Land Area
Russia
17,098,246 km²
Largest
Japan
377,975 km²
2.2% of largest
Russia is 45.24× larger than Japan
Population
Russia
LARGEST
145.9M
PEOPLE
Japan
86.2% OF LARGEST
125.7M
PEOPLE
Russia has 1.16× the population of Japan
GDP
Japan
LARGEST
$4.23T
Russia
53.0% OF LARGEST
$2.24T
Armed Forces
Active Personnel
Russia
LARGEST
900K
TROOPS
Japan
27.5% OF LARGEST
247.15K
TROOPS
Russia has 3.64× the active personnel of Japan
Air Force
Russia
LARGEST
4.17K
AIRCRAFT
Japan
34.7% OF LARGEST
1.45K
AIRCRAFT
Russia has 2.88× the aircraft of Japan
Naval Assets
Russia
Japan
Wealth
Gold Reserves
Russia
LARGEST
2,332.8
Metric Tonnes
Japan
36.3% OF LARGEST
846.0
Metric Tonnes
Foreign-Exchange Reserves
Japan
LARGEST
$1.16T
Reserves · excl. gold
Russia
35.6% OF LARGEST
$413B
Reserves · excl. gold
Billionaires
Russia
MOST
120
billionaires
Japan
34% OF MOST
41
billionaires
Oil
Proven Reserves
Russia
LARGEST
80
Billion barrels
Japan
0.1% OF LARGEST
0.0
Billion barrels
Production & Consumption
Japan
NET IMPORTER
Production
0.0M b/d
Consumption
3.3M b/d
−3.3M b/d net
Russia
NET EXPORTER
Production
10.8M b/d
Consumption
3.7M b/d
+7.1M b/d net
Trade (Import/Export)
Japan
$917.0B
Exports
$917.0B
Imports
$952.0B
Trade Balance
$-35.0B
Trade Deficit
Russia
$476.4B
Exports
$476.4B
Imports
$382.4B
Trade Balance
+$94.0B
Trade Surplus
Drinks per Person
Coffee
kg / person / yr
Japan
consumption
Russia
consumption
Tea
kg / person / yr
Russia
consumption
Japan
consumption
Beer
litres / person / yr
Russia
consumption
Japan
consumption
Wine
litres / person / yr
Russia
consumption
Japan
consumption
Alcohol
litres pure alcohol / person / yr
Russia
consumption
Japan
consumption
Smoking
% of adults 15+ who smoke
Russia
Japan
Per-capita — consumption where available, else FAOSTAT supply · alcohol = litres of pure alcohol; smoking = % of adults 15+ (WHO)
Olympic Medals
Japan
211
Gold
198
Silver
235
Bronze
644
Total Medals
☀ Summer: 544
❄ Winter: 100
Russia
192
Gold
164
Silver
184
Bronze
540
Total Medals
☀ Summer: 422
❄ Winter: 118
Religious Demographics
Religious Distribution
Religious Composition by Country
Japan
Russia
Age Demographics
Median Age
Japan
48.6
YEARS
10
30
50
70
Russia
39.2
YEARS
10
30
50
70
Age Distribution
Population breakdown by age bracket (percentage)
Demographic Insights
Age Gap
Japan is 9.4 years older (median) than Russia
Youth Population
Russia has the highest youth population at 36% (under 30)
Elderly Population
Japan has the highest elderly population at 34.0% (60+)
Global Statistics
| Metric |
Japan
|
Russia
|
|---|---|---|
| Travel & Mobility | ||
| Passport Power visa-free destinations |
193
|
119
|
| Tourist Arrivals per year |
25.1M
|
24.4M
|
| Culture & Prestige | ||
| Nobel Laureates all-time |
29
|
32
|
| 3-Michelin-Star Restaurants current guide |
26
|
0
|
Figures as of 2026. Sources: IMF, EIA/OPEC, Henley Passport Index, UNWTO, Forbes, Michelin Guide, Nobel Foundation.
Cost of Living
|
Metric
All indices use New York City as base (100)
Lower values indicate lower costs.
|
Japan
|
Russia
|
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index |
|
|
| Rent Index |
|
|
| Groceries Index |
|
|
| Restaurant Price Index |
|
|
| Local Purchasing Power |
|
|
| Common Expenses Comparison | ||
| Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant (USD) | $9 | $8 |
| Three-Course Meal for 2 (USD) | $45 | $35 |
| Monthly Rent - City Center (USD) | $1,000 | $600 |
| Monthly Rent - Outside Center (USD) | $650 | $400 |
| Monthly Utilities (USD) | $130 | $85 |
| Internet (60 Mbps, USD) | $35 | $12 |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (USD) | $90 | $25 |
Historical Data
Basic Information
| Metric | Japan | Russia |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 125700000 | 145900000 |
| Area (sq km) | 377975 | 17098246 |
| Capital | Tokyo | Moscow |
| Official Language | Japanese | Russian |
| Currency | Japanese Yen (JPY) | Russian Ruble (RUB) |
| Government Type | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy | Federal semi-presidential republic |
Military Strength
| Metric | Japan | Russia |
|---|---|---|
| Active Personnel | 247,150 | 900,000 |
| Reserve Personnel | 56,000 | 2,000,000 |
| Total Military Personnel | 303,150 | 3,350,000 |
| Defense Budget (USD) | $49,100,000,000 | $154,000,000,000 |
| Tanks | 579 | 12,420 |
| Armored Vehicles | 3,137 | 30,122 |
| Self-Propelled Artillery | 166 | 6,574 |
| Towed Artillery | 492 | 7,571 |
| Rocket Projectors | 99 | 3,391 |
Economy
| Metric | Japan | Russia |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $4,231,100,000,000 | $2,240,400,000,000 |
| GDP Per Capita (USD) | $33,660 | $15,357 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 2.6% | 4.9% |
| GINI Index (Income Inequality) | 32.9 | 37.5 |
| Currency | Japanese Yen (JPY) | Russian Ruble (RUB) |
| Direct Currency Comparison (1 unit of row currency equals X units of column currency) | ||
| Japan Currency | 1.00 (Same) | 2.1522 Stronger |
| Russia Currency | 0.4646 Weaker | 1.00 (Same) |
| USD Base Exchange Rates (All calculations use USD as the base currency) | ||
| Currency | JPY | RUB |
| 1 USD equals | 161.7789 JPY Updated: 2026-06-27 | 75.1676 RUB Updated: 2026-06-27 |
Interesting Comparisons & Trivia
Did You Know?
Russia is 45.2 times larger in area than Japan.
That's a massive difference!
Russia has 1.2 times more people than Japan.
Japan has the highest GDP per capita at $33,660 among the selected countries.
Japan has the largest economy with a GDP of
$4.23 trillion.
Russia has the largest active military personnel with 900,000 troops.
Russia has the largest air force with 4,173 aircraft.
Russia has the largest navy with 605 vessels.
Russia Fact: Russia spans 11 time zones, more than any other country in the world.
Japan vs Russia: Key Comparisons
Economy: Japan's GDP of $4.2T is 1.9x larger than Russia's $2.2T — both among the world's largest economies.
Population: Russia's population of 146M is 1.2x larger than Japan's 126M.
Area: Russia covers 17,098,246 km², making it 45.2x larger than Japan.
Military: Russia fields 900Thousand active troops vs Japan's 250Thousand.
Trade: Japan has a trade deficit of $35B while Russia runs a trade surplus of $94B.
Life Expectancy: Japan leads with a life expectancy of 85 years vs Russia's 73.
Data compiled from World Bank, IMF, Global Firepower, SIPRI, Numbeo, and Pew Research.
Last updated June 2026.
Sources & methodology