China vs Japan: Expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty
China
15.48 years
in 2023
Japan
15.51 years
in 2023
China rank
58th
Japan rank
55th
Expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty over time
- China
- Japan
How they compare
Japan currently reports 15.51 years against 15.48 years in China, a difference of 0.03 years.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 34 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Japan ahead.
China ranks 58th and Japan ranks 55th of 194 countries.
Japan has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Japan | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.89 years | 14.33 years | 5.45 years | Japan |
| 2000s | 11.36 years | 15.13 years | 3.77 years | Japan |
| 2010s | 13.91 years | 15.38 years | 1.47 years | Japan |
| 2020s | 15.41 years | 15.48 years | 0.0647 years | Japan |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty, China or Japan?
- Japan, at 15.51 years against 15.48 years in China as of 2023.
- What is the difference in expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty between China and Japan?
- 0.03 years, with Japan ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Japan?
- 34 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2023.
- How do China and Japan rank globally for expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty?
- China ranks 58th and Japan ranks 55th of 194 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Expected years of schooling vs. share in extreme poverty. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
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About this data
Number of years a child of school-entrance-age can expect to receive if the current age-specific enrollment rates persist throughout the child's life.