Updated
Overview
Japan has about 45% more people than Turkey (Türkiye): 123.37 million against 85.88 million (2025).
Japan's economy is 2.8 times the size of Turkey (Türkiye)'s, at $4.44T versus $1.60T.
Per person, Japan is the wealthier of the two: $35,951 against $18,599 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Japan | Turkey (Türkiye) | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $4.44T | $1.60T | 2025 | $4.03T / $1.32T |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $35,951 | $18,599 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.2% | Higher: 3.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 3.2% | 34.9% | 2025 | 2.7% / 58.5% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.5% | 8.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 65 | 41 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $2,801 | $1,001 | 2021 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $1,207 | $659 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.08 | $6.91 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 123.37 million | 85.88 million | 2025 | 123.20 million / 84.63 million |
| Population growth | -0.5% | 0.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 49.8 yrs | 33.5 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.23 | 1.62 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 84.0 yrs | 77.4 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 92% | 89% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 86% | Higher: 90% | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 377,930 km² | 783,562 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 326.4/km² | 109.6/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 962 Mt | Lower: 513 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 7.8 t | Lower: 5.9 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $55.27B | $24.98B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.4% | 1.9% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 261,000 | 512,000 | 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
Turkey (Türkiye) is growing faster: 3.6% annual GDP growth versus 1.2%.
Inflation is a serious concern in Turkey (Türkiye) at 34.9%, while the other economy sits at 3.2%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Turkey (Türkiye): a price level of 41 versus 65 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Japan: $2,801 against $1,001 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Turkey (Türkiye) is the far younger society: median age 33.5 versus 49.8 years.
Life expectancy is 6.6 years longer in Japan (84.0 vs 77.4).
Geography
By land area, Japan is 52% smaller than Turkey (Türkiye): 377,930 km² versus 783,562 km².
Japan is far more densely settled: 326 people per km² against 110.
Military
Japan spends 2.2 times as much on defence as Turkey (Türkiye): $55.27B versus $24.98B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Turkey (Türkiye) fields the larger armed forces: 512,000 personnel against 261,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Japan bigger than Turkey (Türkiye)?
- Turkey (Türkiye) is larger by land area. Japan covers 377,930 km² while Turkey (Türkiye) covers 783,562 km², so Turkey (Türkiye) is 2.1 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Japan or Turkey (Türkiye)?
- Japan has the larger population: 123.37 million versus 85.88 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Japan richer than Turkey (Türkiye)?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Japan is richer: $35,951 against $18,599. Total GDP tells the same story: $4.44T for Japan versus $1.60T for Turkey (Türkiye).
- Who spends more on their military, Japan or Turkey (Türkiye)?
- Japan spends more: $55.27B versus $24.98B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).