Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Japan
Japan: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) was 45.81 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Japan, 1970–2025
Source: 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. Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Japan stood at 45.81 billion BoP, current US$.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 142.7% on the previous year and up 772.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Japan peaked at 62.58 billion BoP, current US$ in 2020 and was at its lowest, -2.40 billion BoP, current US$, in 2006.
Japan ranks 11th of 202 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Japan, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 94.00 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 210.00 million BoP, current US$ | +123.4% |
| 1972 | 169.00 million BoP, current US$ | -19.5% |
| 1973 | -42.00 million BoP, current US$ | -124.9% |
| 1974 | 202.00 million BoP, current US$ | -581.0% |
| 1975 | 226.00 million BoP, current US$ | +11.9% |
| 1976 | 113.00 million BoP, current US$ | -50.0% |
| 1977 | 21.00 million BoP, current US$ | -81.4% |
| 1978 | 8.00 million BoP, current US$ | -61.9% |
| 1979 | 239.00 million BoP, current US$ | +2887.5% |
| 1980 | 278.00 million BoP, current US$ | +16.3% |
| 1981 | 189.00 million BoP, current US$ | -32.0% |
| 1982 | 439.00 million BoP, current US$ | +132.3% |
| 1983 | 416.00 million BoP, current US$ | -5.2% |
| 1984 | -10.00 million BoP, current US$ | -102.4% |
| 1985 | 608.71 million BoP, current US$ | -6187.1% |
| 1986 | 242.11 million BoP, current US$ | -60.2% |
| 1987 | 1.18 billion BoP, current US$ | +386.3% |
| 1988 | -483.80 million BoP, current US$ | -141.1% |
| 1989 | -1.06 billion BoP, current US$ | +119.0% |
| 1990 | 1.81 billion BoP, current US$ | -270.4% |
| 1991 | 1.28 billion BoP, current US$ | -28.9% |
| 1992 | 2.76 billion BoP, current US$ | +114.6% |
| 1993 | 210.44 million BoP, current US$ | -92.4% |
| 1994 | 888.38 million BoP, current US$ | +322.2% |
| 1995 | 41.46 million BoP, current US$ | -95.3% |
| 1996 | -38.20 million BoP, current US$ | -192.1% |
| 1997 | 2.49 billion BoP, current US$ | -6609.7% |
| 1998 | 2.51 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 14.78 billion BoP, current US$ | +488.4% |
| 2000 | 10.69 billion BoP, current US$ | -27.7% |
| 2001 | 4.93 billion BoP, current US$ | -53.9% |
| 2002 | 11.56 billion BoP, current US$ | +134.6% |
| 2003 | 8.77 billion BoP, current US$ | -24.1% |
| 2004 | 7.53 billion BoP, current US$ | -14.2% |
| 2005 | 5.46 billion BoP, current US$ | -27.5% |
| 2006 | -2.40 billion BoP, current US$ | -143.9% |
| 2007 | 21.63 billion BoP, current US$ | -1002.5% |
| 2008 | 24.62 billion BoP, current US$ | +13.8% |
| 2009 | 12.23 billion BoP, current US$ | -50.3% |
| 2010 | 7.44 billion BoP, current US$ | -39.1% |
| 2011 | -850.72 million BoP, current US$ | -111.4% |
| 2012 | 546.96 million BoP, current US$ | -164.3% |
| 2013 | 10.65 billion BoP, current US$ | +1846.8% |
| 2014 | 19.75 billion BoP, current US$ | +85.5% |
| 2015 | 5.25 billion BoP, current US$ | -73.4% |
| 2016 | 40.95 billion BoP, current US$ | +679.8% |
| 2017 | 18.80 billion BoP, current US$ | -54.1% |
| 2018 | 25.29 billion BoP, current US$ | +34.5% |
| 2019 | 39.96 billion BoP, current US$ | +58.0% |
| 2020 | 62.58 billion BoP, current US$ | +56.6% |
| 2021 | 35.03 billion BoP, current US$ | -44.0% |
| 2022 | 48.15 billion BoP, current US$ | +37.5% |
| 2023 | 20.01 billion BoP, current US$ | -58.4% |
| 2024 | 18.87 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.7% |
| 2025 | 45.81 billion BoP, current US$ | +142.7% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 45.81 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.70 billion BoP, current US$, 16.9× the median. (73 countries reporting)
- Japan's 45.81 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.04 billion BoP, current US$, 44.0× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | +6609.7% | -38.20 million BoP, current US$ | 2.49 billion BoP, current US$ |
| 1985 | +6187.1% | -10.00 million BoP, current US$ | 608.71 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1979 | +2887.5% | 8.00 million BoP, current US$ | 239.00 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2013 | +1846.8% | 546.96 million BoP, current US$ | 10.65 billion BoP, current US$ |
| 2007 | +1002.5% | -2.40 billion BoP, current US$ | 21.63 billion BoP, current US$ |
| 2016 | +679.8% | 5.25 billion BoP, current US$ | 40.95 billion BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 124.00 million BoP, current US$ | -42.00 million BoP, current US$ | 239.00 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 179.67 million BoP, current US$ | -1.06 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.18 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.67 billion BoP, current US$ | -38.20 million BoP, current US$ | 14.78 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.50 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.40 billion BoP, current US$ | 24.62 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.78 billion BoP, current US$ | -850.72 million BoP, current US$ | 40.95 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.41 billion BoP, current US$ | 18.87 billion BoP, current US$ | 62.58 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 8 France 73.03 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 9 Canada 69.03 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 10 British Virgin Islands 53.60 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 12 United Arab Emirates 45.64 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 13 Mexico 43.09 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 14 Malta 42.59 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Japan
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.03 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 0.4463 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 6.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0137 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 493.16 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 1.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.01 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 360.1 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 3.17 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.007 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Japan?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Japan was 45.81 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to 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.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 62.58 billion BoP, current US$ in 2020.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.40 billion BoP, current US$ in 2006.
- How does Japan rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Japan ranks 11th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 772.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures 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 part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in the reporting 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. Data are in current U.S. dollars.