Government spending by function in Japan
Japan: Government spending by function was 39.9% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Government spending by function in Japan, 2007–2023
Source: OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of government expenditure.
Analysis
Japan recorded 39.9% for government spending by function in 2023.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and down 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending by function in Japan peaked at 41.6% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 37.7%, in 2020.
Japan ranks 8th of 37 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 38.4% | 38.1% | 38.9% | 3 |
| 2010s | 40.9% | 40.3% | 41.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.3% | 37.7% | 40.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More reference data data for Japan
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.24 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.1053 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.7172 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.9 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.5865 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 118.04 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending by function in Japan?
- Government spending by function in Japan was 39.9% in 2023, according to OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest government spending by function recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 41.6% in 2017.
- What is the lowest government spending by function recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.7% in 2020.
- How does Japan rank for government spending by function?
- Japan ranks 8th out of 37 countries with data for 2023.
- Is government spending by function rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Government spending by function. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
General government expenditure on social protection. This data is divided by total government expenditure, expressed as a percentage.