Researchers in R&D in Japan

Japan: Researchers in R&D was 5,609 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
5,609 per million people
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
18th
of 103 countries
All-time high
5,630 per million people
in 2022
All-time low
4,891 per million people
in 2002
Years of data
28
1996–2023

Researchers in R&D in Japan, 1996–2023

02.0k4.0k6.0k1996200920231996: 4.9k per million people1997: 5.0k per million people1998: 5.2k per million people1999: 5.2k per million people2000: 5.1k per million people2001: 5.1k per million people2002: 4.9k per million people2003: 5.1k per million people2004: 5.1k per million people2005: 5.3k per million people2006: 5.4k per million people2007: 5.3k per million people2008: 5.1k per million people2009: 5.1k per million people2010: 5.1k per million people2011: 5.1k per million people2012: 5.0k per million people2013: 5.2k per million people2014: 5.4k per million people2015: 5.2k per million people2016: 5.2k per million people2017: 5.3k per million people2018: 5.3k per million people2019: 5.4k per million people2020: 5.5k per million people2021: 5.6k per million people2022: 5.6k per million people2023: 5.6k per million people

Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in per million people.

Analysis

In 2023, researchers in r&d in Japan stood at 5,609 per million people.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 8.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, researchers in r&d in Japan peaked at 5,630 per million people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 4,891 per million people, in 2002.

Japan ranks 18th of 103 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.

Researchers in R&D in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Researchers in R&D (per million people) in Japan, 1996 to 2023.
Year per million people Change
1996 4,906 per million people
1997 4,959 per million people +1.1%
1998 5,164 per million people +4.1%
1999 5,201 per million people +0.7%
2000 5,102 per million people -1.9%
2001 5,136 per million people +0.7%
2002 4,891 per million people -4.8%
2003 5,113 per million people +4.5%
2004 5,117 per million people +0.1%
2005 5,322 per million people +4.0%
2006 5,353 per million people +0.6%
2007 5,344 per million people -0.2%
2008 5,125 per million people -4.1%
2009 5,114 per million people -0.2%
2010 5,117 per million people +0.1%
2011 5,123 per million people +0.1%
2012 5,049 per million people -1.5%
2013 5,167 per million people +2.3%
2014 5,352 per million people +3.6%
2015 5,198 per million people -2.9%
2016 5,233 per million people +0.7%
2017 5,320 per million people +1.7%
2018 5,340 per million people +0.4%
2019 5,376 per million people +0.7%
2020 5,450 per million people +1.4%
2021 5,590 per million people +2.6%
2022 5,630 per million people +0.7%
2023 5,609 per million people -0.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 5,058 per million people 4,906 per million people 5,201 per million people 4
2000s 5,162 per million people 4,891 per million people 5,353 per million people 10
2010s 5,227 per million people 5,049 per million people 5,376 per million people 10
2020s 5,570 per million people 5,450 per million people 5,630 per million people 4

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 15 Ireland 5,753 per million people compare
  2. 16 Canada 5,624 per million people compare
  3. 17 Slovenia 5,616 per million people compare
  4. 19 New Zealand 5,435 per million people compare
  5. 20 France 5,369 per million people compare
  6. 21 Luxembourg 5,359 per million people compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More science & technology data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is researchers in r&d in Japan?
Researchers in r&d in Japan was 5,609 per million people in 2023, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest researchers in r&d recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 5,630 per million people in 2022.
What is the lowest researchers in r&d recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 4,891 per million people in 2002.
How does Japan rank for researchers in r&d?
Japan ranks 18th out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
Is researchers in r&d rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Researchers in R&D (per million people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Researchers in R&D in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/researchers-in-r-and-d-per-million-people/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Researchers in R&D (per million people)
Unit
per million people
Source
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
128 places, 2,361 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

The number of researchers engaged in Research &Development (R&D), expressed as per million. Researchers are professionals who conduct research and improve or develop concepts, theories, models techniques instrumentation, software of operational methods. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.