World vs Japan
How the gap between the Japanese record and the world record has changed over time.
Men · Current Gap
+9.42
World3:26.00Hicham El Guerrouj
Japan3:35.42Kazuki Kawamura
Women · Current Gap
+10.51
World3:48.68Faith Kipyegon
Japan3:59.19Nozomi Tanaka
Record progressions
World and Japan record progressions.
Men
Current
WR3:26.00Hicham El Guerrouj· 1998
JPN3:35.42Kazuki Kawamura· 2021
Women
Current
WR3:48.68Faith Kipyegon· 2025
JPN3:59.19Nozomi Tanaka· 2021
The gap over time
How the gap between the world and Japan records has moved.
Men
+9.42Current
WR3:26.00Hicham El Guerrouj· 1998
JPN3:35.42Kazuki Kawamura· 2021
Women
+10.51Current
WR3:48.68Faith Kipyegon· 2025
JPN3:59.19Nozomi Tanaka· 2021
What this chart shows
The closer the line gets to zero, the closer Japan is to the world record; when it rises, the world record is pulling away. The gap is plotted at every record change — world or national — so the line always reflects the gap at that moment.