Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Japan
Japan: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 1.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Japan, 1970–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Japan recorded 1.0% for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 129.3% on the previous year and up 791.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Japan peaked at 1.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, -0.1%, in 2006.
Japan ranks 146th of 200 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Japan, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.0% | — |
| 1971 | 0.1% | +97.8% |
| 1972 | 0.1% | -39.2% |
| 1973 | -0.0% | -118.3% |
| 1974 | 0.0% | -533.3% |
| 1975 | 0.0% | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 0.0% | -55.5% |
| 1977 | 0.0% | -84.9% |
| 1978 | 0.0% | -72.9% |
| 1979 | 0.0% | +2770.3% |
| 1980 | 0.0% | +11.0% |
| 1981 | 0.0% | -38.3% |
| 1982 | 0.0% | +149.6% |
| 1983 | 0.0% | -13.6% |
| 1984 | -0.0% | -102.3% |
| 1985 | 0.0% | -5840.8% |
| 1986 | 0.0% | -73.2% |
| 1987 | 0.0% | +299.5% |
| 1988 | -0.0% | -133.9% |
| 1989 | -0.0% | +120.2% |
| 1990 | 0.1% | -266.3% |
| 1991 | 0.0% | -37.9% |
| 1992 | 0.1% | +96.6% |
| 1993 | 0.0% | -93.3% |
| 1994 | 0.0% | +283.2% |
| 1995 | 0.0% | -95.8% |
| 1996 | -0.0% | -203.5% |
| 1997 | 0.1% | -7237.5% |
| 1998 | 0.1% | +11.5% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | +420.8% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | -32.8% |
| 2001 | 0.1% | -47.6% |
| 2002 | 0.3% | +145.3% |
| 2003 | 0.2% | -29.5% |
| 2004 | 0.2% | -20.6% |
| 2005 | 0.1% | -26.5% |
| 2006 | -0.1% | -146.1% |
| 2007 | 0.5% | -1007.0% |
| 2008 | 0.5% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 0.2% | -52.0% |
| 2010 | 0.1% | -44.1% |
| 2011 | -0.0% | -110.6% |
| 2012 | 0.0% | -163.7% |
| 2013 | 0.2% | +2238.8% |
| 2014 | 0.4% | +96.2% |
| 2015 | 0.1% | -70.8% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | +591.9% |
| 2017 | 0.4% | -53.4% |
| 2018 | 0.5% | +31.5% |
| 2019 | 0.8% | +55.3% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | +58.3% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | -44.4% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | +61.5% |
| 2023 | 0.5% | -57.9% |
| 2024 | 0.5% | -1.3% |
| 2025 | 1.0% | +129.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0% | -0.0% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0% | -0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1% | -0.0% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2% | -0.1% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3% | -0.0% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8% | 0.5% | 1.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
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)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate -4.8 % change on previous year (2024)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2768 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 9,355 current US$ per person (2024)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), annual growth rate 2.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP 41.9 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per capita 1.42 million current LCU per person (2024)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate -0.821 % change on previous year (2024)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2964 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Japan?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Japan was 1.0% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 1.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.1% in 2006.
- How does Japan rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Japan ranks 146th out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 791.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment is the net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest (10 percent or more of voting stock) in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in the balance of payments. This series shows net inflows (new investment inflows less disinvestment) in the reporting economy from foreign investors, and is divided by GDP.