Number of R&D researchers per million people in Japan
Japan: Number of R&D researchers per million people 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
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Japan, 1996–2023
Source: UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per million people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of r&d researchers per million people in Japan is 5,609 per million people, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of r&d researchers per million people in Japan peaked at 5,630 per million people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 4,891 per million people, in 2002.
That places Japan 18th out of 103 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Japan, year by year
| 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% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 5,609 per million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 4,601 per million people, 1.2× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- Japan's 5,609 per million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3,338 per million people, 1.7× the median. (14 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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
More science & technology data for Japan
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 178.43 (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.78 units per person (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 221.92 million (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 608.71 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 5.83 % change on previous year (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 5.3 % change on previous year (2023)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 69,686 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 69,686 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of r&d researchers per million people in Japan?
- Number of r&d researchers per million people in Japan was 5,609 per million people in 2023, according to UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 5,630 per million people in 2022.
- What is the lowest number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,891 per million people in 2002.
- How does Japan rank for number of r&d researchers per million people?
- Japan ranks 18th out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of r&d researchers per million people 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 UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of R&D researchers per million people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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