Updated
Overview
Japan has 21% more people than Vietnam: 123.37 million against 101.60 million (2025).
Japan's economy is 8.6 times the size of Vietnam's, at $4.44T versus $514.70B.
Per person, Japan is the wealthier of the two: $35,951 against $5,066 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Japan | Vietnam | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $4.44T | $514.70B | 2025 | $4.03T / $476.39B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $35,951 | $5,066 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.2% | Higher: 8.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 3.2% | 3.3% | 2025 | 2.7% / 3.6% |
| Unemployment | 2.5% | Lower: 1.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 65 | 29 | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $2,801 | $355 | 2021 / 2024 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $1,207 | $205 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.08 | $2.89 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 123.37 million | 101.60 million | 2025 | 123.20 million / 106.69 million |
| Population growth | -0.5% | 0.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 49.8 yrs | 33.4 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.23 | 1.88 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 84.0 yrs | 74.7 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 92% | 39% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 86% | 84% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 377,930 km² | 331,212 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 326.4/km² | 306.7/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 962 Mt | Lower: 371 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 7.8 t | Lower: 3.7 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $55.27B | $5.50B | 2024 / 2018 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.4% | 1.8% | 2024 / 2018 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 261,000 | 522,000 | 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
Vietnam is growing much faster: 8.0% annual GDP growth versus 1.2%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.2% in Japan and 3.3% in Vietnam.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Vietnam: a price level of 29 versus 65 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Japan: $2,801 against $355 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Vietnam is the far younger society: median age 33.4 versus 49.8 years.
Life expectancy is 9.3 years longer in Japan (84.0 vs 74.7).
Japan is considerably more urbanized: 92% of people live in cities, against 39%.
Geography
By land area, Japan is 14% larger than Vietnam: 377,930 km² versus 331,212 km².
Both sit in the same broad region but do not share a border.
Military
Japan spends 10 times as much on defence as Vietnam: $55.27B versus $5.50B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Vietnam fields the larger armed forces: 522,000 personnel against 261,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Japan bigger than Vietnam?
- Japan is larger by land area. Japan covers 377,930 km² while Vietnam covers 331,212 km², so Japan is 14% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Japan or Vietnam?
- Japan has the larger population: 123.37 million versus 101.60 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Japan richer than Vietnam?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Japan is richer: $35,951 against $5,066. Total GDP tells the same story: $4.44T for Japan versus $514.70B for Vietnam.
- Who spends more on their military, Japan or Vietnam?
- Japan spends more: $55.27B versus $5.50B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).