Government expenditure on education, total in Japan

Japan: Government expenditure on education, total was 10.0% in 1998. ▼ Falling

Latest (1998)
10.0%
Change on year
down 3.9%
World rank
150th
of 193 countries
All-time high
18.1%
in 1987
All-time low
10.0%
in 1998
Years of data
10
1981–1998

Government expenditure on education, total in Japan, 1981–1998

051015201981198919981981: 16.1 % of government expenditure1982: 15.7 % of government expenditure1983: 14.9 % of government expenditure1987: 18.1 % of government expenditure1988: 17.8 % of government expenditure1989: 17.6 % of government expenditure1993: 11.1 % of government expenditure1994: 11.1 % of government expenditure1995: 10.4 % of government expenditure1998: 10 % of government expenditure

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of government expenditure.

Analysis

Japan recorded 10.0% for government expenditure on education, total in 1998. That is the lowest value across all 10 years on record.

The figure is down 3.9% on the previous year and down 44.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, total in Japan peaked at 18.1% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 10.0%, in 1998.

That places Japan 150th out of 193 countries with data for 1998, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 10 years of available data.

Government expenditure on education, total in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) in Japan, 1981 to 1998.
Year % of government expenditure Change
1981 16.1%
1982 15.7% -2.8%
1983 14.9% -5.0%
1987 18.1% +21.3%
1988 17.8% -1.4%
1989 17.6% -0.9%
1993 11.1% -37.0%
1994 11.1% -0.1%
1995 10.4% -6.6%
1998 10.0% -3.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 16.7% 14.9% 18.1% 6
1990s 10.6% 10.0% 11.1% 4

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 147 Czechia 10.0% compare
  2. 148 Central African Republic 10.0% compare
  3. 149 Poland 10.0% compare
  4. 151 Austria 10.0% compare
  5. 152 Latvia 9.9% compare
  6. 153 Spain 9.9% compare

See the full ranking of 239 places →

More education data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is government expenditure on education, total in Japan?
Government expenditure on education, total in Japan was 10.0% in 1998, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 18.1% in 1987.
What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 10.0% in 1998.
How does Japan rank for government expenditure on education, total?
Japan ranks 150th out of 193 countries with data for 1998.
Is government expenditure on education, total rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is down 44.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Government expenditure on education, total in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/government-expenditure-on-education-total-percent-of-government-expenditure/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure)
Unit
% of government expenditure
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
239 places, 5,722 data points, 1980–2025
Last refreshed

General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on all sectors (including health, education, social services, etc.). It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.