Japan vs US size comparison
How Big Is Japan Compared to the US?
The US is about 26 times the size of Japan. Japan is about 9.4 times as densely populated. Drag Japan over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Japan vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Japan laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Japan
- 377,915 km² (145,914 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 26 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Montana (380,840 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Japan 123,366,734; the US 341,784,857
- Japan's rank by area
- 61st-largest of 197
How big Japan is compared with the US
The US is about 26 times the size of Japan: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 377,915 km² (145,914 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Japan about 21 times. Japan is bigger than 46 of the 50 US states and smaller than the other 4; the state closest in size is Montana (380,840 km²). It is the 61st-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 16th-largest of 47 in Asia; the US is the third-largest.
Japan has about 123 million people (2025), the 12th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 326 people per km² it is about 9.4 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the 28th-most densely populated country.
Japan and the US on a world map
Japan reaches from 24°N to 46°N; the US from 19°N to 71°N, with Hawaii in the south and Alaska in the far north. Most world maps use the Mercator projection, which enlarges places more the further they are from the Equator. It draws Japan about 1.6 times its real size and the US about 2.3 times (Alaska far more than Florida). So on a normal world map the US looks about 37 times the size of Japan, when it is really about 26 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Japan is
Japan's capital, Tokyo, is 10,900 km (6,770 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Japan is an island country with no land borders.
Japan and US in numbers
| Japan | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 377,915 km² 145,914 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 26× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 123,366,734 | 341,784,857 | The US has 2.77× more |
| Rank by area | 61st-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 326 | 35 | Japan is 9.4× denser |
| Capital | Tokyo | Washington, D.C. | 10,900 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 0 | 2 |
Japan compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Japan bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 26 times the size of Japan: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 377,915 km² (145,914 sq mi).
How many times would Japan fit into the US?
About 26 times (26.02). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 21 times.
Which US state is Japan closest in size to?
Montana (380,840 km²). Japan is about the same size as Montana.
Is Japan bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 1.84 times the size of Japan.
Which has more people, Japan or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 2.77 times the 123 million in Japan.
Why does Japan look so small on a world map?
Most world maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches places more the further they are from the Equator. The US is further from the Equator than Japan, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 37 times the size of Japan, not 26.
Where does Japan rank by size?
Japan is the 61st-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 16th-largest in Asia. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Japan from the US?
Japan's capital, Tokyo, is 10,900 km (6,770 miles) from Washington, D.C. in a straight line.
Sources
- Areas: CIA World Factbook (total area, land and water). US states: US Census Bureau.
- Populations: World Bank, World Development Indicators (2025).
- Outlines are drawn on an equal-area projection, so their sizes on the map match their real areas.