Military personnel in Japan
Japan: Military personnel was 247,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Military personnel in Japan, 1860–2022
Source: Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Japan recorded 247,000 people 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 people in 1945 and was at its lowest, 0 people, 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1860s | 4,200 people | 0 people | 12,000 people | 10 |
| 1870s | 32,700 people | 6,000 people | 44,000 people | 10 |
| 1880s | 53,500 people | 45,000 people | 69,000 people | 10 |
| 1890s | 113,800 people | 71,000 people | 207,000 people | 10 |
| 1900s | 235,300 people | 182,000 people | 273,000 people | 10 |
| 1910s | 435,400 people | 274,000 people | 660,000 people | 10 |
| 1920s | 299,300 people | 274,000 people | 306,000 people | 10 |
| 1930s | 427,100 people | 292,000 people | 957,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 3.43 million people | 957,000 people | 6.09 million people | 6 |
| 1950s | 192,500 people | 119,000 people | 255,000 people | 8 |
| 1960s | 239,000 people | 227,000 people | 263,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 236,000 people | 233,000 people | 239,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 243,000 people | 241,000 people | 247,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 245,200 people | 233,000 people | 255,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 240,700 people | 230,000 people | 260,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 245,500 people | 230,000 people | 248,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 247,000 people | 247,000 people | 247,000 people | 3 |
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 military personnel in Japan?
- Military personnel in Japan was 247,000 people in 2022, according to Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 6.09 million people in 1945.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people 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 Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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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.