United Kingdom vs Japan — Country Comparison
United Kingdom
JapanUnited Kingdom and Japan side by side: Japan is the larger country (377,930 km² vs 244,376 km², roughly 1.5× the size), while Japan has the bigger population (123.2 million vs 69.3 million). The full comparison table below covers capitals, currencies, languages, dialling codes, timezones and more.
Facts last checked 9 October 2026.
| Fact | United Kingdom | Japan |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | London | Tokyo |
| Population | 69,281,437 | 123,210,000 |
| Area | 244,376 km² | 377,930 km² |
| Currency | British pound | Japanese yen |
| Language | English | Japanese |
| Dialling code | +44 | +81 |
| Main timezone | UTC | UTC+09:00 |
| Drives on the | Left | Left |
| Region | Northern Europe | Eastern Asia |
| Emergency number | 999 (or 112) | 110 (police) / 119 (fire & ambulance) |
Key differences: United Kingdom vs Japan
- Japan has about 1.8 times the population of United Kingdom.
- Japan is about 1.5 times larger by area.
- Japan is the more densely populated of the two.
- They use different currencies: GBP and JPY.
- They do not share an official language.
- They do not share a land border.
- Their geographic centres are about 9,300 km apart.
- Japan is 9 hours ahead of United Kingdom (UTC vs UTC+09:00), not accounting for daylight saving changes.
Want the full picture for each country? See United Kingdom and Japan, or compare their population pages: United Kingdom · Japan.
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United Kingdom vs Japan — FAQ
Which is bigger, United Kingdom or Japan?
Japan is bigger by area: 377,930 km² vs 244,376 km², roughly 1.5× the size of United Kingdom.
Is United Kingdom bigger than Japan?
No — Japan is larger at 377,930 km² vs 244,376 km² for United Kingdom.
Which has more people, United Kingdom or Japan?
Japan has the larger population: 123,210,000 (123.2 million) vs 69,281,437 (69.3 million).
How does the size of United Kingdom compare to Japan?
Japan (377,930 km²) is about 1.5× larger than United Kingdom (244,376 km²).
Do United Kingdom and Japan use the same currency?
No — United Kingdom uses the British pound and Japan uses the Japanese yen.
Are United Kingdom and Japan on the same continent?
No — United Kingdom is in Europe and Japan is in Asia.
What is the time difference between United Kingdom and Japan?
Japan is 9 hours ahead of United Kingdom (UTC vs UTC+09:00), not accounting for daylight saving changes.
Do United Kingdom and Japan share an official language?
No — United Kingdom and Japan do not share an official language.
Do United Kingdom and Japan share a border?
No — United Kingdom and Japan do not share a land border.
Which is more densely populated, United Kingdom or Japan?
Japan is more densely populated at roughly 326 people per km², compared to 284 for United Kingdom.
How far is United Kingdom from Japan?
The distance between the geographic centres of United Kingdom and Japan is roughly 9,300 km (5,780 miles) in a straight line. Actual travel distances between cities will differ.
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