Japan vs South Korea

South Korea scores 84.5 in the NationsTree Index (1st in the world) and Japan scores 79.3 (6th), a gap of 5.2 points. Their trees are 57 m and 40 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.

Japan has 2.4 times the population of South Korea. Japan is 3.8 times larger than South Korea by land area. Japan has an economy 2.1 times the size of South Korea (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Japan 123.4 million and South Korea 51.7 million (2025).

GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $63,125 in South Korea and $55,422 in Japan (2025, international dollars). Life expectancy is almost the same: 84.0 and 83.6 years.

Of 35 indicators reported by both countries, Japan ranks higher in the world on 22 and South Korea on 13. Japan is clearly stronger in land & people and institutions & safety. South Korea is clearly stronger in military and trade.

As a nation, South Korea is the older of the two (statehood since 57 BC, 2,082 years), compared with Japan (since 250). Over the last five years South Korea improved faster (direction score 75 vs 40 out of 100).