The following is a comparison between Japan and South Korea, two developed countries in East Asia. Let’s read.
Japan and South Korea – country comparison
Flags
GDP
• Japan has a larger GDP, while South Korea has a higher GDP per capita.
| 2025 (IMF) | Japan | South Korea |
|---|
| Currency | Japanese Yen | South Korean won |
| GDP (nominal, USD) | $4.44 trillion | $1.87 trillion |
| GDP per capita (nominal, USD) | $35.97 thousand | $36.23 thousand |
| GDP (PPP, international $) | $7.01 trillion | $3.38 trillion |
| GDP per capita (PPP, international $) | $56.85 thousand | $65.4 thousand |
Population
| 2025 estimate | Japan | South Korea |
|---|
| Population | 123.1 million | 51.7 million |
| Population aged 0-14 | 11% | 10% |
| Population aged 15-64 | 59% | 69.7% |
| Population aged 65 and older | 30% | 20.2% |
| Total fertility rate, per woman | 1.2 | 0.8 |
Life
| Japan | South Korea |
|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (2023/UN) | 84.71 | 84.33 |
| Human Development Index rank (2023) | 23rd | 20th |
| Human Development Index value | 0.925 | 0.937 |
Top 3 largest cities by population
| Rank | Japan | South Korea |
|---|
| 1 | Tokyo | Seoul |
| 2 | Yokohama | Busan |
| 3 | Osaka | Incheon |
Overview
• Japan is a larger country. It is more than 3.7 times larger than South Korea.
• Japan has a larger population compared to South Korea. However, South Korea is more densely populated.
| Japan | South Korea (Republic of Korea) |
|---|
| Area | approximately 378,000 sq km | approximately 100,350 sq km |
| Population | 123.1 million (2025 estimate) | 51.7 million (2025 estimate) |
| Capital city | Tokyo | Seoul |
| Largest city | Tokyo | Seoul |
| Largest metropolitan area | Greater Tokyo Area | Seoul Capital Area |
| Most spoken language | Japanese | Korean |
| Most popular sport | Baseball | Baseball and football (soccer) |
| National tree | Cherry blossom | Korean red pine |
| National bird | Green pheasant | Korean magpie |
| National animal | – | Tiger |
(Also read: 10 interesting facts about Japan)
Geography
| Japan | South Korea |
|---|
| Continent | Asia | Asia |
| Forest cover (2023) | 68.4% | 64.1% |
| Total number of time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Highest mountain | Mount Fuji (3,776 m/12,388 ft) | Hallasan (1,947 m/6,388 ft) |
| Major rivers | Shinano River, Tone River, Ishikari River, Teshio River, Kitakami River, etc. | Nakdong River, Geum River, Yeongsan River, Han River, Seomjin River, etc. |
| Number of islands | over 14,000 | over 3,300 |
| Largest island | Honshu Island | Jeju Island |
Tourism
| Japan | South Korea |
|---|
| International tourist arrivals | 36.9 million (2024) | 16.4 million (2024) |
| Number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites | 26 | 17 |
| Popular places to visit | Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Mount Fuji, Sapporo, Okinawa, etc. | Seoul, Busan, Jeju Island, Incheon, Gyeongju, Andong, etc. |
| Busiest airport | Haneda Airport, Tokyo | Incheon International Airport |
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