Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Japan instead of North Korea, you would:

Health

live 10.3 years longer

In North Korea, the average life expectancy is 74 years (72 years for men, 76 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 50.6% less likely to be obese

In North Korea, 11.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Japan, that number is 5.9% of people as of 2024.

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have 22.1% more access to essential health services

North Korea scores 68 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Japan scores 83 as of 2021.

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be 87.2% more likely to die by suicide

North Korea has a suicide rate of 9.3 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 30.8% less likely to be unemployed

In North Korea, 3.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Japan, that number is 2.5% as of 2025.

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Life

be 95.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In North Korea, approximately 67.0 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 86.5% less likely to die during infancy

In North Korea, approximately 13.3 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 55.7% fewer children

In North Korea, there are approximately 12.9 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 73.9% more likely to have access to electricity

In North Korea, approximately 58% of people have electricity access (36% in urban areas, and 11% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Japan, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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Geography

see 11.9 times more coastline

North Korea has a total of 2,495 km of coastline. In Japan, that number is 29,751 km.

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Infrastructure

use 9.5 times more electricity

North Korea uses 789 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Japan uses 7,530 kWh as of 2024.

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live with 32.1% more strain on fresh water

North Korea withdraws 28% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Japan withdraws 37% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 86.0% less likely to die from air pollution

In North Korea, air pollution causes 86.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Japan, it causes 12.0 as of 2019.

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emit 3.1 times more CO2

North Korea emits 2.5 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 (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

Compare further: North Korea vs. Japan

Cost of Living Comparison · 4 categories - 2026 data
Japan is 95.7% more expensive than North Korea overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
North Korea is about 3.1 times smaller than Japan.
→
Moving from North Korea 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 North Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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