If you lived in Japan instead of Azerbaijan, you would:

Health

live 9.5 years longer

In Azerbaijan, the average life expectancy is 75 years (72 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024. In Japan, that number is 84 years (81 years for men, 87 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 78.6% less likely to be obese

In Azerbaijan, 27.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Japan, that number is 5.9% of people as of 2024.

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see 5.4 times more spent on your healthcare

Azerbaijan spends $993 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Japan spends $5,365 as of 2023.

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have 25.8% more access to essential health services

Azerbaijan scores 66 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Japan scores 83 as of 2021.

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have 16.8% fewer doctors per person

Azerbaijan has 31.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Japan has 26.5 as of 2022.

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be 11.2 times more likely to die by suicide

Azerbaijan has a suicide rate of 1.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Japan, it is 17.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 55.1% less likely to be unemployed

In Azerbaijan, 5.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Japan, that number is 2.5% as of 2025.

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make 4.9 times more money

Azerbaijan has a GDP per capita of $7,411 as of 2025, while in Japan, the GDP per capita is $35,951 as of 2025.

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be 3.3 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Azerbaijan, 4.9% live below the poverty line as of 2015. In Japan, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2013.

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Life

be 83.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In Azerbaijan, approximately 18.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Japan, 3.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 85.6% less likely to die during infancy

In Azerbaijan, approximately 12.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Japan, on the other hand, 1.8 children do as of 2024.

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have 43.0% fewer children

In Azerbaijan, there are approximately 10.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Japan, there are 5.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 2.5 times more on healthcare

Azerbaijan spends 4.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Japan, that number is 10.7% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 89.4% less likely to be murdered

Azerbaijan has a homicide rate of 2.2 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Japan, that number is 0.2 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 84.3% less likely to die in a road accident

In Azerbaijan, road accidents kill 17.2 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Japan, they kill 2.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 77.6% more home broadband

Azerbaijan has 21.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Japan has 38.6 as of 2023.

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live with 36.3% less strain on fresh water

Azerbaijan withdraws 58% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Japan withdraws 37% as of 2022.

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use 3.2 times more electricity

Azerbaijan uses 2,367 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Japan uses 7,530 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 89.5% less likely to die from air pollution

In Azerbaijan, air pollution causes 114.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Japan, it causes 12.0 as of 2019.

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emit 2.1 times more CO2

Azerbaijan emits 3.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Japan emits 7.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2013–2015). How we calculate this

Japan: At a glance

Japan is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 364,485 sq km. In 1603, after decades of civil warfare, the Tokugawa shogunate (a military-led, dynastic government) ushered in a long period of relative political stability and isolation from foreign influence. For more than two centuries this policy enabled Japan to enjoy a flowering of its indigenous culture. Japan opened its ports after signing the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854 and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32 Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937 it launched a full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 - triggering America's entry into World War II - and soon occupied much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become an economic power and an ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, elected politicians hold actual decision-making power. Following three decades of unprecedented growth, Japan's economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s, but the country remains a major economic power. In March 2011, Japan's strongest-ever earthquake, and an accompanying tsunami, devastated the northeast part of Honshu island, killing thousands and damaging several nuclear power plants. The catastrophe hobbled the country's economy and its energy infrastructure, and tested its ability to deal with humanitarian disasters.
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