Primary net lending (+) / net borrowing (-), General government in Japan

Japan: Primary net lending (+) / net borrowing (-), General government was -2.31 in 2031. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2031)
-2.31
Change on year
down 4.6%
World rank
19th
of 24 countries
All-time high
3.09
in 1990
All-time low
-8.63
in 2009
Years of data
52
1980–2031

Primary net lending (+) / net borrowing (-), General government in Japan, 1980–2031

-7.5-5-2.502.5198020052031

Source: International Monetary Fund.

Analysis

Japan recorded -2.31 for primary net lending (+) / net borrowing (-), general government in 2031.

The figure is down 4.6% on the previous year and up 59.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, primary net lending (+) / net borrowing (-), general government in Japan peaked at 3.09 in 1990 and was at its lowest, -8.63, in 2009.

Japan ranks 19th of 24 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Primary net lending (+) / net borrowing (-), General government in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Primary net lending (+) / net borrowing (-), General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025) in Japan, 1980 to 2031.
Year Value Change
1980 -3.17
1981 -2.5 -21.2%
1982 -2.22 -11.1%
1983 -2 -10.0%
1984 -0.569 -71.6%
1985 0.6634 -216.6%
1986 0.6243 -5.9%
1987 1.53 +144.5%
1988 2.14 +40.2%
1989 2.6 +21.5%
1990 3.09 +19.0%
1991 2.63 -14.8%
1992 1.64 -37.9%
1993 -1.22 -174.5%
1994 -2.62 +115.5%
1995 -3.07 +17.1%
1996 -3.58 +16.5%
1997 -2.27 -36.7%
1998 -8.61 +280.0%
1999 -5.36 -37.8%
2000 -5.86 +9.4%
2001 -4.83 -17.6%
2002 -5.94 +23.0%
2003 -6.11 +2.9%
2004 -4.18 -31.7%
2005 -3.57 -14.4%
2006 -2.37 -33.8%
2007 -2.16 -8.7%
2008 -3.23 +49.6%
2009 -8.63 +166.6%
2010 -7.99 -7.3%
2011 -7.83 -2.0%
2012 -7.02 -10.4%
2013 -6.51 -7.3%
2014 -4.5 -30.9%
2015 -2.62 -41.8%
2016 -2.53 -3.3%
2017 -2.14 -15.7%
2018 -1.66 -22.1%
2019 -2.38 +43.1%
2020 -8.42 +253.4%
2021 -5.74 -31.8%
2022 -3.83 -33.3%
2023 -2.17 -43.3%
2024 -1.55 -28.5%
2025 -0.8542 -44.9%
2026 -1.74 +103.5%
2027 -1.7 -2.2%
2028 -1.93 +13.7%
2029 -2.03 +5.2%
2030 -2.21 +8.5%
2031 -2.31 +4.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s -0.2914 -3.17 2.6 10
1990s -1.94 -8.61 3.09 10
2000s -4.69 -8.63 -2.16 10
2010s -4.52 -7.99 -1.66 10
2020s -3 -8.42 -0.8542 10
2030s -2.26 -2.31 -2.21 2

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 16 Ecuador -1.74 compare
  2. 17 Poland -2.03 compare
  3. 18 Saudi Arabia -2.1 compare
  4. 20 Latvia -2.54 compare
  5. 21 Estonia -2.88 compare
  6. 22 Maldives -2.89 compare

See the full ranking of 24 places →

More external debt data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is primary net lending (+) / net borrowing (-), general government in Japan?
Primary net lending (+) / net borrowing (-), general government in Japan was -2.31 in 2031, according to International Monetary Fund.
What is the highest primary net lending (+) / net borrowing (-), general government recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 3.09 in 1990.
What is the lowest primary net lending (+) / net borrowing (-), general government recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was -8.63 in 2009.
How does Japan rank for primary net lending (+) / net borrowing (-), general government?
Japan ranks 19th out of 24 countries with data for 2031.
Is primary net lending (+) / net borrowing (-), general government rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is up 59.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Primary net lending (+) / net borrowing (-), General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Primary net lending (+) / net borrowing (-), General government in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://debt.statizoid.com/stat/primary-net-lending-net-borrowing-general-government-percent-of-gdp-9-26-2025/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Primary net lending (+) / net borrowing (-), General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025)
Source
International Monetary Fund
Licence
IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
24 places, 924 data points, 1980–2031
Last refreshed

The World Economic Outlook (WEO) database is created during the biannual WEO exercise, which begins in January and June of each year and results in the April and September/October WEO publication. Selected series from the publication are available in a database format.