Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Belgium fits inside Japan 12 times.
Belgium: 30,689 km² (2023) · Japan: 377,969 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Japan’s coastline is 447 times as long as Belgium’s.
Belgium: 67 km (2026 edition) · Japan: 29,751 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Japan’s highest peak towers 3,082 m above Belgium’s.
Belgium: 694 m (2026 edition) · Japan: 3,776 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Japan has 10 times as many people as Belgium.
Belgium: 11.9 million (2025) · Japan: 123 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Belgium is 16% more densely populated than Japan.
Belgium: 392 per km² (2025) · Japan: 338 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Belgium are 7.0 cm taller than in Japan.
Belgium: 179.1 cm (2019) · Japan: 172.1 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Belgium are 4.9 cm taller than in Japan.
Belgium: 163.4 cm (2019) · Japan: 158.5 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Japan is 7.5 years older than in Belgium.
Belgium: 41.4 years (2023) · Japan: 49 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Belgium have 0.3 more children on average than in Japan.
Belgium: 1.44 children per woman (2024) · Japan: 1.15 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
30% of people in Japan are 65 or older, versus 21% in Belgium.
Belgium: 21% (2025) · Japan: 30% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Belgium has produced 7.5 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Japan 2.4.
Belgium: 7.5 (2025) · Japan: 2.4 (2025)
How many official languages?
Belgium has 3 official languages, Japan 1.
Belgium: 3 (2026) · Japan: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Japan’s economy is 6.1 times the size of Belgium’s.
Belgium: $725 billion (2025) · Japan: $4.44 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Belgium produces 35% more per person than Japan.
Belgium: Int$74,676 (2025) · Japan: Int$55,422 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Japan than in Belgium (Gini 5.5 points higher).
Belgium: 26.8 (2023) · Japan: 32.3 (2020)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 5.9% in Belgium, versus 2.5% in Japan.
Belgium: 5.9% (2025) · Japan: 2.5% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Japan and Belgium are practically level.
Belgium: 1.3% (2024) · Japan: 1.4% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Belgium’s price level (US = 100) is 1.3× Japan’s.
Belgium: 81% (2025) · Japan: 65% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Belgium spends 63% more on health per person than Japan.
Belgium: $5,931 (2023) · Japan: $3,638 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Japan live 1.7 years longer than in Belgium.
Belgium: 82.3 years (2024) · Japan: 84 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Belgium is 72% more likely to die before turning one than in Japan.
Belgium: 3.1 per 1,000 (2024) · Japan: 1.8 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Belgium has 35% more doctors per person than Japan.
Belgium: 3.6 per 1,000 (2022) · Japan: 2.6 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
23% of adults in Belgium are obese, versus 5.2% in Japan.
Belgium: 22.9% (2024) · Japan: 5.2% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
24% of adults in Belgium smoke, versus 18% in Japan.
Belgium: 23.5% (2024) · Japan: 17.5% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Belgium rate their lives 0.80 points higher than in Japan.
Belgium: 6.93 (2025) · Japan: 6.13 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Belgium drink 52% more alcohol than in Japan.
Belgium: 9.5 litres (2023) · Japan: 6.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Belgium and Japan are nearly identical here.
Belgium: 60 kg (2023) · Japan: 59.9 kg (2022)
How much food is there per day?
Belgium has 1,251 kcal more food per person per day than Japan.
Belgium: 3,921 kcal (2023) · Japan: 2,670 kcal (2022)
How long do people work?
Workers in Japan put in 61 more hours a year than in Belgium.
Belgium: 1,593 hours (2023) · Japan: 1,654 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Belgium and Japan are practically level.
Belgium: 12.7 years (2023) · Japan: 12.7 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Belgium welcomed 2.7 times as many tourists per resident as Japan (2019).
Belgium: 0.81 (2024) · Japan: 0.3 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
96% of people in Belgium are online, versus 86% in Japan.
Belgium: 96% (2024) · Japan: 86% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Belgium and Japan are practically level.
Belgium: 100% (2024) · Japan: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
92% of people in Japan live in cities, versus 88% in Belgium.
Belgium: 88% (2025) · Japan: 92% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Japan has 178 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Belgium 104.
Belgium: 104 (2024) · Japan: 178 (2023)
How much railway is there?
Japan’s railway network is 5.6 times as long as Belgium’s.
Belgium: 3,612 km (2021) · Japan: 20,087 km (2011)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Japan fly 2% more passengers per resident than those from Belgium.
Belgium: 0.95 (2023) · Japan: 0.98 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 68% of Japan, but only 23% of Belgium.
Belgium: 22.6% (2023) · Japan: 68.4% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Japan emits 7% more CO₂ than someone in Belgium.
Belgium: 7.3 t (2024) · Japan: 7.8 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
39% of Belgium’s electricity is renewable, versus 24% in Japan.
Belgium: 38.9% (2025) · Japan: 23.6% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in Japan carries 13% more fine dust than in Belgium.
Belgium: 9.3 µg/m³ (2024) · Japan: 10.5 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 4.7 times as likely to be murdered in Belgium as in Japan.
Belgium: 1.1 per 100k (2021) · Japan: 0.2 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Belgium are 70% deadlier than in Japan.
Belgium: 4.6 per 100k (2021) · Japan: 2.7 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Japan is on average 1.7 °C warmer than Belgium.
Belgium: 11°C (2016–2025 avg) · Japan: 12.8°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Japan gets 2 times as much rain as Belgium.
Belgium: 928 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Japan: 1,824 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Belgium bigger than Japan?
Japan is larger. Belgium fits inside Japan 12 times.
Which has more people, Belgium or Japan?
Japan has 10 times as many people as Belgium (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Belgium or Japan?
People in Japan live 1.7 years longer than in Belgium. Life expectancy at birth is 82.3 years in Belgium and 84.0 in Japan.
Are people taller in Belgium or Japan?
Men in Belgium are 7.0 cm taller than in Japan (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
