Comparing China and Japan by economy

China and Japan are among the world's five largest national economies. As of 2026, China and Japan rank 2nd and 4th, respectively, among the world's largest national economies on a nominal GDP basis. On a PPP basis, China ranks 1st, while Japan ranks 5th. Together, the two countries account for 19.98% of the world's total GDP in nominal terms and 23.14% on a PPP basis.

Both countries together account for 56% of Asia's nominal GDP and 46.6% of its GDP at PPP.

In 1960, China's nominal GDP was higher than Japan's; thereafter, Japan took the lead and remained ahead until 2009. In PPP terms, Japan was ahead of China until 1998. In 2026, China's GDP of $20,852 billion is 4.76 times that of Japan, at $4,379 billion. On a PPP basis, China's GDP of Int. $44,295 billion is 6.10 times Japan's Int. $7,262 billion. The ratio was highest in 1993, when Japan's GDP was 10.37 times that of China.

Japan's GDP per capita is 2.40 and 1.87 times higher than China's in nominal and PPP terms, respectively. In nominal terms, China and Japan rank 77th and 43rd, respectively, in the world. On a PPP basis, China ranks 78th, while Japan ranks 39th.

With GDP growth of 4.96% in 2026, China is growing economically much faster than Japan, which is projected to grow by 1.19%. China's GDP growth rate has remained higher than Japan's since 1991. China recorded its highest GDP growth rate of 19.30% in 1970 and its lowest of -27.27% in 1961. Japan reached an all-time high of 12.88% in 1968 and a record low of -5.94% in 2009. From 1961 to 2024, China recorded GDP growth of more than 10% in 22 years, compared with just six years for Japan. GDP growth was negative in five years for China and ten years for Japan.