Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Japan
Japan: Personal remittances and foreign aid received was 5.29 billion current US$ in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2021)
5.29 billion current US$
Change on year
up 8.3%
World rank
31st
of 193 countries
All-time high
5.29 billion current US$
in 2021
All-time low
90.00 million current US$
in 1977
Years of data
39
1977–2021
Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Japan, 1977–2021
Source: World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
Japan recorded 5.29 billion current US$ for personal remittances and foreign aid received in 2021. That is the highest value across all 39 years on record.
The figure is up 8.3% on the previous year and up 148.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, personal remittances and foreign aid received in Japan peaked at 5.29 billion current US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, 90.00 million current US$, in 1977.
That places Japan 31st out of 193 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Japan, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 90.00 million current US$ | — |
| 1978 | 130.00 million current US$ | +44.4% |
| 1979 | 160.00 million current US$ | +23.1% |
| 1980 | 140.00 million current US$ | -12.5% |
| 1981 | 190.00 million current US$ | +35.7% |
| 1982 | 210.00 million current US$ | +10.5% |
| 1983 | 180.00 million current US$ | -14.3% |
| 1984 | 210.00 million current US$ | +16.7% |
| 1991 | 508.11 million current US$ | +142.0% |
| 1992 | 582.00 million current US$ | +14.5% |
| 1993 | 776.54 million current US$ | +33.4% |
| 1994 | 874.15 million current US$ | +12.6% |
| 1995 | 1.15 billion current US$ | +31.7% |
| 1996 | 500.17 million current US$ | -56.5% |
| 1997 | 614.88 million current US$ | +22.9% |
| 1998 | 553.76 million current US$ | -9.9% |
| 1999 | 566.47 million current US$ | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 773.41 million current US$ | +36.5% |
| 2001 | 1.25 billion current US$ | +61.6% |
| 2002 | 1.13 billion current US$ | -9.8% |
| 2003 | 811.14 million current US$ | -28.0% |
| 2004 | 773.58 million current US$ | -4.6% |
| 2005 | 904.98 million current US$ | +17.0% |
| 2006 | 1.18 billion current US$ | +30.1% |
| 2007 | 1.38 billion current US$ | +17.6% |
| 2008 | 1.73 billion current US$ | +25.2% |
| 2009 | 1.59 billion current US$ | -8.0% |
| 2010 | 1.68 billion current US$ | +5.6% |
| 2011 | 2.13 billion current US$ | +26.6% |
| 2012 | 2.54 billion current US$ | +19.1% |
| 2013 | 2.36 billion current US$ | -6.9% |
| 2014 | 3.73 billion current US$ | +58.0% |
| 2015 | 3.33 billion current US$ | -10.9% |
| 2016 | 3.83 billion current US$ | +15.2% |
| 2017 | 4.44 billion current US$ | +16.0% |
| 2018 | 4.37 billion current US$ | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 4.39 billion current US$ | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 4.89 billion current US$ | +11.4% |
| 2021 | 5.29 billion current US$ | +8.3% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 5.29 billion current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 688.87 million current US$, 7.7× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Japan's 5.29 billion current US$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 453.09 million current US$, 11.7× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 126.67 million current US$ | 90.00 million current US$ | 160.00 million current US$ | 3 |
| 1980s | 186.00 million current US$ | 140.00 million current US$ | 210.00 million current US$ | 5 |
| 1990s | 680.78 million current US$ | 500.17 million current US$ | 1.15 billion current US$ | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.15 billion current US$ | 773.41 million current US$ | 1.73 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.28 billion current US$ | 1.68 billion current US$ | 4.44 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.09 billion current US$ | 4.89 billion current US$ | 5.29 billion current US$ | 2 |
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 personal remittances and foreign aid received in Japan?
- Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Japan was 5.29 billion current US$ in 2021, according to World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 5.29 billion current US$ in 2021.
- What is the lowest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 90.00 million current US$ in 1977.
- How does Japan rank for personal remittances and foreign aid received?
- Japan ranks 31st out of 193 countries with data for 2021.
- Is personal remittances and foreign aid received rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 148.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Personal remittances and foreign aid received. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 39 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Remittances are financial transfers from non-residents to residents of a country, such as a worker abroad sending money to family and friends. Foreign aid is measured as official development assistance. Both are measured in current US$.