Updated
Overview
Japan has 5.3 times the population of Taiwan: 123.37 million people against 23.30 million (2025).
Japan's economy is 4.8 times the size of Taiwan's, at $4.44T versus $920.05B.
Population
Japan 123.37 million
Taiwan 23.30 million
GDP (nominal)
Japan $4.44T
Taiwan $920.05B
GDP per capita
Japan $35,951
Taiwan $39,489
The full table
| Indicator | Japan | Taiwan | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $4.44T | $920.05B | 2025 | $4.03T / $611.39B |
| GDP per capita | $35,951 | Higher: $39,489 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.2% | Higher: 8.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.2% | Lower: 1.7% | 2025 | 2.7% / 2.2% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.5% | 3.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 65 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $2,801 | — | 2021 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $1,207 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.08 | $2.42 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 123.37 million | 23.30 million | 2025 | 123.20 million / 23.60 million |
| Population growth | -0.5% | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 49.8 yrs | 44.8 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.23 | 0.86 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 84.0 yrs | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 92% | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 86% | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 377,930 km² | 36,193 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 326.4/km² | 643.7/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 962 Mt | Lower: 262 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 7.8 t | 11.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $55.27B | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.4% | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 261,000 | — | 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
Taiwan is growing much faster: 8.7% annual GDP growth versus 1.2%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.2% in Japan and 1.7% in Taiwan.
People and society
Taiwan is the younger society: median age 44.8 versus 49.8 years.
Geography
By land area, Japan is 10 times the size of Taiwan: 377,930 km² versus 36,193 km².
Both sit in the same broad region but do not share a border.
Frequently asked
- Is Japan bigger than Taiwan?
- Japan is larger by land area. Japan covers 377,930 km² while Taiwan covers 36,193 km², so Japan is 10 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Japan or Taiwan?
- Japan has the larger population: 123.37 million versus 23.30 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Japan richer than Taiwan?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Taiwan is richer: $39,489 against $35,951. Total GDP tells a different story: $4.44T for Japan versus $920.05B for Taiwan.