Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Japan is 25% bigger than Italy.
Italy: 302,070 km² (2023) · Japan: 377,969 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Japan’s coastline is 3.9 times as long as Italy’s.
Italy: 7,600 km (2026 edition) · Japan: 29,751 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Italy’s highest peak towers 972 m above Japan’s.
Italy: 4,748 m (2026 edition) · Japan: 3,776 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Japan has 2.1 times as many people as Italy.
Italy: 58.9 million (2025) · Japan: 123 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Japan is 70% more densely populated than Italy.
Italy: 199 per km² (2025) · Japan: 338 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Italy are 2.4 cm taller than in Japan.
Italy: 174.4 cm (2019) · Japan: 172.1 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Italy are 3.3 cm taller than in Japan.
Italy: 161.8 cm (2019) · Japan: 158.5 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Japan is 1.5 years older than in Italy.
Italy: 47.5 years (2023) · Japan: 49 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Italy have 0.0 more children on average than in Japan.
Italy: 1.18 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 25% in Italy.
Italy: 25.1% (2025) · Japan: 30% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Italy has produced 3.4 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Japan 2.4.
Italy: 3.4 (2025) · Japan: 2.4 (2025)
How many official languages?
Italy and Japan are practically level.
Italy: 1 (2026) · Japan: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Japan’s economy is 74% larger than Italy’s.
Italy: $2.55 trillion (2025) · Japan: $4.44 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Italy produces 13% more per person than Japan.
Italy: Int$62,803 (2025) · Japan: Int$55,422 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Italy than in Japan (Gini 2 points higher).
Italy: 34.3 (2023) · Japan: 32.3 (2020)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 6.4% in Italy, versus 2.5% in Japan.
Italy: 6.4% (2025) · Japan: 2.5% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Italy and Japan are practically level.
Italy: 1.6% (2024) · Japan: 1.4% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Italy’s price level (US = 100) is 1.1× Japan’s.
Italy: 69% (2025) · Japan: 65% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Japan spends 7% more on health per person than Italy.
Italy: $3,398 (2024) · Japan: $3,638 (2023)
How long do people live?
Japan and Italy are practically level.
Italy: 84 years (2024) · Japan: 84 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Italy is 28% more likely to die before turning one than in Japan.
Italy: 2.3 per 1,000 (2024) · Japan: 1.8 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Italy has 58% more doctors per person than Japan.
Italy: 4.2 per 1,000 (2022) · Japan: 2.6 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
18% of adults in Italy are obese, versus 5.2% in Japan.
Italy: 17.9% (2024) · Japan: 5.2% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
22% of adults in Italy smoke, versus 18% in Japan.
Italy: 22.4% (2024) · Japan: 17.5% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Italy rate their lives 0.44 points higher than in Japan.
Italy: 6.57 (2025) · Japan: 6.13 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Italy drink 35% more alcohol than in Japan.
Italy: 8.4 litres (2023) · Japan: 6.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Italy has 19% more meat per person than Japan.
Italy: 71.2 kg (2023) · Japan: 59.9 kg (2022)
How much food is there per day?
Italy has 1,083 kcal more food per person per day than Japan.
Italy: 3,753 kcal (2023) · Japan: 2,670 kcal (2022)
How long do people work?
Workers in Italy put in 48 more hours a year than in Japan.
Italy: 1,701 hours (2023) · Japan: 1,654 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Japan went to school 1.9 years longer than in Italy.
Italy: 10.8 years (2023) · Japan: 12.7 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Italy welcomed 3.3 times as many tourists per resident as Japan (2019).
Italy: 0.98 (2024) · Japan: 0.3 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
89% of people in Italy are online, versus 86% in Japan.
Italy: 89% (2024) · Japan: 86% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Italy and Japan are practically level.
Italy: 100% (2024) · Japan: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
92% of people in Japan live in cities, versus 70% in Italy.
Italy: 70% (2025) · Japan: 92% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Japan has 178 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Italy 133.
Italy: 133 (2024) · Japan: 178 (2023)
How much railway is there?
Japan’s railway network is 16% longer than Italy’s.
Italy: 17,305 km (2021) · Japan: 20,087 km (2011)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Japan fly 2.8 times as many passengers per resident as those from Italy.
Italy: 0.34 (2023) · Japan: 0.98 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 68% of Japan, but only 33% of Italy.
Italy: 32.9% (2023) · Japan: 68.4% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Japan emits 53% more CO₂ than someone in Italy.
Italy: 5.1 t (2024) · Japan: 7.8 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
49% of Italy’s electricity is renewable, versus 24% in Japan.
Italy: 48.8% (2025) · Japan: 23.6% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in Italy carries 45% more fine dust than in Japan.
Italy: 15.2 µg/m³ (2024) · Japan: 10.5 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 2.5 times as likely to be murdered in Italy as in Japan.
Italy: 0.6 per 100k (2023) · Japan: 0.2 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Italy are 85% deadlier than in Japan.
Italy: 5 per 100k (2021) · Japan: 2.7 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Italy is on average 1.1 °C warmer than Japan.
Italy: 13.9°C (2016–2025 avg) · Japan: 12.8°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Japan gets 77% more rain than Italy.
Italy: 1,030 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Japan: 1,824 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Italy bigger than Japan?
Japan is larger. Japan is 25% bigger than Italy.
Which has more people, Italy or Japan?
Japan has 2.1 times as many people as Italy (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Italy or Japan?
Japan and Italy are practically level. Life expectancy at birth is 84.0 years in Italy and 84.0 in Japan.
Are people taller in Italy or Japan?
Men in Italy are 2.4 cm taller than in Japan (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
