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 $4.38T compared to France's $3.60T, making it 1.2x larger. Japan's population is 123.4M vs France's 68.7M. 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) | $4.38T✓ | $3.60T |
| GDP per Capita | $35,703 | $52,083✓ |
| GDP Growth (%) | 0.7% | 0.9%✓ |
| GDP per Capita (PPP) | $59,207 | $68,567✓ |
| Population | 123.4M✓ | 68.7M |
| Life Expectancy | 84.0 years✓ | 83.0 years |
| Inflation (%) | 2.2% | 1.8%✓ |
| Unemployment (%) | 2.5%✓ | 7.9% |
| Govt Debt (% GDP) | 204.4% | 118.4%✓ |
| Fertility Rate | 1.1 | 1.6✓ |
| Gini Index | 32.3 | 31.8✓ |
| CO₂ per Capita (t) | 7.8 | 4✓ |
Summary
Japan has a GDP of $4.38T compared to France's $3.60T, making the former economy 1.2x larger. In terms of population, Japan has 123.4M people while France has 68.7M. Across the 12 indicators compared, Japan leads in 4 and France leads in 8.
Why sources report different numbers
The IMF, World Bank and United Nations each publish these series on their own release schedule. Where their figures differ, the reason is usually visible in the reference year rather than in the methodology.
| Source | Japan | France |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $4.38T2026 | $3.60T2026 |
| World Bank | $4.44T2025 | $3.37T2025 |
| United Nations | $4.03T2024 | $3.16T2024 |
These are not the same reference year. IMF publishes 2026 and United Nations publishes 2024 — each is the latest that publisher has released, on its own schedule. A figure for a year still in progress is a projection rather than an outturn. Japan spans about 10% across 1 year; France spans about 14% across 2 years.
| Source | Japan | France |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $35,7032026 | $52,0832026 |
| World Bank | $35,9512025 | $48,9862025 |
| United Nations | $32,5342024 | $45,9502024 |
These are not the same reference year. IMF publishes 2026 and United Nations publishes 2024 — each is the latest that publisher has released, on its own schedule. A figure for a year still in progress is a projection rather than an outturn. Japan spans about 11% across 1 year; France spans about 13% across 2 years.
Figures are reproduced as published by each source, converted to a common unit, with each publisher's own reference year shown. Differences are described, not adjudicated — no source is presented as more correct than another.