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International comparison

Essential overseas primary data

Grade Level
Resource Type
34 resources

UNdata

A starting point for international comparison. Confirm definitions → re-pull Japan's figures from e-Stat.

Confirm indicator definition/unit → fix the countries and period for comparison → re-pull Japan with the same definition
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglishMultilingual

World Bank Open Data

A representative source of national development indicators. Beware of missing values and estimates.

Read missing/estimate notes → see the same indicator across multiple years → fact-check causality with primary sources
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglishAPI Available

OECD Data

Stronger when you can also explain "why these comparison countries".

Write the rationale for selecting comparison countries → confirm definitions/methods → compare with conditions aligned
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglish

IMF Data

The more you can read assumptions (currency, base year, etc.), the stronger your analysis.

Confirm assumptions (currency / base year / seasonal adjustment) → align indicator meaning before interpretation
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglishAPI Available

NASA Earthdata

An entry to handle global-scale data.

Decide variable / resolution / period → confirm uncertainty → verify with ground observation or statistics
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Earth ScienceNatural ScienceOpen DataEnglishAPI Available

IEA Data and Statistics

The International Energy Agency (IEA) publishes official country-level data on energy supply and demand, the power mix, and CO2 emissions. A standard reference for comparing policies across developed economies, and strong evidence for climate and energy inquiry.

Pick an indicator (power mix / CO2 / final consumption) → align the compared countries and base year → bring it next to Japan's figures from the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy using the same definition
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglishEarth Science

FAOSTAT (UN Food and Agriculture Organization)

Official statistics run by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), covering global agricultural production, food security, land use, and forests. Commodity-by-commodity long-run time series let you compare food and farming across the world.

Narrow by commodity and country → check definitions (production / harvest / planted area) → put it next to MAFF (Japan) with the same definitions and units, and explain "where Japan stands"
Middle SchoolHigh SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglishMultilingualAPI Available

WHO Global Health Observatory

Official global data on health, disease, health workers, and infectious disease, published by the World Health Organization (WHO). Clearly mapped to SDG 3, making it the baseline for health- and medical-policy inquiry.

Pick an indicator (life expectancy / disease incidence / health-worker ratio) → compare across regions and income groups → match it against Japan's MHLW statistics and infectious-disease surveillance
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglishMultilingual

ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

Official global statistics from the UN specialized agency ILO — labour, employment, wages, and gender. Lets you compare working conditions across developing and developed countries on a single platform.

Pick an indicator (unemployment / wages / hours / female-participation rate) → narrow down the compared countries → match definitions against MIC and MHLW Japanese statistics for comparison
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglish

UN Comtrade (Trade Statistics Database)

Official trade statistics compiled by the UN Statistics Division from member-state governments, covering trade volumes and values by country, commodity, and partner. Lets you verify bilateral relationships and global-economic structure as numbers.

Pick commodity (HS code) and target country → read export/import quantities and values → cross-reference with Japan's customs statistics (MOF) and the partner country's own statistics
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglishAPI Available

UNDP Human Development Reports

The annual Human Development Index (HDI) database published by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), with related indicators. Lets you compare "well-being" internationally beyond income alone.

Rank countries by HDI → read the sub-components (income / longevity / education) → when you see a gap you care about, explain it using OECD or WHO data
Middle SchoolHigh SchoolUniversity
InternationalStatisticsOverview
Open DataEnglish

IPCC Reports (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)

The consolidated scientific assessment reports on climate change by the IPCC, published together with the governments-approved "Summary for Policymakers". The most trusted international evidence for climate-change inquiry.

Start from the "Summary for Policymakers" of the latest Assessment Report (AR) → descend into the figures in supporting chapters → link them to Japan's own observations from JMA and NIES
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalResearchLaw & Policy
Earth ScienceOpen DataEnglish

FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis — Economic Data)

The official database run by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, visualizing more than 800,000 economic time series. Lets you compare U.S. and world economic indicators across decades on one interface.

Search by indicator name (GDP / unemployment / CPI / interest rate) → fix the period → align with Japan (Bank of Japan / e-Stat) using the same definition for comparison
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglishAPI Available

UNCTADstat (UN Conference on Trade and Development)

Official international statistics on trade, investment, and maritime shipping published by UNCTAD, covering developing countries as well. Enables international comparison that includes the Global South, not just advanced economies.

Pick an indicator (trade / maritime / investment) with country and year → align definitions with UN Comtrade → cross-check with Japan's trade statistics (MOF / JETRO)
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglish

IAEA PRIS (Power Reactor Information System)

The IAEA's official database of nuclear reactor operation, shutdown, and construction worldwide. Essential for international comparison of energy policy and nuclear safety.

Narrow by country / reactor type / operational status → take yearly operating records → put them next to IEA and ANRE data for international comparison of the power mix
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglish

UNHCR Refugee Data Finder

The UN Refugee Agency's central database of official statistics on refugees, IDPs, and stateless persons worldwide. An international baseline for handling refugee issues with numbers rather than emotion.

Pull indicators by country of origin / host / year → confirm causes (conflict / persecution / climate) with treaty-body documents → contrast with Japan's admission situation (ISA / MOJ)
Middle SchoolHigh SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatisticsLaw & Policy
Open DataEnglish

Eurostat (EU Statistical Office)

The EU's official statistics office, publishing standard statistics with definitions aligned across member states. The standard entry point for intra-EU comparisons and for comparisons with the EU, covering economy, population, and environment.

Pick an indicator and member states → confirm the EU-standard definition → pair with e-Stat (Japan) using aligned definitions
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglishMultilingualAPI Available

BIS Statistics (Bank for International Settlements)

Official statistics on international finance, FX, and credit published by the BIS, often called "the bank of central banks". Useful for visualising cross-border capital flows and financial imbalances.

Pick a theme (cross-border credit / FX / credit gap) → fix sample countries and period → cross-check with BOJ statistics, FRED, and IMF Data
UniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglish

ADB Open Data (Asian Development Bank)

Open data published by the ADB on economy, development, poverty, and climate in Asia-Pacific. A usable international-organisation dataset for comparisons across East / Southeast / South Asia.

Pick region / country / indicator → align definitions with World Bank data and national statistics → overlay with Japan's ODA and trade data to read relationships with neighbours
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglish

AfDB Data Portal (African Development Bank)

The AfDB's official data portal on Africa's economy, population, infrastructure, and climate. A starting point for international comparison of African countries.

Pick country / indicator → align definitions with World Bank / UNCTAD / UNDP → overlay with Japan's Africa-related ODA data to read the relationship
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglish

ECLAC / CEPALSTAT (Latin America and the Caribbean)

The official economic and social statistics database for Latin America and the Caribbean, published by ECLAC. Gives comprehensive coverage of data that is often missing when comparing Japan with LAC.

Pick country and indicator → check consistency with IMF / World Bank data → contrast with Japan's Latin-America-related statistics (JETRO)
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglishMultilingual

U.S. Census Bureau

The U.S. federal statistical agency in charge of population and economic censuses. Publishes the decennial census, the American Community Survey (ACS), and business statistics. A reference point for comparison with Japan's population and economic censuses (MIC).

Pull values at state / county level for your indicator → align definitions with Japan's census → be conscious of federal / state / county scale differences when comparing
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglishAPI Available

UK ONS (Office for National Statistics)

The UK's official statistics office, publishing the census, labour, prices, and GDP in one place. A model of European-standard statistics, usable as a comparison point for Japan.

Search by indicator → read methodology → pair with e-Stat (Japan) and Eurostat for comparison using aligned definitions
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglish

Destatis (Federal Statistical Office of Germany)

The English / German portal of Germany's federal statistical office. Publishes official census, economic, population, and environmental data. Under the EU statistical system, consistent with Eurostat.

Pick indicators in the English edition → view state-level data under federalism → cross-check with Eurostat's same indicators and pair with Japan
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglishMultilingual

INSEE (French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies)

INSEE's English / French portal. Publishes the census, labour, prices, and regional statistics. In addition to EU standards, handles social indicators specific to the French community.

Pick indicators in the English edition → be conscious of region / département divisions → use Eurostat in parallel for international comparison
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglishMultilingual

ISTAT (Italian National Institute of Statistics)

Italy's national statistical institute. Publishes official data on population, economy, and society. As a Southern European model case, it helps confirm diversity within Europe.

Pick an indicator → check regional (regione) differences → put alongside Eurostat and Japanese statistics to discuss the Southern European model
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
EnglishMultilingual

Statistics Canada

Canada's official statistical agency (English / French bilingual). Publishes statistics on population, economy, labour, and Indigenous matters. A federal and multicultural country's data — suggestive when compared to Japan.

Pull indicators by province → pay particular attention to Indigenous-statistics definitions → use alongside Japanese counterparts
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglishMultilingual

ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics)

Australia's official statistical agency. Publishes statistics on population, economy, society, and environment. As a Southern Hemisphere developed-country dataset, it helps read common ground and differences with Japan via geography and climate.

Pull indicators by state / territory → read the methodology → pair with Japan with geographical-condition differences in mind
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglish

KOSTAT (Statistics Korea)

Korea's official statistical agency. With a well-maintained English portal, it is an easy neighbour to pair with Japan for population, economy, labour, and family comparisons.

Pick an indicator → confirm definition in the English version → pair with e-Stat (Japan) and DGBAS (Taiwan) for East-Asian international comparison
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Open DataEnglishMultilingual

DGBAS (Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, Taiwan)

Taiwan's official statistical agency. Publishes data on national income, labour, prices, and households. Usable for East-Asian comparison with Japan and Korea as official statistics.

Pick an indicator → confirm publication language (Chinese / English) → pair with KOSTAT (Korea) and e-Stat (Japan) to construct an East-Asian view
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
Multilingual

National Bureau of Statistics of China

China's official statistical agency. The English edition publishes major macro indicators. A starting point for referencing the dynamics of a very large economy in primary form.

Pull macro indicators from the English edition → check consistency with IMF / World Bank data → be mindful of political and institutional differences in statistical practice
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatistics
EnglishMultilingual

MIC Statistics Bureau | Foreign-government statistical agencies (link directory)

A directory maintained officially by Japan's Statistics Bureau (MIC) linking to statistical agencies in countries around the world. Works as a comprehensive hub for navigating national statistical offices in international-comparison inquiry.

Pick the target country → open its statistical agency's English / local-language page → confirm definition alignment with e-Stat before comparing
High SchoolUniversityResearcher
OverviewInternational
Multilingual

GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility)

An international public platform integrating over 2.3 billion species-distribution and specimen records provided by museums and research institutions worldwide. Used alongside the Japan node (JBIF), it lets you verify species distributions on a global scale.

Search by scientific name → view the global distribution map → cross-check with JBIF to read Japan's position and differences with surrounding regions
Middle SchoolHigh SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatisticsResearch
Natural ScienceOpen DataEnglishAPI Available

IUCN Red List

The official Red List of threatened species worldwide, run by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Centralises assessment categories, distributions, and threat factors per species — the international standard for conservation inquiry.

Search by scientific name or region → record the assessment category and threat factors → cross-reference with the Japanese MOE Red List to compare global and domestic positioning
Middle SchoolHigh SchoolUniversityResearcher
InternationalStatisticsResearch
Natural ScienceEnglish