China vs Japan: Electricity production by source
China
12.9%
in 2021
Japan
12.6%
in 2021
China rank
62nd
Japan rank
63rd
Electricity production by source over time
- China
- Japan
How they compare
China currently reports 12.9% against 12.6% in Japan, a difference of 0.3%.
The two have swapped places 11 times across 32 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Japan ahead.
China ranks 62nd and Japan ranks 63rd of 208 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, China averaged higher in 1 and Japan in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Japan | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.0% | China |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 1.6% | 1.2% | Japan |
| 2010s | 4.9% | 5.3% | 0.4% | Japan |
| 2020s | 11.8% | 12.2% | 0.4% | Japan |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher electricity production by source, China or Japan?
- China, at 12.9% against 12.6% in Japan as of 2021.
- What is the difference in electricity production by source between China and Japan?
- 0.3%, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Japan?
- 32 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2021.
- How do China and Japan rank globally for electricity production by source?
- China ranks 62nd and Japan ranks 63rd of 208 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Electricity production by source. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.