Germany vs Japan: Foreign direct investment, net outflows
Foreign direct investment, net outflows over time
- Germany
- Japan
How they compare
Japan currently reports 217.76 billion BoP, current US$ against 108.13 billion BoP, current US$ in Germany, a difference of 109.63 billion BoP, current US$.
That makes Japan's figure about 2.0 times Germany's.
The two have swapped places 13 times across 55 shared years of data; in 1971 it was Germany ahead.
Germany ranks 5th and Japan ranks 2nd of 191 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Germany averaged higher in 3 and Japan in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Germany | Japan | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.58 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.74 billion BoP, current US$ | 841.82 million BoP, current US$ | Germany |
| 1980s | 6.68 billion BoP, current US$ | 14.40 billion BoP, current US$ | 7.73 billion BoP, current US$ | Japan |
| 1990s | 46.15 billion BoP, current US$ | 24.88 billion BoP, current US$ | 21.27 billion BoP, current US$ | Germany |
| 2000s | 80.93 billion BoP, current US$ | 55.68 billion BoP, current US$ | 25.25 billion BoP, current US$ | Germany |
| 2010s | 132.15 billion BoP, current US$ | 151.70 billion BoP, current US$ | 19.55 billion BoP, current US$ | Japan |
| 2020s | 138.53 billion BoP, current US$ | 192.83 billion BoP, current US$ | 54.30 billion BoP, current US$ | Japan |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher foreign direct investment, net outflows, Germany or Japan?
- Japan, at 217.76 billion BoP, current US$ against 108.13 billion BoP, current US$ in Germany as of 2025.
- What is the difference in foreign direct investment, net outflows between Germany and Japan?
- 109.63 billion BoP, current US$, with Japan ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Germany and Japan?
- 55 years are reported by both, from 1971 to 2025.
- How do Germany and Japan rank globally for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Germany ranks 5th and Japan ranks 2nd of 191 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in an economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. Direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. This series shows net outflows of investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world. Data are in current U.S. dollars.