Japan vs South Korea: General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU)
General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU) over time
- Japan
- South Korea
How they compare
South Korea currently reports 470.02 trillion current LCU against 127.76 trillion current LCU in Japan, a difference of 342.26 trillion current LCU.
That makes South Korea's figure about 3.7 times Japan's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 55 shared years of data; in 1970 it was Japan ahead.
Japan ranks 7th and South Korea ranks 4th of 187 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Japan averaged higher in 3 and South Korea in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Japan | South Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 20.53 trillion current LCU | 1.27 trillion current LCU | 19.26 trillion current LCU | Japan |
| 1980s | 46.75 trillion current LCU | 9.71 trillion current LCU | 37.04 trillion current LCU | Japan |
| 1990s | 75.59 trillion current LCU | 42.98 trillion current LCU | 32.61 trillion current LCU | Japan |
| 2000s | 93.20 trillion current LCU | 119.83 trillion current LCU | 26.63 trillion current LCU | South Korea |
| 2010s | 103.85 trillion current LCU | 248.49 trillion current LCU | 144.64 trillion current LCU | South Korea |
| 2020s | 120.74 trillion current LCU | 402.59 trillion current LCU | 281.85 trillion current LCU | South Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher general government final consumption expenditure, Japan or South Korea?
- South Korea, at 470.02 trillion current LCU against 127.76 trillion current LCU in Japan as of 2025.
- What is the difference in general government final consumption expenditure between Japan and South Korea?
- 342.26 trillion current LCU, with South Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and South Korea?
- 55 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2024.
- How do Japan and South Korea rank globally for general government final consumption expenditure?
- Japan ranks 7th and South Korea ranks 4th of 187 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
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About this data
Final consumption expenditure is expenditure on goods and services by resident institutional units for the direct satisfaction of human needs or wants, whether individual or collective. General government FCE includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees), and most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.