R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel in Japan

Japan: R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel was 1.32 million Persons in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
1.32 million Persons
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
1st
of 30 countries
All-time high
1.33 million Persons
in 2022
All-time low
1.03 million Persons
in 2002
Years of data
24
2001–2024

R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel in Japan, 2001–2024

0500.0k1.0M1.5M2001201220242001: 1.1M Persons2002: 1.0M Persons2003: 1.1M Persons2004: 1.1M Persons2005: 1.1M Persons2006: 1.1M Persons2007: 1.2M Persons2008: 1.2M Persons2009: 1.2M Persons2010: 1.2M Persons2011: 1.1M Persons2012: 1.1M Persons2013: 1.1M Persons2014: 1.2M Persons2015: 1.2M Persons2016: 1.2M Persons2017: 1.2M Persons2018: 1.2M Persons2019: 1.2M Persons2020: 1.2M Persons2021: 1.3M Persons2022: 1.3M Persons2023: 1.3M Persons2024: 1.3M Persons

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.

Analysis

In 2024, r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel in Japan stood at 1.32 million Persons.

That represents a change of up 1.1% on the previous year and up 11.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel in Japan peaked at 1.33 million Persons in 2022 and was at its lowest, 1.03 million Persons, in 2002.

That places Japan 1st out of 30 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.

R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel in Japan, year by year

Annual values for R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel (total economy) in Japan, 2001 to 2024.
Year Persons Change
2001 1.05 million Persons
2002 1.03 million Persons -1.7%
2003 1.08 million Persons +4.7%
2004 1.10 million Persons +1.4%
2005 1.12 million Persons +2.4%
2006 1.15 million Persons +2.3%
2007 1.16 million Persons +0.8%
2008 1.16 million Persons +0.2%
2009 1.15 million Persons -0.6%
2010 1.16 million Persons +0.6%
2011 1.15 million Persons -1.2%
2012 1.13 million Persons -1.1%
2013 1.14 million Persons +0.7%
2014 1.19 million Persons +4.3%
2015 1.18 million Persons -0.6%
2016 1.18 million Persons -0.1%
2017 1.20 million Persons +1.6%
2018 1.21 million Persons +0.8%
2019 1.22 million Persons +1.1%
2020 1.23 million Persons +0.7%
2021 1.28 million Persons +4.3%
2022 1.33 million Persons +3.6%
2023 1.30 million Persons -1.9%
2024 1.32 million Persons +1.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 1.11 million Persons 1.03 million Persons 1.16 million Persons 9
2010s 1.18 million Persons 1.13 million Persons 1.22 million Persons 10
2020s 1.29 million Persons 1.23 million Persons 1.33 million Persons 5

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 2 Germany 1.17 million Persons compare
  2. 3 Russian Federation 679,333 Persons compare
  3. 3 United Kingdom 739,816 Persons compare
  4. 4 France 678,466 Persons compare
  5. 4 Türkiye 418,603 Persons compare

See the full ranking of 42 places →

More reference data data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel in Japan?
R&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel in Japan was 1.32 million Persons in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 1.33 million Persons in 2022.
What is the lowest r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 1.03 million Persons in 2002.
How does Japan rank for r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel?
Japan ranks 1st out of 30 countries with data for 2024.
Is r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is up 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel (total economy). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/r-and-d-personnel-by-sector-of-performance-and-function-r-and-d-personnel-total-economy/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel (total economy)
Unit
Persons
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
42 places, 1,049 data points, 1981–2024
Last refreshed

This table contains research and development (R&D) personnel statistics. Number of R&D personnel is provided in both headcounts and full-time equivalent on R&D by sex, sector of employment (business enterprise, government, higher education, and private non-profit) and by function (researchers, technicians and other support staff).