Japan vs South Korea: Low achieving 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics or science by sex
Japan
16.1%
in 2025
South Korea
18.6%
in 2025
Japan rank
49th
South Korea rank
47th
Low achieving 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics or science by sex over time
- Japan
- South Korea
How they compare
South Korea currently reports 18.6% against 16.1% in Japan, a difference of 2.5%.
That makes South Korea's figure about 1.2 times Japan's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 7 shared years of data; in 2003 it was Japan ahead.
Japan ranks 49th and South Korea ranks 47th of 51 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Japan averaged higher in 1 and South Korea in 2.
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 |
| 2020s | 16.1% | 18.6% | 2.5% | 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?
- South Korea, at 18.6% against 16.1% in Japan 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?
- 2.5%, with South Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and South Korea?
- 7 years are reported by both, from 2003 to 2025.
- 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 47th 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.