China vs Japan: Solar energy generation vs. capacity
China
1.17 million terawatt-hours
in 2025
Japan
110,787 terawatt-hours
in 2025
China rank
1st
Japan rank
4th
Solar energy generation vs. capacity over time
- China
- Japan
How they compare
China currently reports 1.17 million terawatt-hours against 110,787 terawatt-hours in Japan, a difference of 1.06 million terawatt-hours.
That makes China's figure about 10.6 times Japan's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 55 shared years of data; in 1971 it was Japan ahead.
China ranks 1st and Japan ranks 4th of 79 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, China averaged higher in 2 and Japan in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Japan | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1980s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1990s | 7.4 terawatt-hours | 61.56 terawatt-hours | 54.16 terawatt-hours | Japan |
| 2000s | 96.5 terawatt-hours | 1,534 terawatt-hours | 1,438 terawatt-hours | Japan |
| 2010s | 66,350 terawatt-hours | 31,312 terawatt-hours | 35,038 terawatt-hours | China |
| 2020s | 601,967 terawatt-hours | 92,473 terawatt-hours | 509,494 terawatt-hours | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher solar energy generation vs. capacity, China or Japan?
- China, at 1.17 million terawatt-hours against 110,787 terawatt-hours in Japan as of 2025.
- What is the difference in solar energy generation vs. capacity between China and Japan?
- 1.06 million terawatt-hours, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Japan?
- 55 years are reported by both, from 1971 to 2025.
- How do China and Japan rank globally for solar energy generation vs. capacity?
- China ranks 1st and Japan ranks 4th of 79 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Solar energy generation vs. capacity. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Figures are based on gross generation and do not account for cross-border electricity supply.