Japan vs Sri Lanka: Military personnel
Japan
247,000 people
in 2022
Sri Lanka
255,000 people
in 2022
Japan rank
22nd
Sri Lanka rank
21st
Military personnel over time
- Japan
- Sri Lanka
How they compare
Sri Lanka currently reports 255,000 people against 247,000 people in Japan, a difference of 8,000 people.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 71 shared years of data; in 1952 it was Japan ahead.
Japan ranks 22nd and Sri Lanka ranks 21st of 194 countries.
Across the 8 decades both report, Japan averaged higher in 7 and Sri Lanka in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Japan | Sri Lanka | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 192,500 people | 2,125 people | 190,375 people | Japan |
| 1960s | 239,000 people | 9,500 people | 229,500 people | Japan |
| 1970s | 236,000 people | 15,700 people | 220,300 people | Japan |
| 1980s | 243,000 people | 19,700 people | 223,300 people | Japan |
| 1990s | 245,200 people | 100,200 people | 145,000 people | Japan |
| 2000s | 240,700 people | 135,300 people | 105,400 people | Japan |
| 2010s | 245,500 people | 182,800 people | 62,700 people | Japan |
| 2020s | 247,000 people | 255,000 people | 8,000 people | Sri Lanka |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher military personnel, Japan or Sri Lanka?
- Sri Lanka, at 255,000 people against 247,000 people in Japan as of 2022.
- What is the difference in military personnel between Japan and Sri Lanka?
- 8,000 people, with Sri Lanka ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and Sri Lanka?
- 71 years are reported by both, from 1952 to 2022.
- How do Japan and Sri Lanka rank globally for military personnel?
- Japan ranks 22nd and Sri Lanka ranks 21st of 194 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Military personnel. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Troops under the command of the national government, intended for use against foreign adversaries, and held ready for combat as of January 1 of the given year.