Japan vs South Korea: Duration of compulsory education
Japan
9
in 2025
South Korea
9
in 2025
Japan rank
120th
South Korea rank
120th
Duration of compulsory education over time
- Japan
- South Korea
How they compare
Japan currently reports 9 against 9 in South Korea, a difference of 0.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 28 shared years of data; in 1998 it was Japan ahead.
Japan ranks 120th and South Korea ranks 120th of 205 countries.
Japan has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Japan | South Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9 | 6 | 3 | Japan |
| 2000s | 9 | 8.1 | 0.9 | Japan |
| 2010s | 9 | 9 | 0 | — |
| 2020s | 9 | 9 | 0 | — |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher duration of compulsory education, Japan or South Korea?
- Japan, at 9 against 9 in South Korea as of 2025.
- What is the difference in duration of compulsory education between Japan and South Korea?
- 0, with Japan ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and South Korea?
- 28 years are reported by both, from 1998 to 2025.
- How do Japan and South Korea rank globally for duration of compulsory education?
- Japan ranks 120th and South Korea ranks 120th of 205 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Duration of compulsory education. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.