If you lived in Japan instead of Republic of the Congo, you would:

Health

live 18.0 years longer

In Republic of the Congo, the average life expectancy is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 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 51.6% less likely to be obese

In Republic of the Congo, 12.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Japan, that number is 5.9% of people as of 2024.

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see 25.7 times more spent on your healthcare

Republic of the Congo spends $209 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Japan spends $5,365 as of 2023.

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have 15.3 times more doctors per person

Republic of the Congo has 1.7 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Japan has 26.5 as of 2022.

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have 2.0 times more access to essential health services

Republic of the Congo scores 41 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Japan scores 83 as of 2021.

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be 2.6 times more likely to die by suicide

Republic of the Congo has a suicide rate of 6.7 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 87.7% less likely to be unemployed

In Republic of the Congo, 19.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Japan, that number is 2.5% as of 2025.

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be 60.6% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Republic of the Congo, 40.9% live below the poverty line as of 2011. In Japan, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2013.

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make 14.3 times more money

Republic of the Congo has a GDP per capita of $2,515 as of 2025, while in Japan, the GDP per capita is $35,951 as of 2025.

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Life

be 98.8% less likely to die during childbirth

In Republic of the Congo, approximately 241.0 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 93.3% less likely to die during infancy

In Republic of the Congo, approximately 27.0 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 81.3% fewer children

In Republic of the Congo, there are approximately 30.4 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 94.9% more likely to have access to electricity

In Republic of the Congo, approximately 51% of people have electricity access (69% 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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be 81.0% more likely to have internet access

In Republic of the Congo, approximately 47.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Japan, about 85.5% do as of 2024.

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be 35.0% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Republic of the Congo, approximately 73% of people have access to drinking water as of 2021. In Japan, 99% of people do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 3.3 times more on healthcare

Republic of the Congo spends 3.3% 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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Geography

see 176.0 times more coastline

Republic of the Congo has a total of 169 km of coastline. In Japan, that number is 29,751 km.

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Safety

be 67.9% less likely to die in a road accident

In Republic of the Congo, road accidents kill 8.4 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 30.4 times more home broadband

Republic of the Congo has 1.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Japan has 38.6 as of 2023.

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use 22.3 times more electricity

Republic of the Congo uses 338 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Japan uses 7,530 kWh as of 2024.

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live with 1221.3 times more strain on fresh water

Republic of the Congo withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Japan withdraws 37% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 81.8% less likely to die from air pollution

In Republic of the Congo, air pollution causes 66.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Japan, it causes 12.0 as of 2019.

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emit 5.9 times more CO2

Republic of the Congo emits 1.3 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), The World Factbook (2011–2013), World Health Organization (2024). 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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