Japan vs OECD members: Research and development expenditure

Japan
3.4%
in 2023
OECD members
2.9%
in 2023
Japan rank
5th
OECD members rank
3rd

Research and development expenditure over time

  • Japan
  • OECD members
0123199620092023

How they compare

Japan currently reports 3.4% against 2.9% in OECD members, a difference of 0.5%.

That makes Japan's figure about 1.2 times OECD members's.

Across all 28 years both countries report, Japan has been ahead every year.

Japan ranks 5th and OECD members ranks 3rd of 116 countries.

Japan has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Japan OECD members Difference Ahead
1990s 2.8% 2.1% 0.6% Japan
2000s 3.1% 2.2% 0.9% Japan
2010s 3.2% 2.5% 0.7% Japan
2020s 3.3% 2.9% 0.4% Japan

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure, Japan or OECD members?
Japan, at 3.4% against 2.9% in OECD members as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure between Japan and OECD members?
0.5%, with Japan ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and OECD members?
28 years are reported by both, from 1996 to 2023.
How do Japan and OECD members rank globally for research and development expenditure?
Japan ranks 5th and OECD members ranks 3rd of 116 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Research and development expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Japan vs OECD members: Research and development expenditure. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/research-and-development-expenditure-percent-of-gdp/japan/oecd-members/

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About this data

Indicator
Research and development expenditure (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
147 places, 3,092 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

Gross domestic expenditures on research and development (R&D), expressed as a percent of GDP. They include both capital and current expenditures in the four main sectors: Business enterprise, Government, Higher education and Private non-profit. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.