China vs Japan — Country Comparison
China
JapanChina and Japan side by side: China is the larger country (9,706,961 km² vs 377,930 km², roughly 25.7× the size), while China has the bigger population (1.4 billion vs 123.2 million). The full comparison table below covers capitals, currencies, languages, dialling codes, timezones and more.
Facts last checked 9 October 2026.
| Fact | China | Japan |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | Beijing | Tokyo |
| Population | 1,408,280,000 | 123,210,000 |
| Area | 9,706,961 km² | 377,930 km² |
| Currency | Chinese yuan | Japanese yen |
| Language | Chinese | Japanese |
| Dialling code | +86 | +81 |
| Main timezone | UTC+08:00 | UTC+09:00 |
| Drives on the | Right | Left |
| Region | Eastern Asia | Eastern Asia |
| Emergency number | 110 (police) / 120 (ambulance) / 119 (fire) | 110 (police) / 119 (fire & ambulance) |
Key differences: China vs Japan
- China has about 11.4 times the population of Japan.
- China is about 25.7 times larger by area.
- Japan is the more densely populated of the two.
- They use different currencies: CNY and JPY.
- They do not share an official language.
- They do not share a land border.
- Their geographic centres are about 2,980 km apart.
- Japan is 1 hour ahead of China (UTC+08:00 vs UTC+09:00), not accounting for daylight saving changes.
Want the full picture for each country? See China and Japan, or compare their population pages: China · Japan.
Visiting China or Japan?
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China vs Japan — FAQ
Which is bigger, China or Japan?
China is bigger by area: 9,706,961 km² vs 377,930 km², roughly 25.7× the size of Japan.
Is China bigger than Japan?
Yes — China covers 9,706,961 km², compared to 377,930 km² for Japan.
Which has more people, China or Japan?
China has the larger population: 1,408,280,000 (1.4 billion) vs 123,210,000 (123.2 million).
How does the size of China compare to Japan?
China (9,706,961 km²) is about 25.7× larger than Japan (377,930 km²).
Do China and Japan use the same currency?
No — China uses the Chinese yuan and Japan uses the Japanese yen.
Are China and Japan on the same continent?
Yes — both are in Asia.
What is the time difference between China and Japan?
Japan is 1 hour ahead of China (UTC+08:00 vs UTC+09:00), not accounting for daylight saving changes.
Do China and Japan share an official language?
No — China and Japan do not share an official language.
Do China and Japan share a border?
No — China and Japan do not share a land border.
Which is more densely populated, China or Japan?
Japan is more densely populated at roughly 326 people per km², compared to 145 for China.
How far is China from Japan?
The distance between the geographic centres of China and Japan is roughly 2,980 km (1,850 miles) in a straight line. Actual travel distances between cities will differ.
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