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Japan Government Debt to GDP

General government gross debt as % of GDP  GGXWDG_NGDP

229.57% −6.54% (-2.8%)
Year 2025 Rank #1 Global Peak 258.37% (2020) Source IMF WEO

Japan Government Debt to GDP (1980–2025)

Overview

Japan's government debt to gdp stood at 229.57% in 2025, a decline of +6.54% from 2024. The IMF projects 229.57% by 2025. Japan ranked 1st globally.

Data & projection

Year Government Debt to GDP YoY change Rank
2030* IMF 222.16% - -
2029* IMF 222.18% - -
2028* IMF 222.94% - -
2027* IMF 224.46% - -
2026* IMF 226.82% - -
2025* IMF 229.57% - -
2025 229.57% −6.54% #1
2024 236.11% −4.35% #187
2023 240.46% −7.79% #187
2022 248.25% −5.41% #188
2021 253.65% −4.72% #187
2020 258.37% +21.99% #187
2019 236.38% +4.00% #188
2018 232.38% +1.06% #188
2017 231.32% −1.10% #188
2016 232.42% +4.14% #188
2015 228.28% −5.00% #188
2014 233.28% +3.83% #189
2013 229.45% +3.36% #188
2012 226.09% +6.93% #189
2011 219.16% +13.28% #186
Show all years (1980-2025)
* IMF World Economic Outlook projection

Detected Pattern

Export Boom Cycle
Current account surplus with strong export growth (>15% YoY), reserve accumulation, and moderate GDP growth. Typical of commodity exporters during price surges.
Reserves YoY +25.4% GDP growth 2.2% C/A balance 3.7%
Occurred 768 times, 546 successful
Reserves YoY
+25.6%
GDP growth
4.0%
C/A balance
14.5%
Reserves YoY
+14.6%
GDP growth
3.7%
C/A balance
2.9%
Reserves YoY
+12.8%
GDP growth
43.8%
C/A balance
16.4%
Reserves YoY
+12.6%
GDP growth
6.0%
C/A balance
0.5%
Reserves YoY
+38.3%
GDP growth
5.0%
C/A balance
1.2%
Reserves YoY
+18.0%
GDP growth
2.9%
C/A balance
3.9%

Analysis

Japan matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2004. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw government debt to gdp improve within 24 months. View full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Japan's government debt to gdp?

Japan's government debt to gdp was 229.57% in 2025. Ranked 1st globally. This represents a 2.8% decrease from the previous year.

What was the highest government debt to gdp in Japan?

Japan's government debt to gdp peaked at 258.37% in 2020.

What was the lowest government debt to gdp in Japan?

The lowest government debt to gdp in Japan was 47.78% in 1980.

How does Japan rank in government debt to gdp?

Japan ranks 1st globally in government debt to gdp as of 2025.

What is the World Bank indicator code for government debt to gdp?

The World Bank indicator code is GGXWDG_NGDP. Data sourced from IMF WEO.

What is the projected government debt to gdp of Japan in 2025?

Japan's government debt to gdp is projected to reach 229.57% by 2025 based on IMF projection.

What is the government debt to gdp of Japan in 2025?

The government debt to gdp of Japan in 2025 was 229.57%. This ranks 1st in the world.

Cite this page

APA
Japan Government Debt to GDP. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 1, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/japan/government-debt-to-gdp
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_japan_government-debt-to-gdp, title = {Japan Government Debt to GDP}, url = {https://historysaid.com/japan/government-debt-to-gdp}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }