Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Japan
Japan: Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP was 4.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Japan, 1970–2025
Source: International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Japan is 4.9%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and up 60.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Japan peaked at 5.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1971.
That places Japan 8th out of 189 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Japan, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.2% | — |
| 1971 | 0.1% | -10.2% |
| 1972 | 0.2% | +51.7% |
| 1973 | 0.4% | +93.8% |
| 1974 | 0.4% | -4.8% |
| 1975 | 0.3% | -19.4% |
| 1976 | 0.3% | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 0.2% | -32.9% |
| 1978 | 0.2% | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 0.3% | +17.4% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | -21.5% |
| 1981 | 0.4% | +86.1% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 0.3% | -27.5% |
| 1984 | 0.4% | +55.9% |
| 1985 | 0.4% | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 0.7% | +50.5% |
| 1987 | 0.8% | +14.7% |
| 1988 | 1.1% | +45.6% |
| 1989 | 1.5% | +31.2% |
| 1990 | 1.6% | +7.1% |
| 1991 | 0.8% | -45.6% |
| 1992 | 0.4% | -49.9% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | -29.5% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | +18.2% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | +13.0% |
| 1996 | 0.5% | +31.0% |
| 1997 | 0.5% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 0.5% | -8.9% |
| 1999 | 0.5% | +8.4% |
| 2000 | 0.9% | +72.6% |
| 2001 | 0.8% | -10.0% |
| 2002 | 0.7% | -9.4% |
| 2003 | 0.8% | +3.5% |
| 2004 | 0.8% | +9.1% |
| 2005 | 1.1% | +28.9% |
| 2006 | 1.3% | +18.1% |
| 2007 | 1.6% | +26.1% |
| 2008 | 2.2% | +39.5% |
| 2009 | 1.4% | -37.3% |
| 2010 | 1.4% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 1.9% | +35.7% |
| 2012 | 1.9% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 3.0% | +59.0% |
| 2014 | 2.8% | -6.3% |
| 2015 | 3.1% | +10.3% |
| 2016 | 3.5% | +14.5% |
| 2017 | 3.4% | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 3.1% | -9.9% |
| 2019 | 4.9% | +58.4% |
| 2020 | 2.9% | -41.2% |
| 2021 | 4.0% | +38.7% |
| 2022 | 3.9% | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 4.5% | +14.2% |
| 2024 | 5.0% | +10.2% |
| 2025 | 4.9% | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.6% | 0.2% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6% | 0.3% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.1% | 0.7% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.9% | 1.4% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.2% | 2.9% | 5.0% | 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)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1882 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per capita 6,360 current US$ per person (2024)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP 28.48 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per capita 962,654 current LCU per person (2024)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2233 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per capita 7,546 constant 2015 US$ per person (2024)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per capita 895,261 constant LCU per person (2024)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual -7.46 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Japan?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Japan was 4.9% in 2025, according to International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 5.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1971.
- How does Japan rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp?
- Japan ranks 8th out of 189 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 60.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net outflows of foreign direct investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world.