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Armed forces personnel — all countries

Armed forces personnel — Japan

Armed forces personnel in Japan in 2020 — 261,000 people. Ranked 27 in the world out of 170. Since 1985, the indicator has risen by 7.4%.

2020 261,000 people +0% vs 2019
World rank 27of 170
Period maximum 272,000 people2005
Period minimum 233,000 people1994

Trend over time

1985–2020 · people

Armed forces personnel — Japan, 1985–2020230,000240,000250,000260,000270,000280,00019851989199319972001200520092013201720201985: 243,000 people1989: 247,000 people1990: 250,000 people1991: 250,000 people1992: 242,000 people1993: 242,000 people1994: 233,000 people1995: 251,500 people1996: 247,500 people1997: 247,600 people1998: 254,600 people1999: 254,600 people2000: 248,700 people2001: 252,100 people2002: 252,100 people2003: 252,100 people2004: 251,000 people2005: 272,000 people2006: 252,000 people2007: 242,000 people2008: 242,000 people2009: 260,382 people2010: 260,382 people2011: 260,086 people2012: 259,800 people2013: 259,800 people2014: 259,800 people2015: 259,800 people2016: 260,890 people2017: 261,000 people2018: 261,150 people2019: 261,000 people2020: 261,000 people
Change over the period: +18,000 (+7.41%) Average annual rate: 0.2 %

Comparison, 2020

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Japan

Japan 261,000 people
World 27.41M people
East Asia & Pacific 7.91M people
Eastern Asia computed 4.85M people
High-income countries computed 6.77M people
Armed forces personnel — Japan, by year Japan All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2020 261,000 +0 +0%
2019 261,000 −150 −0.06%
2018 261,150 +150 +0.06%
2017 261,000 +110 +0.04%
2016 260,890 +1,090 +0.42%
2015 259,800 +0 +0%
2014 259,800 +0 +0%
2013 259,800 +0 +0%
2012 259,800 −286 −0.11%
2011 260,086 −296 −0.11%
2010 260,382 +0 +0%
2009 260,382 +18,382 +7.6%
2008 242,000 +0 +0%
2007 242,000 −10,000 −3.97%
2006 252,000 −20,000 −7.35%
2005 272,000 +21,000 +8.37%
2004 251,000 −1,100 −0.44%
2003 252,100 +0 +0%
2002 252,100 +0 +0%
2001 252,100 +3,400 +1.37%
2000 248,700 −5,900 −2.32%
1999 254,600 +0 +0%
1998 254,600 +7,000 +2.83%
1997 247,600 +100 +0.04%
1996 247,500 −4,000 −1.59%
1995 251,500 +18,500 +7.94%
1994 233,000 −9,000 −3.72%
1993 242,000 +0 +0%
1992 242,000 −8,000 −3.2%
1991 250,000 +0 +0%
1990 250,000 +3,000 +1.21%
1989 247,000 — —
1985 243,000 — —

Eastern Asia, 2020

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

CN China 2.54M KP North Korea 1.47M KR South Korea 569,000 JP Japan 261,000 MN Mongolia 18,000
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

The total number of active military personnel: all branches of the armed forces, as well as paramilitary forces if their training, structure and equipment allow them to be used in support of the regular forces. Reservists are not counted. Estimates of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

Source: Military Expenditure Database (SIPRI), license SIPRI terms of use.

Other indicators for Japan

Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

Japan by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

Japan by year Demography Population

Resident population of every country as of mid-year — series from 1960 onward.

Japan by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

Japan by year Defense Arms exports

Transfers of major conventional weapons abroad, in SIPRI trend-indicator values (TIV).

Japan by year Defense Arms imports

Purchases of major conventional weapons abroad.

Japan by year
All indicators for Japan