Land Area
Mexico
1,964,375 km²
Largest
Japan
377,975 km²
19.2% of largest
Mexico is 5.20× larger than Japan
Population
Mexico
LARGEST
129.15M
PEOPLE
Japan
97.3% OF LARGEST
125.7M
PEOPLE
Mexico has 1.03× the population of Japan
GDP
Japan
LARGEST
$4.23T
Mexico
31.2% OF LARGEST
$1.32T
Armed Forces
Active Personnel
Mexico
LARGEST
277.15K
TROOPS
Japan
89.2% OF LARGEST
247.15K
TROOPS
Mexico has 1.12× the active personnel of Japan
Air Force
Japan
LARGEST
1.45K
AIRCRAFT
Mexico
34.0% OF LARGEST
493
AIRCRAFT
Japan has 2.94× the aircraft of Mexico
Naval Assets
Mexico
Japan
Wealth
Gold Reserves
Japan
LARGEST
846.0
Metric Tonnes
Mexico
14.2% OF LARGEST
120.3
Metric Tonnes
Foreign-Exchange Reserves
Japan
LARGEST
$1.16T
Reserves · excl. gold
Mexico
19.1% OF LARGEST
$222B
Reserves · excl. gold
Billionaires
Japan
MOST
41
billionaires
Mexico
54% OF MOST
22
billionaires
Oil
Proven Reserves
Mexico
LARGEST
5.8
Billion barrels
Japan
0.7% OF LARGEST
0.0
Billion barrels
Production & Consumption
Japan
NET IMPORTER
Production
0.0M b/d
Consumption
3.3M b/d
−3.3M b/d net
Mexico
NET EXPORTER
Production
1.9M b/d
Consumption
1.9M b/d
+0.0M b/d net
Trade (Import/Export)
Japan
$917.0B
Exports
$917.0B
Imports
$952.0B
Trade Balance
$-35.0B
Trade Deficit
Mexico
$681.4B
Exports
$681.4B
Imports
$644.0B
Trade Balance
+$37.4B
Trade Surplus
Drinks per Person
Coffee
kg / person / yr
Japan
consumption
Mexico
consumption
Tea
kg / person / yr
Japan
consumption
Mexico
consumption
Beer
litres / person / yr
Mexico
consumption
Japan
consumption
Wine
litres / person / yr
Japan
consumption
Mexico
consumption
Alcohol
litres pure alcohol / person / yr
Mexico
consumption
Japan
consumption
Smoking
% of adults 15+ who smoke
Japan
Mexico
Per-capita — consumption where available, else FAOSTAT supply · alcohol = litres of pure alcohol; smoking = % of adults 15+ (WHO)
Olympic Medals
Japan
211
Gold
198
Silver
235
Bronze
644
Total Medals
☀ Summer: 544
❄ Winter: 100
Mexico
13
Gold
27
Silver
37
Bronze
77
Total Medals
☀ Summer: 77
❄ Winter: 0
Religious Demographics
Religious Distribution
Religious Composition by Country
Japan
Mexico
Age Demographics
Median Age
Japan
48.6
YEARS
10
30
50
70
Mexico
29.2
YEARS
10
30
50
70
Age Distribution
Population breakdown by age bracket (percentage)
Demographic Insights
Age Gap
Japan is 19.4 years older (median) than Mexico
Youth Population
Mexico has the highest youth population at 51.5% (under 30)
Elderly Population
Japan has the highest elderly population at 34.0% (60+)
Global Statistics
| Metric |
Japan
|
Mexico
|
|---|---|---|
| Travel & Mobility | ||
| Passport Power visa-free destinations |
193
|
159
|
| Tourist Arrivals per year |
25.1M
|
42.2M
|
| Culture & Prestige | ||
| Nobel Laureates all-time |
29
|
3
|
| 3-Michelin-Star Restaurants current guide |
26
|
0
|
Figures as of 2026. Sources: IMF, EIA/OPEC, Henley Passport Index, UNWTO, Forbes, Michelin Guide, Nobel Foundation.
Cost of Living
|
Metric
All indices use New York City as base (100)
Lower values indicate lower costs.
|
Japan
|
Mexico
|
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index |
|
|
| Rent Index |
|
|
| Groceries Index |
|
|
| Restaurant Price Index |
|
|
| Local Purchasing Power |
|
|
| Common Expenses Comparison | ||
| Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant (USD) | $9 | $8 |
| Three-Course Meal for 2 (USD) | $45 | $35 |
| Monthly Rent - City Center (USD) | $1,000 | $500 |
| Monthly Rent - Outside Center (USD) | $650 | $350 |
| Monthly Utilities (USD) | $130 | $80 |
| Internet (60 Mbps, USD) | $35 | $25 |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (USD) | $90 | $20 |
Historical Data
Basic Information
| Metric | Japan | Mexico |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 125700000 | 129150000 |
| Area (sq km) | 377975 | 1964375 |
| Capital | Tokyo | Mexico City |
| Official Language | Japanese | Spanish |
| Currency | Japanese Yen (JPY) | Mexican Peso (MXN) |
| Government Type | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy | Federal presidential constitutional republic |
Military Strength
| Metric | Japan | Mexico |
|---|---|---|
| Active Personnel | 247,150 | 277,150 |
| Reserve Personnel | 56,000 | 81,500 |
| Total Military Personnel | 303,150 | 358,650 |
| Defense Budget (USD) | $49,100,000,000 | $7,000,000,000 |
| Tanks | 579 | 0 |
| Armored Vehicles | 3,137 | 695 |
| Self-Propelled Artillery | 166 | 0 |
| Towed Artillery | 492 | 375 |
| Rocket Projectors | 99 | 0 |
Economy
| Metric | Japan | Mexico |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $4,231,100,000,000 | $1,322,000,000,000 |
| GDP Per Capita (USD) | $33,660 | $10,240 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 2.6% | 3.5% |
| GINI Index (Income Inequality) | 32.9 | 45.4 |
| Currency | Japanese Yen (JPY) | Mexican Peso (MXN) |
| Direct Currency Comparison (1 unit of row currency equals X units of column currency) | ||
| Japan Currency | 1.00 (Same) | 9.2169 Stronger |
| Mexico Currency | 0.1085 Weaker | 1.00 (Same) |
| USD Base Exchange Rates (All calculations use USD as the base currency) | ||
| Currency | JPY | MXN |
| 1 USD equals | 161.7789 JPY Updated: 2026-06-27 | 17.5525 MXN Updated: 2026-06-27 |
Interesting Comparisons & Trivia
Did You Know?
Mexico is 5.2 times larger in area than Japan.
Japan has the highest GDP per capita at $33,660 among the selected countries.
Japan has the largest economy with a GDP of
$4.23 trillion.
Mexico has the largest active military personnel with 277,150 troops.
Japan has the largest air force with 1,449 aircraft.
Mexico has the largest navy with 189 vessels.
Japan vs Mexico: Key Comparisons
Economy: Japan's GDP of $4.2T is 3.2x larger than Mexico's $1.3T — both among the world's largest economies.
Population: Mexico's population of 129M is 1.0x larger than Japan's 126M.
Area: Mexico covers 1,964,375 km², making it 5.2x larger than Japan.
Military: Mexico fields 280Thousand active troops vs Japan's 250Thousand.
Trade: Japan has a trade deficit of $35B while Mexico runs a trade surplus of $37B.
Life Expectancy: Japan leads with a life expectancy of 85 years vs Mexico's 75.
Data compiled from World Bank, IMF, Global Firepower, SIPRI, Numbeo, and Pew Research.
Last updated June 2026.
Sources & methodology