Indicator	Value
Military expenditure (% GDP)	1.37 %SIPRI via World Bank WDI [2024]
Military expenditure	55,300,000,000 US$SIPRI via World Bank WDI [2024]
Armed forces personnel	261,000 peopleWorld Bank WDI [2020]
Arms imports	977,000,000 US$SIPRI via World Bank WDI [2024]
Arms exports	21,000,000 US$SIPRI via World Bank WDI [2024]
Military & security forces	Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF): Ground Self-Defense Force (Rikujou Jieitai, GSDF; includes aviation), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jieitai, MSDF; includes naval aviation), Air Self-Defense Force (Koukuu Jieitai, ASDF) (2025); note: the Coast Guard is under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; it is barred by law from operating as a military force, but in times of conflict Article 80 of the 1954 Self-Defense Forces Act permits the transfer of control of the coast guard to the Ministry of Defense with Cabinet approvalCIA World Factbook [2025] · 2026 archive
Military service age & obligation	18-32 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025); note: as of 2023, women made up about 9% of the military's full-time personnelCIA World Factbook [2025] · 2026 archive
Arms imports (USD)	977,000,000 US$SIPRI via World Bank WDI [2024]
Arms exports (USD)	21,000,000 US$SIPRI via World Bank WDI [2024]
Military spending (% of GDP)	1.37 %SIPRI via World Bank WDI [2024]
Military spending (USD)	55,300,000,000 US$SIPRI via World Bank WDI [2024]