Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Japan instead of French Polynesia, you would:

Health

be 88.0% less likely to be obese

In French Polynesia, 49.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Japan, that number is 5.9% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 79.0% less likely to be unemployed

In French Polynesia, 11.7% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Japan, that number is 2.5% as of 2025.

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make 60.2% more money

French Polynesia has a GDP per capita of $22,440 as of 2024, while in Japan, the GDP per capita is $35,951 as of 2025.

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Life

be 59.1% less likely to die during infancy

In French Polynesia, approximately 4.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Japan, on the other hand, 1.8 children do as of 2024.

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have 46.7% fewer children

In French Polynesia, there are approximately 10.7 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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Basic Needs

be 17.7% more likely to have internet access

In French Polynesia, approximately 72.7% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Japan, about 85.5% do as of 2024.

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Geography

see 11.8 times more coastline

French Polynesia has a total of 2,525 km of coastline. In Japan, that number is 29,751 km.

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Environment

emit 2.3 times more CO2

French Polynesia emits 3.5 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 (2024–2025), The World Factbook (2021–2022), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: French Polynesia vs. Japan

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Japan is 37.3% cheaper than French Polynesia overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
French Polynesia is about 91 times smaller than Japan.
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Moving from French Polynesia to Japan · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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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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How big is Japan compared to French Polynesia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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