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Republic of Korea vs Japan

34 metrics with data for both countries. The solid line is Republic of Korea; the dashed grey line is Japan.

Country A · Republic of Korea
Country B · Japan

Climate

CO2 emissions

Republic of Korea: 583.7 Mt CO2/year · 2024Japan: 961.9 Mt CO2/year · 2024
05001k192019401960198020002020Japanhigh 2018

Carbon dioxide released each year from burning fossil fuels and industry. The main driver of global warming. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

CO2 emissions per person

Republic of Korea: 11.3 t CO2/person/year · 2024Japan: 7.77 t CO2/person/year · 2024
0510192019401960198020002020Japanhigh 2018

Each person's share of their country's yearly CO2 emissions. A fairer way to compare countries of very different sizes. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

Temperature anomaly

Republic of Korea: 0.99 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025Japan: 0.86 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025
-20219401960198020002020Japanhigh 2024low 1947

How much warmer or cooler a country's year was compared with its 1991-2020 average. Watch the map turn red as you move the slider towards today. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Methane emissions

Republic of Korea: 39.7 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Japan: 28.8 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
0501850190019502000Japan

Methane traps around 80 times more heat than CO2 over 20 years. It comes mainly from livestock, rice, landfill and leaky fossil fuel infrastructure. Global Carbon Project / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

All greenhouse gases

Republic of Korea: 630.6 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Japan: 1,007 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
05001k1850190019502000Japanhigh 2018low 1895

Every warming gas combined: CO2, methane and nitrous oxide, expressed as CO2-equivalents. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Nitrous oxide emissions

Republic of Korea: 13.7 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Japan: 18.0 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
020401850190019502000Japanhigh 1997

N2O is nearly 300 times more warming than CO2 and comes mostly from fertilised farmland and livestock. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Consumption-based CO2

Republic of Korea: 708.9 Mt CO2/year · 2023Japan: 1,142 Mt CO2/year · 2023
05001k1.5k1990200020102020Japanhigh 2018

CO2 counted where goods are used rather than where they are made. Compare with production emissions to see who imports their footprint. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

Aviation emissions per person

Republic of Korea: 285.4 kg CO2/person/year · 2024Japan: 221.3 kg CO2/person/year · 2024
0100200300201420162018202020222024Japan

Each person's share of the CO2 from flights taking off in their country, including passengers and freight. ICCT / Graver et al. via Our World in Data

Energy

Renewable energy share

Republic of Korea: 4.75 % of primary energy · 2024Japan: 12.7 % of primary energy · 2024
0510197019801990200020102020Japanlow 2001

The slice of a country's energy that comes from renewables such as wind, solar and hydro. Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data

Fossil fuel share

Republic of Korea: 82.5 % of primary energy · 2024Japan: 83.0 % of primary energy · 2024
050100197019801990200020102020Japanhigh 1977

The slice of a country's energy still coming from coal, oil and gas. The number the world is trying to shrink. Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data

Energy use per person

Republic of Korea: 69,922 kWh/person/year · 2024Japan: 38,745 kWh/person/year · 2024
020k40k60k197019801990200020102020Japan

How much energy each person uses in a year, across electricity, transport, heating and industry. Energy Institute / Ember via Our World in Data

Solar electricity

Republic of Korea: 6.05 % of electricity · 2025Japan: 9.81 % of electricity · 2025
05101990200020102020Japan

The share of a country's electricity generated from solar panels. The fastest-growing energy source in history. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Wind electricity

Republic of Korea: 0.58 % of electricity · 2025Japan: 1.25 % of electricity · 2025
00.511990200020102020Japan

The share of a country's electricity generated from wind turbines, onshore and offshore. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Coal electricity

Republic of Korea: 31.1 % of electricity · 2025Japan: 32.1 % of electricity · 2025
020401990200020102020Japanhigh 2009low 1991

The share of electricity still generated by burning coal, the most polluting fuel. The number that must reach zero first. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Electric car sales

Republic of Korea: 11.0 % of new cars · 2025Japan: 3.00 % of new cars · 2025
05102010201520202025Japan

The share of newly sold cars that are electric. Norway crossed 90% in the early 2020s; most of the world is following. International Energy Agency via Our World in Data

Oil electricity

Republic of Korea: 0.95 % of electricity · 2025Japan: 2.46 % of electricity · 2025
01020301990200020102020Japan

The share of a country's electricity generated by burning oil. Rare on big grids, still common on islands. Ember via Our World in Data

Gas electricity

Republic of Korea: 27.9 % of electricity · 2025Japan: 32.8 % of electricity · 2025
020401990200020102020Japanhigh 2021low 1986

The share of a country's electricity generated from natural gas, the least polluting fossil fuel but still a fossil fuel. Ember via Our World in Data

Land & Life

Tree cover loss

Republic of Korea: 15,595 ha/year · 2024Japan: 53,588 ha/year · 2024
020k40k2005201020152020Japanhigh 2022low 2003

Forest area lost each year to fire, logging, farming and storms. Not all loss is permanent deforestation, but the trend matters. Global Forest Watch (Hansen/UMD) via Our World in Data

Forest area

Republic of Korea: 64.3 % of land · 2025Japan: 68.3 % of land · 2025
02040601990200020102020Japan

How much of a country's land is covered by forest. FAO via Our World in Data

Deaths from natural disasters

Republic of Korea: 0.00 deaths/year · 2021Japan: 62.4 deaths/year · 2021
010k20k20002005201020152020Japanhigh 2002

People killed by floods, storms, droughts, heatwaves, earthquakes and other disasters each year. Single events dominate single years. IHME Global Burden of Disease via Our World in Data

Red List Index

Republic of Korea: 0.68 index (1 = species safe) · 2024Japan: 0.75 index (1 = species safe) · 2024
00.5200020102020Japanlow 2023

Tracks extinction risk across all assessed species. 1 means no species at risk; falling values mean wildlife sliding towards extinction. IUCN / SDG 15.5.1 via Our World in Data

Protected land

Republic of Korea: 17.4 % of land area · 2024Japan: 29.5 % of land area · 2024
0102030201420162018202020222024Japan

The share of a country's land under legal protection for nature. The global 30x30 target aims for 30% by 2030. World Bank / UNEP-WCMC via Our World in Data

Meat supply per person

Republic of Korea: 84.0 kg/person/year · 2023Japan: 59.9 kg/person/year · 2022
050198020002020Japanlow 1962

Meat available for consumption per person. Livestock drives around 15% of global emissions and most deforestation. FAO via Our World in Data

Nitrogen fertiliser use

Republic of Korea: 139.8 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023Japan: 62.9 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023
0100200198020002020Japanhigh 1997low 1964

Nitrogen applied per hectare of cropland. It feeds half the world, but runoff chokes rivers and coastal seas. FAO via Our World in Data

Marine protected areas

Republic of Korea: 2.20 % of territorial waters · 2024Japan: 13.8 % of territorial waters · 2024
051015201420162018202020222024Japan

How much of a country's coastal waters are protected for nature. The global goal is 30% by 2030. UNEP-WCMC via Our World in Data

Urban population

Republic of Korea: 81.2 % living in cities · 2025Japan: 92.3 % living in cities · 2025
0501960198020002020Japanhigh 2010

The share of people living in towns and cities. Urbanisation shapes energy use, land use and how people experience climate change. UN World Urbanization Prospects via Our World in Data

Water

Water stress

Republic of Korea: 85.2 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022Japan: 36.6 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022
05020002005201020152020Japanhigh 2005

How much of a country's renewable freshwater is withdrawn each year. Above 25% counts as stressed; above 100% means drawing down reserves. FAO AQUASTAT (SDG 6.4.2) via Our World in Data

Renewable water per person

Republic of Korea: 1,255 m³/person/year · 2022Japan: 3,437 m³/person/year · 2022
02k4k198020002020Japanlow 2020

Each person's share of the country's renewable freshwater. Below 1,700 m³ is water stress; below 1,000 m³ is scarcity. FAO AQUASTAT via Our World in Data

Safely managed drinking water

Republic of Korea: 99.3 % of population · 2024Japan: 98.7 % of population · 2024
0501002005201020152020Japan

The share of people with safe drinking water at home, available when needed and free from contamination. WHO/UNICEF JMP via Our World in Data

Annual precipitation

Republic of Korea: 1,270 mm/year · 2025Japan: 1,642 mm/year · 2025
01k2k19401960198020002020Japanhigh 1956low 1942

Total rain and snow that fell over a country in a year, averaged across its land area. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Rainfall anomaly

Republic of Korea: -3.40 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025Japan: -9.10 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025
-50019401960198020002020Japanhigh 1956low 1942

How much wetter (teal) or drier (brown) a country's year was compared with its 1961-1990 average. A simple drought and deluge signal. Derived from Copernicus ERA5 precipitation via Our World in Data

Safely managed sanitation

Republic of Korea: 99.3 % of population · 2024Japan: 99.2 % of population · 2024
05010020002005201020152020Japanhigh 2023

The share of people whose toilet waste is safely treated rather than left to contaminate water and soil. WHO/UNICEF JMP via Our World in Data

Pollution

Air pollution (PM2.5)

Republic of Korea: 21.0 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024Japan: 10.5 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024
0102020002005201020152020Japanhigh 2016low 1999

Average exposure to fine particles small enough to enter the bloodstream. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³. World Bank / van Donkelaar et al. via Our World in Data

Ozone-depleting substances

Republic of Korea: 1,053 ODP tonnes/year · 2021Japan: 8.49 ODP tonnes/year · 2021
0100k200k300k1990200020102020Japanhigh 1992

Consumption of chemicals that destroy the ozone layer. Watch the map fade towards zero: the Montreal Protocol is the world's most successful environmental treaty. UN Environment Programme via Our World in Data