Home Japan Government Military Spending

Japan Military Spending

Military expenditure as % of GDP  MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS

1.36% −0.02% (-1.1%)
Year 2025 Rank #89 Global Peak 1.37% (2024) Source World Bank

Japan Military Spending (1960–2025)

Overview

Japan's military spending stood at 1.36% in 2025, a decline of +0.02% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 1.36% by 2025. Japan ranked 89th globally.

Data & projection

Year Military Spending YoY change Rank
2027* trend 1.51% - -
2026* trend 1.43% - -
2025* trend 1.36% - -
2025 1.36% −0.02% #89
2024 1.37% +0.23% #61
2023 1.14% +0.13% #42
2022 1.01% −0.05% #39
2021 1.06% +0.05% #41
2020 1.02% +0.02% #38
2019 0.99% +0.03% #37
2018 0.96% +0.05% #36
2017 0.91% −0.02% #33
2016 0.93% −0.02% #31
2015 0.95% −0.01% #36
2014 0.96% +0.02% #36
2013 0.94% −0.02% #36
2012 0.96% −0.02% #36
2011 0.97% +0.03% #36
Show all years (1960-2025)
* Linear trend extrapolation

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 military spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Japan's military spending?

Japan's military spending was 1.36% in 2025. Ranked 89th globally. This represents a 1.1% decrease from the previous year.

What was the highest military spending in Japan?

Japan's military spending peaked at 1.37% in 2024.

What was the lowest military spending in Japan?

The lowest military spending in Japan was 0.77% in 1969.

How does Japan rank in military spending?

Japan ranks 89th globally in military spending as of 2025.

What is the World Bank indicator code for military spending?

The World Bank indicator code is MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.

What is the projected military spending of Japan in 2025?

Japan's military spending is projected to reach 1.36% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.

What is the military spending of Japan in 2025?

The military spending of Japan in 2025 was 1.36%. This ranks 89th in the world.

Cite this page

APA
Japan Military Spending. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 1, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/japan/military-spending
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_japan_military-spending, title = {Japan Military Spending}, url = {https://historysaid.com/japan/military-spending}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }