Real interest rate in Japan
Japan: Real interest rate was 1.0% in 2017. ◆ Volatile
Real interest rate in Japan, 1993–2017
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2017, real interest rate in Japan stood at 1.0%.
That represents a change of up 112.8% on the previous year and down 66.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, real interest rate in Japan peaked at 4.3% in 1993 and was at its lowest, -0.9%, in 2015.
That places Japan 118th out of 148 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.4% | 2.4% | 4.3% | 7 |
| 2000s | 3.0% | 2.2% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.3% | -0.9% | 3.6% | 8 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 115 Czechia 1.1% compare
- 116 New Zealand 1.1% compare
- 117 South Korea 1.0% compare
- 119 North Macedonia 0.8% compare
- 120 Netherlands 0.4% compare
- 121 Romania 0.3% compare
More financial sector data for Japan
- Domestic credit to private sector 187.4% (2025)
- Net domestic credit 1,825.99 trillion current LCU (2025)
- Total reserves in months of imports 14.01 (2025)
- Net foreign assets 70.71 trillion current LCU (2025)
- Domestic credit to private sector by banks 115.9% (2025)
- Claims on central government, etc. 117.4% (2025)
- Monetary Sector credit to private sector 116.3% (2025)
- Broad money 246.8% (2025)
- Official exchange rate 149.66 LCU per US$, period average (2025)
- Net migration 140,579 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is real interest rate in Japan?
- Real interest rate in Japan was 1.0% in 2017, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest real interest rate recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 4.3% in 1993.
- What is the lowest real interest rate recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.9% in 2015.
- How does Japan rank for real interest rate?
- Japan ranks 118th out of 148 countries with data for 2017.
- Is real interest rate rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 66.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Real interest rate (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
An interest rate is the amount charged, expressed as a percentage of the principal over a period of time, by the owners of certain kinds of financial assets for putting the financial assets at the disposal of another institutional unit. The real interest rate is the lending interest rate adjusted for inflation as measured by the GDP deflator. The terms and conditions attached to lending rates differ by country, however, limiting their comparability. This indicator is expressed as a percentage (a÷b)*100.