Japan vs France
Side-by-side economic and demographic comparison · 2026 data · Source: IMF & World Bank
Japan and France are the world's fourth and seventh largest economies with different economic structures but similar GDP levels. Japan's economy is manufacturing-heavy (automotive, electronics, robotics), while France balances manufacturing with strong luxury goods, aerospace, and agricultural sectors. Both countries have large government sectors and high levels of government debt, though Japan's (250%+ of GDP) dwarfs France's (110%). Both face aging populations and low fertility rates, creating long-term fiscal pressure on pension and healthcare systems.
Japan has a GDP of $4.46T compared to France's $3.56T, making it 1.3x larger. Japan's population is 124.0M vs France's 68.6M. Across 12 key indicators, France leads in 8 categories. All data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators.
| Indicator |  Japan |  France |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $4.46T✓ | $3.56T |
| GDP per Capita | $36,391 | $51,708✓ |
| GDP Growth (%) | 0.6% | 0.9%✓ |
| GDP per Capita (PPP) | $56,444 | $67,671✓ |
| Population | 124.0M✓ | 68.6M |
| Life Expectancy | 84.0 years✓ | 82.9 years |
| Inflation (%) | 2.1% | 1.5%✓ |
| Unemployment (%) | 2.6%✓ | 7.5% |
| Govt Debt (% GDP) | 226.8% | 119.6%✓ |
| Fertility Rate | 1.2 | 1.7✓ |
| Gini Index | 32.3 | 31.8✓ |
| CO₂ per Capita (t) | 7.8 | 4✓ |
Summary
Japan has a GDP of $4.46T compared to France's $3.56T, making the former economy 1.3x larger. In terms of population, Japan has 124.0M people while France has 68.6M. Across the 12 indicators compared, Japan leads in 4 and France leads in 8.