IMF: Japan's GDP may drop to sixth in the world next year

Beijing, October 14 (Xinhua) -- Multiple Japanese media reported on the 14th that a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts that Japan's gross domestic product (GDP) will be surpassed by India and the United Kingdom in 2027, and its global ranking will drop from the current fourth place to sixth place.

According to the latest World Economic Outlook report by the International Monetary Fund, Japan's projected gross domestic product for 2026 is $4.3419 trillion, ranking fourth in the world. In 2027, Japan's gross domestic product is expected to be $4.4676 trillion, lower than India's $4.5211 trillion and the UK's $4.4889 trillion, and its ranking will fall to sixth place.

According to Japanese media analysis, the decline in Japan's ranking is mainly influenced by two factors. On the one hand, the Japanese economy is sluggish, with growth rates lower than those of India and the UK; On the other hand, the continuous depreciation of the Japanese yen has resulted in a "compression" when calculating the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in US dollars.

In a report in April this year, the International Monetary Fund predicted that the time point for the UK to surpass Japan in ranking was 2029, but the latest forecast was two years earlier.

This news has sparked widespread attention and discussion among the Japanese public. Someone left a message on the Yahoo website stating that Japan's GDP ranking has been surpassed by India and the UK, which reflects a decline in Japan's national strength from the data. This is the consequence of Japan's "lost 30 years" under the rule of the Liberal Democratic Party. Some people criticize that the reason for this situation is that Japanese politicians blindly pursue their own interests and have never considered the future of the country.