Military personnel as a share of total population in Japan
Japan: Military personnel as a share of total population was 0.2% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
0.2%
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
108th
of 194 countries
All-time high
8.4%
in 1945
All-time low
0.0%
in 1863
Years of data
157
1860–2022
Military personnel as a share of total population in Japan, 1860–2022
Source: Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military personnel as a share of total population in Japan is 0.2%, 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 8.4% in 1945 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, 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 | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 0.0% | — |
| 1861 | 0.0% | -0.6% |
| 1862 | 0.0% | -0.6% |
| 1863 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1864 | 0.0% | — |
| 1865 | 0.0% | — |
| 1866 | 0.0% | — |
| 1867 | 0.0% | — |
| 1868 | 0.0% | — |
| 1869 | 0.0% | — |
| 1870 | 0.0% | -0.6% |
| 1871 | 0.0% | +181.7% |
| 1872 | 0.1% | +17.0% |
| 1873 | 0.1% | +99.0% |
| 1874 | 0.1% | +2.0% |
| 1875 | 0.1% | -0.5% |
| 1876 | 0.1% | -10.4% |
| 1877 | 0.1% | +1.8% |
| 1878 | 0.1% | +12.2% |
| 1879 | 0.1% | +1.5% |
| 1880 | 0.1% | +1.8% |
| 1881 | 0.1% | +1.3% |
| 1882 | 0.1% | +1.4% |
| 1883 | 0.1% | +1.3% |
| 1884 | 0.1% | -1.0% |
| 1885 | 0.1% | +7.3% |
| 1886 | 0.1% | +7.1% |
| 1887 | 0.2% | +10.3% |
| 1888 | 0.2% | -0.8% |
| 1889 | 0.2% | +10.0% |
| 1890 | 0.2% | +1.8% |
| 1891 | 0.2% | +24.3% |
| 1892 | 0.2% | -11.8% |
| 1893 | 0.2% | -10.9% |
| 1894 | 0.2% | +16.1% |
| 1895 | 0.5% | +146.9% |
| 1896 | 0.2% | -50.8% |
| 1897 | 0.3% | +26.9% |
| 1898 | 0.4% | +16.8% |
| 1899 | 0.3% | -6.9% |
| 1900 | 0.4% | +22.6% |
| 1901 | 0.5% | +11.9% |
| 1902 | 0.5% | +0.1% |
| 1903 | 0.5% | +1.1% |
| 1904 | 0.5% | +0.6% |
| 1905 | 0.5% | +13.5% |
| 1906 | 0.6% | +5.5% |
| 1907 | 0.6% | -2.3% |
| 1908 | 0.6% | +3.0% |
| 1909 | 0.6% | -1.2% |
| 1910 | 0.6% | +2.3% |
| 1911 | 0.5% | -4.5% |
| 1912 | 0.5% | -1.1% |
| 1913 | 0.6% | +6.1% |
| 1914 | 0.6% | -0.1% |
| 1915 | 1.2% | +113.7% |
| 1916 | 1.2% | -1.4% |
| 1917 | 1.2% | +0.3% |
| 1918 | 1.2% | -1.1% |
| 1919 | 0.6% | -53.9% |
| 1920 | 0.5% | -1.6% |
| 1921 | 0.5% | -1.3% |
| 1922 | 0.5% | -1.3% |
| 1923 | 0.5% | -1.3% |
| 1924 | 0.5% | -1.3% |
| 1925 | 0.5% | -1.4% |
| 1926 | 0.5% | -2.9% |
| 1927 | 0.4% | -10.6% |
| 1928 | 0.5% | +2.5% |
| 1929 | 0.5% | +2.4% |
| 1930 | 0.5% | -2.5% |
| 1931 | 0.4% | -1.9% |
| 1932 | 0.6% | +24.8% |
| 1933 | 0.6% | -1.2% |
| 1934 | 0.6% | +6.2% |
| 1935 | 0.6% | +1.4% |
| 1936 | 0.6% | +0.2% |
| 1937 | 0.6% | -6.2% |
| 1938 | 0.5% | -6.4% |
| 1939 | 1.3% | +157.3% |
| 1940 | 1.3% | -0.8% |
| 1941 | 4.3% | +220.0% |
| 1942 | 4.2% | -0.9% |
| 1943 | 4.2% | -1.4% |
| 1944 | 5.8% | +39.6% |
| 1945 | 8.4% | +45.4% |
| 1952 | 0.1% | -98.4% |
| 1953 | 0.1% | +1.9% |
| 1954 | 0.2% | +32.2% |
| 1955 | 0.2% | +17.4% |
| 1956 | 0.2% | +8.6% |
| 1957 | 0.2% | +3.3% |
| 1958 | 0.3% | +7.5% |
| 1959 | 0.3% | +3.9% |
| 1960 | 0.3% | +2.3% |
| 1961 | 0.2% | -13.3% |
| 1962 | 0.2% | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 0.3% | +2.4% |
| 1964 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1965 | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 0.2% | -8.6% |
| 1967 | 0.2% | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 0.2% | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 0.2% | -0.8% |
| 1970 | 0.2% | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 0.2% | -3.0% |
| 1972 | 0.2% | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 0.2% | -1.4% |
| 1974 | 0.2% | +0.4% |
| 1975 | 0.2% | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 0.2% | -1.5% |
| 1977 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 1978 | 0.2% | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 0.2% | -0.8% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 0.2% | -1.1% |
| 1982 | 0.2% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 0.2% | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 0.2% | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 0.2% | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 0.2% | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 0.2% | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 0.2% | -0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.2% | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 0.2% | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 0.2% | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 0.2% | -3.6% |
| 1993 | 0.2% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 0.2% | -4.0% |
| 1995 | 0.2% | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | +3.9% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | -6.0% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 0.2% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 0.2% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 0.2% | +8.2% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | -7.8% |
| 2008 | 0.2% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 0.2% | -4.2% |
| 2010 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.2% | +7.9% |
| 2012 | 0.2% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 0.2% | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 0.2% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 0.2% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 0.2% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 0.2% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 0.2% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.2% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 0.2% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 0.2% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1860s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.8% | 0.5% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1940s | 4.7% | 1.3% | 8.4% | 6 |
| 1950s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 8 |
| 1960s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More population data for Japan
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5507 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.5% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.83 million people (2100)
- Population density 210.83 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2372 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.5891 Percent per annum (2030)
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 0.2% in 2022, according to Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 8.4% in 1945.
- What is the lowest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% 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 Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by 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
CSV · JSON — 157 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Ratio of military personnel to total population, expressed as a percentage.