UK vs Japan: GDP, economic growth and unemployment compared
IMF figures for 2025 put the UK's GDP at $4.01 trillion, lower than Japan's $4.45 trillion. On IMF figures, the UK's GDP growth rate in 2025 was 1.2%; Japan's was 1.2%. In 2025 the IMF gives 4.9% for the UK's unemployment rate and 2.5% for Japan.
GDP, current prices
IMF figures for 2025 put the UK's GDP at $4.01 trillion, lower than Japan's $4.45 trillion. The UK's figure was not higher than Japan's in any year from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | UK | Japan |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4.01 trillion | $4.45 trillion |
| 2024 | $3.71 trillion | $4.21 trillion |
| 2023 | $3.44 trillion | $4.39 trillion |
| 2022 | $3.20 trillion | $4.44 trillion |
| 2021 | $3.21 trillion | $5.23 trillion |
| 2020 | $2.73 trillion | $5.19 trillion |
| 2019 | $2.89 trillion | $5.25 trillion |
| 2018 | $2.91 trillion | $5.15 trillion |
| 2017 | $2.71 trillion | $5.04 trillion |
| 2016 | $2.72 trillion | $5.11 trillion |
| 2015 | $2.95 trillion | $4.53 trillion |
The IMF's GDP in US dollars is the value of all goods and services produced in a country in a calendar year, at that year's prices, converted from the national currency into US dollars at market exchange rates.
Real GDP growth
On IMF figures, the UK's GDP growth rate in 2025 was 1.2%; Japan's was 1.2%. From 2015 to 2025 the UK's figure was the higher of the two in 8 of 11 years.
| Year | UK | Japan |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.2% | 1.2% |
| 2024 | 1.1% | 0.1% |
| 2023 | 0.4% | 0.9% |
| 2022 | 5.0% | 1.2% |
| 2021 | 8.5% | 3.6% |
| 2020 | minus 10.0% | minus 4.3% |
| 2019 | 1.4% | minus 0.3% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | 0.8% |
| 2017 | 3.3% | 1.6% |
| 2016 | 2.2% | 0.7% |
| 2015 | 2.2% | 1.8% |
The IMF's real GDP growth is the percentage change in gross domestic product at constant prices, for a calendar year compared with the year before.
Unemployment rate
In 2025 the IMF gives 4.9% for the UK's unemployment rate and 2.5% for Japan. The UK's figure was higher than Japan's in every year from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | UK | Japan |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.9% | 2.5% |
| 2024 | 4.3% | 2.5% |
| 2023 | 4.1% | 2.6% |
| 2022 | 3.8% | 2.6% |
| 2021 | 4.6% | 2.8% |
| 2020 | 4.6% | 2.8% |
| 2019 | 3.8% | 2.4% |
| 2018 | 4.1% | 2.4% |
| 2017 | 4.4% | 2.8% |
| 2016 | 4.9% | 3.1% |
| 2015 | 5.4% | 3.4% |
The IMF's unemployment rate is the number of unemployed people as a percentage of the labour force, averaged over the calendar year.
More figures for the UK and Japan
| Figure | UK | Japan | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GDP per head, purchasing power parity | $65,758 | $57,043 | 2025 | IMF |
| Inflation, average consumer prices | 3.4% | 3.2% | 2025 | IMF |
| General government gross debt | 102.1% of GDP | 204.8% of GDP | 2025 | IMF |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.4 years | 84.0 years | 2024 | World Bank |
| Total tax revenue | 35.0% of GDP | 33.7% of GDP | 2023 | OECD |
| Current health expenditure | 11.4% of GDP | 10.1% of GDP | 2025 | OECD |
| General government expenditure | 43.5% of GDP | 37.0% of GDP | 2025 | IMF |
| Employment rate, ages 15 to 64 | 75.1% | 80.1% | 2025 | OECD |
| Real minimum wage per hour | $17.13 an hour | $10.37 an hour | 2025 | OECD |
| Carbon dioxide emissions per person | 4.22 tonnes | 7.84 tonnes | 2024 | World Bank |
| Gross domestic spending on research and development | 2.8% of GDP | 3.4% of GDP | 2023 | OECD |
| Price-to-income ratio, standardised | 115.7 (100 = long-term average) | 87.7 (100 = long-term average) | 2025 | OECD |
Figures are the international body's, for a year both countries share; they can differ from those published by the ONS because they are adjusted for comparison.
Ranked tables with the UK and Japan
- UK unemployment compared with the G7
- UK GDP growth compared with the G7
- UK GDP compared with other countries
More about Japan: Japan in figures. Compare any two countries with the country comparison tool.
Sources and receipts
- International Monetary Fund: World Economic Outlook database (IMF DataMapper)read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
7294ac0b3013e39b…· publisher's page - International Monetary Fund: World Economic Outlook database (IMF DataMapper)read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
5200170b0f19f025…· publisher's page - International Monetary Fund: World Economic Outlook database (IMF DataMapper)read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
26869cca52f939f4…· publisher's page
No view is given on whether a figure is high or low. Report an error.