Updated
Overview
Japan has 3.6 times the population of Peru: 123.37 million people against 34.58 million (2025).
Japan's economy is 13 times the size of Peru's, at $4.44T versus $334.85B.
Per person, Japan is the wealthier of the two: $35,951 against $9,684 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Japan | Peru | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $4.44T | $334.85B | 2025 | $4.03T / $289.22B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $35,951 | $9,684 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.2% | Higher: 3.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.2% | Lower: 1.5% | 2025 | 2.7% / 2.0% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.5% | 5.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 65 | 51 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $2,801 | $563 | 2021 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $1,207 | $273 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.08 | $4.99 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 123.37 million | 34.58 million | 2025 | 123.20 million / 32.77 million |
| Population growth | -0.5% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 49.8 yrs | 30.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.23 | 1.94 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 84.0 yrs | 77.9 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 92% | 86% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 86% | 82% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 377,930 km² | 1,285,216 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 326.4/km² | 26.9/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 962 Mt | Lower: 70 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 7.8 t | Lower: 2.1 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $55.27B | $2.57B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.4% | 0.9% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 261,000 | 158,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Peru is growing faster: 3.4% annual GDP growth versus 1.2%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.2% in Japan and 1.5% in Peru.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Peru: a price level of 51 versus 65 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Japan: $2,801 against $563 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Peru is the far younger society: median age 30.2 versus 49.8 years.
Life expectancy is 6.1 years longer in Japan (84.0 vs 77.9).
Geography
By land area, Japan is 71% smaller than Peru: 377,930 km² versus 1,285,216 km².
Japan is far more densely settled: 326 people per km² against 27.
Military
Japan spends 22 times as much on defence as Peru: $55.27B versus $2.57B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Japan fields the larger armed forces: 261,000 personnel against 158,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Japan bigger than Peru?
- Peru is larger by land area. Japan covers 377,930 km² while Peru covers 1,285,216 km², so Peru is 3.4 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Japan or Peru?
- Japan has the larger population: 123.37 million versus 34.58 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Japan richer than Peru?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Japan is richer: $35,951 against $9,684. Total GDP tells the same story: $4.44T for Japan versus $334.85B for Peru.
- Who spends more on their military, Japan or Peru?
- Japan spends more: $55.27B versus $2.57B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).