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MacroJapan

Government debt in Japan

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

Japan's government debt is 206.50 % — #124 of 124 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

206.50%

Checked 8 Sept 2026Period 2025

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

The central government owes about 2.1 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: 222.70 %2022: 227.80 %2023: 220.30 %2024: 214.50 %2025: 206.50 %198020032025206.50 %
46 official observations, 1980 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#124 of 124
lower is better
Ranked behind
0 %
0 of 124 countries
Latest move
▼ 8.00 pp
since 2024
Below its peak
22.30 pp
peak 228.80 % in 2020
Full series
▲ 165.10 pp
since 1980

In Asia: #37 of 37vs median 54.55 %: +151.95 pp (worse)

Among 124 countries

5 of 124 countries between 12.30 % and 17.86 %4 of 124 countries between 17.86 % and 23.42 %9 of 124 countries between 23.42 % and 28.97 %9 of 124 countries between 28.97 % and 34.53 %9 of 124 countries between 34.53 % and 40.09 %11 of 124 countries between 40.09 % and 45.65 %8 of 124 countries between 45.65 % and 51.21 %11 of 124 countries between 51.21 % and 56.77 %8 of 124 countries between 56.77 % and 62.32 %7 of 124 countries between 62.32 % and 67.88 %6 of 124 countries between 67.88 % and 73.44 %5 of 124 countries between 73.44 % and 79.00 %6 of 124 countries between 79.00 % and 84.56 %7 of 124 countries between 84.56 % and 90.12 %2 of 124 countries between 90.12 % and 95.67 %3 of 124 countries between 95.67 % and 101.23 %4 of 124 countries between 101.23 % and 106.79 %1 of 124 countries between 106.79 % and 112.35 %2 of 124 countries between 112.35 % and 117.91 %1 of 124 countries between 123.47 % and 129.02 %2 of 124 countries between 134.58 % and 140.14 %4 of 124 countries between 140.14 % and 145.70 %median 54.40 %Japan: ahead of 0 % of the 124 countries with a published government debtJapan 206.50 % →12.30 %145.70 %
Half of all 124 countries sit between 36.00 % and 80.30 %. 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
120 Lebanon139.40 %−67.10 pp
121 Greece145.70 %−60.80 pp
122 Bahrain147.60 %−58.90 pp
123 Singapore171.30 %−35.20 pp
124 Japan206.50 %—

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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