Japan — GDP growth
GDP Growth (Annual %) for Japan, 1961–2025.
GDP growth for Japan was 1.19% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 12.88% in 1968. The lowest was -5.94% in 2009 (about -5.0× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -3.55% per year.
Japan ranks 167 of 212 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 79%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 3.62%, so Japan sits below it. It peaked in 1968 and has fallen 91% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 34%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 29 of 36 economies; French Polynesia (1.13%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 1524% in 2003. That is 89% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 6th of 107 in 1961 → 110th of 119 in 1970 → 75th of 152 in 1980 → 55th of 176 in 1990 → 141st of 199 in 2000 → 102nd of 209 in 2010 → 113th of 209 in 2020 → 153rd of 186 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.19% | +1.4 pp |
| 2024 | -0.24% | -1.0 pp |
| 2023 | 0.72% | -0.6 pp |
| 2022 | 1.33% | -2.2 pp |
| 2021 | 3.56% | +7.8 pp |
| 2020 | -4.28% | -4.0 pp |
| 2019 | -0.31% | -1.1 pp |
| 2018 | 0.83% | -0.8 pp |
| 2017 | 1.62% | +0.9 pp |
| 2016 | 0.7% | -1.1 pp |
| 2015 | 1.8% | +0.9 pp |
| 2014 | 0.91% | -1.1 pp |
| 2013 | 2% | +0.3 pp |
| 2012 | 1.65% | +1.8 pp |
| 2011 | -0.2% | -4.3 pp |
| 2010 | 4.14% | +10.1 pp |
| 2009 | -5.94% | -4.8 pp |
| 2008 | -1.17% | -2.9 pp |
| 2007 | 1.73% | +0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 1.55% | -0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 1.85% | -0.3 pp |
| 2004 | 2.11% | +0.7 pp |
| 2003 | 1.38% | +1.3 pp |
| 2002 | 0.08% | -0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 0.28% | -2.7 pp |
| 2000 | 2.98% | +3.3 pp |
| 1999 | -0.35% | +1.4 pp |
| 1998 | -1.77% | -3.1 pp |
| 1997 | 1.36% | -1.7 pp |
| 1996 | 3.08% | +0.7 pp |
| 1995 | 2.34% | +1.3 pp |
| 1994 | 0.99% | +1.5 pp |
| 1993 | -0.52% | -1.4 pp |
| 1992 | 0.85% | -2.6 pp |
| 1991 | 3.42% | -1.5 pp |
| 1990 | 4.89% | +0.0 pp |
| 1989 | 4.86% | -1.9 pp |
| 1988 | 6.79% | +2.1 pp |
| 1987 | 4.73% | +1.4 pp |
| 1986 | 3.33% | -1.9 pp |
| 1985 | 5.23% | +0.7 pp |
| 1984 | 4.5% | +1.0 pp |
| 1983 | 3.52% | +0.2 pp |
| 1982 | 3.31% | -0.9 pp |
| 1981 | 4.21% | +1.4 pp |
| 1980 | 2.82% | -2.7 pp |
| 1979 | 5.48% | +0.2 pp |
| 1978 | 5.27% | +0.9 pp |
| 1977 | 4.39% | +0.4 pp |
| 1976 | 3.97% | +0.9 pp |
| 1975 | 3.09% | +4.3 pp |
| 1974 | -1.23% | -9.3 pp |
| 1973 | 8.03% | -0.4 pp |
| 1972 | 8.41% | +3.7 pp |
| 1971 | 4.7% | +4.3 pp |
| 1970 | 0.4% | -12.1 pp |
| 1969 | 12.48% | -0.4 pp |
| 1968 | 12.88% | +1.8 pp |
| 1967 | 11.08% | +0.4 pp |
| 1966 | 10.64% | +4.8 pp |
| 1965 | 5.82% | -5.9 pp |
| 1964 | 11.68% | +3.2 pp |
| 1963 | 8.47% | -0.4 pp |
| 1962 | 8.91% | -3.1 pp |
| 1961 | 12.04% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Japan’s GDP growth in 1962?
8.91% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Japan’s GDP growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -90.1% in total — about 3.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 1.19%; 2024: -0.24%; 2023: 0.72%; 2022: 1.33%; 2021: 3.56%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG — GDP Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.