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MacroJapan

Government debt in Japan

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

Japan's government debt is 204.80 % — #125 of 125 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

204.80%

Checked 24 Oct 2026Period 2025

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook (general government gross debt, % of GDP)

The central government owes about 2.0 years' worth of the country's entire economic output.

Government debt in Japan over time

228.80 %135.10 %41.40 %228.80 % · 202041.40 % · 19801980: 41.40 %1981: 45.80 %1982: 50.10 %1983: 55.10 %1984: 56.90 %1985: 59.20 %1986: 64.20 %1987: 65.70 %1988: 62.40 %1989: 56.90 %1990: 54.80 %1991: 54.10 %1992: 57.90 %1993: 63.20 %1994: 73.30 %1995: 80.70 %1996: 85.30 %1997: 91.30 %1998: 101.60 %1999: 113.50 %2000: 118.50 %2001: 126.80 %2002: 134.60 %2003: 140.20 %2004: 148.80 %2005: 153.40 %2006: 152.10 %2007: 150.40 %2008: 153.60 %2009: 172.90 %2010: 178.60 %2011: 190.60 %2012: 197.10 %2013: 201.20 %2014: 203.60 %2015: 200.10 %2016: 202.10 %2017: 203.10 %2018: 203.70 %2019: 206.30 %2020: 228.80 %2021: 222.60 %2022: 228.00 %2023: 220.10 %2024: 213.60 %2025: 204.80 %198020032025204.80 %
46 official observations, 1980 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#125 of 125
lower is better
Ranked behind
0 %
0 of 125 countries
Latest move
▼ 8.80 pp
since 2024
Below its peak
24.00 pp
peak 228.80 % in 2020
Full series
▲ 163.40 pp
since 1980

In Asia: #37 of 37vs median 54.70 %: +150.10 pp (worse)

Among 125 countries

6 of 125 countries between 12.30 % and 17.90 %2 of 125 countries between 17.90 % and 23.49 %10 of 125 countries between 23.49 % and 29.09 %11 of 125 countries between 29.09 % and 34.68 %8 of 125 countries between 34.68 % and 40.28 %9 of 125 countries between 40.28 % and 45.88 %7 of 125 countries between 45.88 % and 51.47 %13 of 125 countries between 51.47 % and 57.07 %8 of 125 countries between 57.07 % and 62.66 %10 of 125 countries between 62.66 % and 68.26 %4 of 125 countries between 68.26 % and 73.85 %3 of 125 countries between 73.85 % and 79.45 %7 of 125 countries between 79.45 % and 85.05 %6 of 125 countries between 85.05 % and 90.64 %2 of 125 countries between 90.64 % and 96.24 %6 of 125 countries between 96.24 % and 101.83 %2 of 125 countries between 101.83 % and 107.43 %1 of 125 countries between 107.43 % and 113.02 %2 of 125 countries between 113.02 % and 118.62 %1 of 125 countries between 124.22 % and 129.81 %2 of 125 countries between 135.41 % and 141.00 %5 of 125 countries between 141.00 % and 146.60 %median 54.70 %Japan: ahead of 0 % of the 125 countries with a published government debtJapan 204.80 % →12.30 %146.60 %
Half of all 125 countries sit between 36.10 % and 81.70 %. Japan is ahead of 0 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs Japan
121 Bahrain144.30 %−60.50 pp
122 Greece146.60 %−58.20 pp
123 Libya153.80 %−51.00 pp
124 Singapore165.70 %−39.10 pp
125 Japan204.80 %—

General government gross debt as a share of GDP (IMF World Economic Outlook, annual).

How to read this figure

Central government debt as a share of GDP (World Bank). General government debt (including local government and social funds) can be meaningfully higher; comparisons across countries are indicative.

Next, about Japan

Debt per personGDP growthInflation rate
Government debt, all countries ranked →Compare Japan with another country →Everything about Japan →
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