Updated
Overview
Japan has 2.5 times the population of Spain: 123.37 million people against 49.36 million (2025).
Japan's economy is 2.3 times the size of Spain's, at $4.44T versus $1.91T.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Japan | Spain | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $4.44T | $1.91T | 2025 | $4.03T / $1.72T |
| GDP per capita | $35,951 | Higher: $38,627 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.2% | Higher: 2.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.2% | Lower: 2.7% | 2025 | 2.7% / 2.8% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.5% | 10.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 65 | 65 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $2,801 | Higher: $3,574 | 2021 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $1,207 | Higher: $1,561 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.08 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 123.37 million | 49.36 million | 2025 | 123.20 million / 47.28 million |
| Population growth | -0.5% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 49.8 yrs | 45.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.23 | 1.23 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 84.0 yrs | 83.9 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 92% | 81% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 86% | Higher: 96% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 377,930 km² | 505,992 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 326.4/km² | 97.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 962 Mt | Lower: 220 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 7.8 t | Lower: 4.6 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $55.27B | $24.62B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.4% | 1.4% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 261,000 | 199,000 | 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
Spain is growing faster: 2.8% annual GDP growth versus 1.2%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.2% in Japan and 2.7% in Spain.
Average monthly earnings favour Spain: $3,574 against $2,801 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Spain is the younger society: median age 45.9 versus 49.8 years.
Japan is considerably more urbanized: 92% of people live in cities, against 81%.
Internet adoption is higher in Spain (96% vs 86% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Japan is 25% smaller than Spain: 377,930 km² versus 505,992 km².
Japan is far more densely settled: 326 people per km² against 98.
Military
Japan spends 2.2 times as much on defence as Spain: $55.27B versus $24.62B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Japan fields the larger armed forces: 261,000 personnel against 199,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Japan bigger than Spain?
- Spain is larger by land area. Japan covers 377,930 km² while Spain covers 505,992 km², so Spain is 34% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Japan or Spain?
- Japan has the larger population: 123.37 million versus 49.36 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Japan richer than Spain?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Spain is richer: $38,627 against $35,951. Total GDP tells a different story: $4.44T for Japan versus $1.91T for Spain.
- Who spends more on their military, Japan or Spain?
- Japan spends more: $55.27B versus $24.62B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).