Japan and Philippines
Development cooperation, businesses and human connections link Japan and the Philippines. The 1956 peace and reparations treaties are important historical precedents. Economic data and subsequent programs have scopes distinct from that postwar normalization.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07Peace and reparations as background
The Japanese profile records the peace and reparations instruments signed in July 1956.
Economic cooperation in several forms
The profile distinguishes Japan's loans, grants and technical cooperation.
The updated September 2026 record
Recent bilateral data allow the current situation and historical tables to be distinguished.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 20,805.92 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / JPN |
| Goods: Japan to Philippines | 10,410.84 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / JPN |
| Goods: Philippines to Japan | 10,395.09 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / JPN |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: Japan to Philippines | 1.41 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / JPN |
| Export share: Philippines to Japan | ||
| Investment stock: Japan in Philippines | ||
| Investment stock: Philippines in Japan |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / JPN · Goods; full year; JPN reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: Japan to Philippines
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / JPN · Goods; full year; JPN reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: Philippines to Japan
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / JPN · Goods; full year; JPN reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Export share: Japan to Philippines
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / JPN · Goods share: JPN exports to the partner / the same reporter's exports to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
Year-on-year inflation: different periods or frequencies; the two figures are not directly comparable.
| Indicator | Japan | Philippines |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 4.44 trillion USD2025 · WB | 487.09 billion USD2025 · World Bank |
| GDP per capita | 35,951.05 USD2025 · WB | 4,170.72 USD2025 · World Bank |
| GDP growth | 1.19 %2025 · WB | 4.4 %2025 · World Bank |
| Policy interest rate | 1.25 %2026-09-24 · BoJ | |
| Inflation · annual average | 3.17 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 1.66 %Annual average · 2025 · World Bank |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 1.9 %Year-on-year · Aug. 2026 · Statistics JP | 7.2 %Year-on-year · 2026-09 · PSA Philippines |
| Unemployment | 2.45 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 2.24 %ILO est.2025 · World Bank |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -1.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 206.5 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 59.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | 4.86 %2025 · WB | -3.34 %2025 · World Bank |
| Population | 123,366,7342025 · WB | 116,786,9622025 · World Bank |
| Area | 377,969 km²2023 · BM / FAO | 300,000 km²2023 · World Bank |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDJapan: 2025 · World BankPhilippines: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personJapan: 2025 · World BankPhilippines: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Japan: 2025 · World BankPhilippines: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)Japan: 2026-09-24 · Approximate target for the uncollateralised overnight rate · Bank of Japan
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Japan: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World BankPhilippines: 2025 · Annual average change in CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedJapan: 2026-08 · Change in headline CPI from the same month of the previous year (%) · Statistics Bureau of Japan · Published: 2026-09-18 · National headline CPI, 2025 base; includes fresh food and energy. The measure excluding fresh food (1.7%) and the preliminary Tokyo release are not used.Philippines: 2026-09 · Headline CPI; change against the same month of the previous year · PSA Philippines · National headline CPI year-on-year; not Manila alone, food inflation or core inflation.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionJapan: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Philippines: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Japan: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Philippines: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Japan: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Philippines: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPJapan: 2025 · World BankPhilippines: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleJapan: 2025 · World BankPhilippines: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceJapan: 2023 · Total area, including inland waters; source's territorial coverage · World Bank · FAOPhilippines: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Japan to Philippines
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 2,172 M USD2025 · Source |
| Land vehicles and components | 1,549.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 1,437.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 507.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 12.9 M USD2025 · Source |
Philippines to Japan
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 4,249.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 787.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Land vehicles and components | 112.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 8.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 0.1 M USD2025 · Source |
Connections between people
Education, work, visits and community connections have their own records and procedures. Residents are not equivalent to annual arrivals, and visits may be repeated. The tables retain dates, definitions and sources to distinguish these connections from business contracts and government decisions. [2]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Japan living in Philippines | ||
| Residents from Philippines living in Japan | ||
| Study and training: Japan in Philippines | ||
| Study and training: Philippines in Japan | ||
| Academic stays: Japan in Philippines | ||
| Academic stays: Philippines in Japan | ||
| Travel: Japan to Philippines | ||
| Travel: Philippines to Japan |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
Peace and reparations as background
The Japanese profile records the peace and reparations instruments signed in July 1956. They explain historical normalization, not all current cooperation content. Diplomatic relations, development assistance and trade can evolve through subsequent agreements. A historical treaty's existence does not imply all foreign policy decisions coincide in every period. [1]
Economic cooperation in several forms
The profile distinguishes Japan's loans, grants and technical cooperation. Their historical cumulative figures are not presented as 2025 spending. An infrastructure loan does not equal a company's direct investment or recorded exports. Projects may include construction, equipment and training at different stages; tracking them requires their own source and date. [1]
People and professional activity
The latest Japanese profile includes human ties and previous visits. Residents, students and visitors have different definitions, so adding them does not create a total. Communities may sustain professional and cultural activity not dependent on a single ministerial meeting. Services value also does not automatically become a tourist count. [2]
The scale of the two economies
Japan recorded nominal GDP of 4435.2 billion USD in 2025, compared with 487.1 in 2025 for the Philippines. The reference populations were 123.37 million (2025) and 116.79 million (2025), respectively. In the same year, Japan's nominal GDP was 9.11 times the Philippines'. The figures contextualize market size; they do not in themselves describe well-being, individual wealth or political influence. IMF estimates or demographic extrapolations retain their markings in the table. A ratio is not calculated when the periods do not match. [4] [5] [6] [7]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
The updated September 2026 record
Recent bilateral data allow the current situation and historical tables to be distinguished. The old page's 2021 figures are not labeled as 2026 observations. The trade table uses annual 2025 records with a defined reporter; that economic update is not interpreted as a full review of security, infrastructure or all diplomatic contacts. [2]
Observed economic exchange
In 2025, recorded goods trade between Japan and the Philippines totaled USD 20,805.9 million. Shipments from Japan to the Philippines were 10,410.8 million USD; those in the opposite direction were 10,395.1 million USD. Japan's shipments to the partner represented 1.41 % of its goods exports to the world, using the same year and reporting country. A single customs declaration is used for both directions. This annual flow does not include all services activity or subsidiaries' local sales and is not added to accumulated investment capital. [3]
Milestones and consequences
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Each figure retains its period, unit, definition and source. Announcements, contracts and results are not interchangeable. Empty cells do not mean zero. Customs data for 2025 are not presented as activity observed during later crises.
- History of the Japan–Philippines relationship
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan · Institutional source · Document: 2022-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Philippines data and bilateral relationship
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan · Institutional source · Document: 2026-09 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 392; partners 0,643,704,360,608,764
UN Comtrade / JPN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- SP.POP.TOTL; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 27; 2025; reporter 392; partners 643,704,360,608,764; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / JPN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 30; 2025; reporter 392; partners 643,704,360,608,764; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / JPN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 84; 2025; reporter 392; partners 643,704,360,608,764; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / JPN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 85; 2025; reporter 392; partners 643,704,360,608,764; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / JPN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 87; 2025; reporter 392; partners 643,704,360,608,764; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / JPN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / JPN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 27; 2025; reporter 392; partners 643,704,360,608,764; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / JPN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 85; 2025; reporter 392; partners 643,704,360,608,764; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / JPN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 87; 2025; reporter 392; partners 643,704,360,608,764; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / JPN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 84; 2025; reporter 392; partners 643,704,360,608,764; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / JPN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 30; 2025; reporter 392; partners 643,704,360,608,764; X/M; annual goods.