Japan vs South Korea: Low achieving 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics or science by sex

Japan
16.1%
in 2025
South Korea
15.0%
in 2018
Japan rank
49th
South Korea rank
50th

Low achieving 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics or science by sex over time

  • Japan
  • South Korea
051015200320142025

How they compare

Japan currently reports 16.1% against 15.0% in South Korea, a difference of 1.1%.

That makes Japan's figure about 1.1 times South Korea's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 6 shared years of data; in 2003 it was Japan ahead.

Japan ranks 49th and South Korea ranks 50th of 51 countries.

Across the 2 decades both report, Japan averaged higher in 1 and South Korea in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade Japan South Korea Difference Ahead
2000s 13.0% 8.8% 4.1% Japan
2010s 11.1% 13.2% 2.1% South Korea

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher low achieving 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics or science by sex, Japan or South Korea?
Japan, at 16.1% against 15.0% in South Korea as of 2025.
What is the difference in low achieving 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics or science by sex between Japan and South Korea?
1.1%, with Japan ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and South Korea?
6 years are reported by both, from 2003 to 2018.
How do Japan and South Korea rank globally for low achieving 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics or science by sex?
Japan ranks 49th and South Korea ranks 50th of 51 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Eurostat, published as Low achieving 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics or science by sex. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Japan vs South Korea: Low achieving 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics or science by sex. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 15 October 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/low-achieving-15-year-olds-in-reading-mathematics-or-science-by-sex/japan/korea-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Low achieving 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics or science by sex
Unit
Percentage
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
52 places, 370 data points, 2003–2025
Last refreshed