Military personnel in Japan
Japan: Military personnel was 247,000 in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
247,000
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
22nd
of 194 countries
All-time high
6.09 million
in 1945
All-time low
0
in 1863
Years of data
157
1860–2022
Military personnel in Japan, 1860–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Japan recorded 247,000 for military personnel in 2022.
That represents a change of down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Japan peaked at 6.09 million in 1945 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1863.
That places Japan 22nd out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 12,000 | — |
| 1861 | 12,000 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 12,000 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1864 | 0 | — |
| 1865 | 0 | — |
| 1866 | 0 | — |
| 1867 | 0 | — |
| 1868 | 0 | — |
| 1869 | 6,000 | — |
| 1870 | 6,000 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 17,000 | +183.3% |
| 1872 | 20,000 | +17.6% |
| 1873 | 40,000 | +100.0% |
| 1874 | 41,000 | +2.5% |
| 1875 | 41,000 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 37,000 | -9.8% |
| 1877 | 38,000 | +2.7% |
| 1878 | 43,000 | +13.2% |
| 1879 | 44,000 | +2.3% |
| 1880 | 45,000 | +2.3% |
| 1881 | 46,000 | +2.2% |
| 1882 | 47,000 | +2.2% |
| 1883 | 48,000 | +2.1% |
| 1884 | 48,000 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 52,000 | +8.3% |
| 1886 | 56,000 | +7.7% |
| 1887 | 62,000 | +10.7% |
| 1888 | 62,000 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 69,000 | +11.3% |
| 1890 | 71,000 | +2.9% |
| 1891 | 89,000 | +25.4% |
| 1892 | 79,000 | -11.2% |
| 1893 | 71,000 | -10.1% |
| 1894 | 83,000 | +16.9% |
| 1895 | 207,000 | +149.4% |
| 1896 | 103,000 | -50.2% |
| 1897 | 132,000 | +28.2% |
| 1898 | 156,000 | +18.2% |
| 1899 | 147,000 | -5.8% |
| 1900 | 182,000 | +23.8% |
| 1901 | 206,000 | +13.2% |
| 1902 | 209,000 | +1.5% |
| 1903 | 214,000 | +2.4% |
| 1904 | 218,000 | +1.9% |
| 1905 | 250,000 | +14.7% |
| 1906 | 266,000 | +6.4% |
| 1907 | 262,000 | -1.5% |
| 1908 | 273,000 | +4.2% |
| 1909 | 273,000 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 283,000 | +3.7% |
| 1911 | 274,000 | -3.2% |
| 1912 | 275,000 | +0.4% |
| 1913 | 296,000 | +7.6% |
| 1914 | 300,000 | +1.4% |
| 1915 | 650,000 | +116.7% |
| 1916 | 650,000 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 660,000 | +1.5% |
| 1918 | 660,000 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 306,000 | -53.6% |
| 1920 | 306,000 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 306,000 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 306,000 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 306,000 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 306,000 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 306,000 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 302,000 | -1.3% |
| 1927 | 274,000 | -9.3% |
| 1928 | 285,000 | +4.0% |
| 1929 | 296,000 | +3.9% |
| 1930 | 293,000 | -1.0% |
| 1931 | 292,000 | -0.3% |
| 1932 | 370,000 | +26.7% |
| 1933 | 371,000 | +0.3% |
| 1934 | 399,000 | +7.5% |
| 1935 | 410,000 | +2.8% |
| 1936 | 416,000 | +1.5% |
| 1937 | 393,000 | -5.5% |
| 1938 | 370,000 | -5.9% |
| 1939 | 957,000 | +158.6% |
| 1940 | 957,000 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 3.08 million | +221.3% |
| 1942 | 3.08 million | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 3.08 million | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 4.33 million | +40.7% |
| 1945 | 6.09 million | +40.9% |
| 1952 | 119,000 | -98.0% |
| 1953 | 123,000 | +3.4% |
| 1954 | 165,000 | +34.1% |
| 1955 | 196,000 | +18.8% |
| 1956 | 215,000 | +9.7% |
| 1957 | 224,000 | +4.2% |
| 1958 | 243,000 | +8.5% |
| 1959 | 255,000 | +4.9% |
| 1960 | 263,000 | +3.1% |
| 1961 | 230,000 | -12.5% |
| 1962 | 235,000 | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 243,000 | +3.4% |
| 1964 | 244,000 | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 246,000 | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 227,000 | -7.7% |
| 1967 | 231,000 | +1.8% |
| 1968 | 235,000 | +1.7% |
| 1969 | 236,000 | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 236,000 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 234,000 | -0.8% |
| 1972 | 233,000 | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 233,000 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 237,000 | +1.7% |
| 1975 | 237,000 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 236,000 | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 236,000 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 239,000 | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 239,000 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 242,000 | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 241,000 | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 243,000 | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 241,000 | -0.8% |
| 1984 | 241,000 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 241,000 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 245,000 | +1.7% |
| 1987 | 244,000 | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 245,000 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 247,000 | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 250,000 | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 250,000 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 242,000 | -3.2% |
| 1993 | 242,000 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 233,000 | -3.7% |
| 1995 | 240,000 | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 250,000 | +4.2% |
| 1997 | 250,000 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 255,000 | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 240,000 | -5.9% |
| 2000 | 237,000 | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 240,000 | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 240,000 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 240,000 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 240,000 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 240,000 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 260,000 | +8.3% |
| 2007 | 240,000 | -7.7% |
| 2008 | 240,000 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 230,000 | -4.2% |
| 2010 | 230,000 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 248,000 | +7.8% |
| 2012 | 248,000 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 247,000 | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 247,000 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 247,000 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 247,000 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 247,000 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 247,000 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 247,000 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 247,000 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 247,000 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 247,000 | +0.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 247,000 is above the median for high income countries, which is 18,500, 13.4× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Japan's 247,000 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9,500, 26.0× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | +221.3% | 957,000 | 3.08 million |
| 1871 | +183.3% | 6,000 | 17,000 |
| 1939 | +158.6% | 370,000 | 957,000 |
| 1895 | +149.4% | 83,000 | 207,000 |
| 1915 | +116.7% | 300,000 | 650,000 |
| 1863 | -100.0% | 12,000 | 0 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1860s | 4,200 | 0 | 12,000 | 10 |
| 1870s | 32,700 | 6,000 | 44,000 | 10 |
| 1880s | 53,500 | 45,000 | 69,000 | 10 |
| 1890s | 113,800 | 71,000 | 207,000 | 10 |
| 1900s | 235,300 | 182,000 | 273,000 | 10 |
| 1910s | 435,400 | 274,000 | 660,000 | 10 |
| 1920s | 299,300 | 274,000 | 306,000 | 10 |
| 1930s | 427,100 | 292,000 | 957,000 | 10 |
| 1940s | 3.43 million | 957,000 | 6.09 million | 6 |
| 1950s | 192,500 | 119,000 | 255,000 | 8 |
| 1960s | 239,000 | 227,000 | 263,000 | 10 |
| 1970s | 236,000 | 233,000 | 239,000 | 10 |
| 1980s | 243,000 | 241,000 | 247,000 | 10 |
| 1990s | 245,200 | 233,000 | 255,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 240,700 | 230,000 | 260,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 245,500 | 230,000 | 248,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 247,000 | 247,000 | 247,000 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More reference data data for Japan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.981 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3629 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 4.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.57 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 23.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.98 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Japan?
- Military personnel in Japan was 247,000 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 6.09 million in 1945.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1863.
- How does Japan rank for military personnel?
- Japan ranks 22nd out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 157 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).