -1.5% |
| 1977 | 0.2072 | -1.0% |
| 1978 | 0.208 | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 0.2062 | -0.8% |
| 1980 | 0.2072 | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 0.2048 | -1.1% |
| 1982 | 0.2051 | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 0.202 | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 0.2007 | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 0.1994 | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 0.2017 | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 0.1999 | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 0.1999 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.2007 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 0.2025 | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 0.2017 | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 0.1945 | -3.6% |
| 1993 | 0.1939 | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 0.1861 | -4.0% |
| 1995 | 0.1913 | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 0.1988 | +3.9% |
| 1997 | 0.199 | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 0.2019 | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 0.1897 | -6.0% |
| 2000 | 0.187 | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 0.1888 | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 0.1901 | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 0.1897 | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 0.1893 | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 0.189 | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 0.2045 | +8.2% |
| 2007 | 0.1886 | -7.8% |
| 2008 | 0.1885 | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 0.1806 | -4.2% |
| 2010 | 0.1806 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.1948 | +7.9% |
| 2012 | 0.1949 | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 0.1925 | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 0.1927 | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 0.193 | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 0.1933 | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 0.1944 | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 0.1946 | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.195 | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.1956 | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 0.1965 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 0.1976 | +0.5% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 0.1976 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.3016, 66% of the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Japan's 0.1976 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.1865, 1.1× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel as a share of total population in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | +220.0% | 1.33 | 4.26 |
| 1871 | +181.7% | 0.0174 | 0.0491 |
| 1939 | +157.3% | 0.521 | 1.34 |
| 1895 | +146.9% | 0.2017 | 0.4981 |
| 1915 | +113.7% | 0.5765 | 1.23 |
| 1863 | -100.0% | 0.0365 | 0 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1860s | 0.0128 | 0 | 0.0369 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.0921 | 0.0174 | 0.1207 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.1402 | 0.1228 | 0.1748 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.2727 | 0.1738 | 0.4981 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.5072 | 0.4151 | 0.5692 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.825 | 0.5437 | 1.23 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.5042 | 0.4444 | 0.5471 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.6195 | 0.4461 | 1.34 | 10 |
| 1940s | 4.7 | 1.33 | 8.45 | 6 |
| 1950s | 0.2145 | 0.1392 | 0.2759 | 8 |
| 1960s | 0.2455 | 0.2296 | 0.2821 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.214 | 0.2062 | 0.2282 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2021 | 0.1994 | 0.2072 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1959 | 0.1861 | 0.2025 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1896 | 0.1806 | 0.2045 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1926 | 0.1806 | 0.195 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1966 | 0.1956 | 0.1976 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More population data for Japan
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -5.09 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5507 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 103,784 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.5891 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2372 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.501 (2100)
- Population density 210.83 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 2.83 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel as a share of total population in Japan?
- Military personnel as a share of total population in Japan was 0.1976 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 8.45 in 1945.
- What is the lowest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1863.
- How does Japan rank for military personnel as a share of total population?
- Japan ranks 108th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel as a share of total population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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