World vs Japan
How the gap between the Japanese record and the world record has changed over time.
Men · Current Gap
+2:07
World57:20Jacob Kiplimo
Japan59:27Tomoki Ota
Women · Current Gap
+3:46
World1:02:52Letesenbet Gidey
Japan1:06:38Hitomi Niiya
Record progressions
World and Japan record progressions.
Men
Current
WR57:20Jacob Kiplimo· 2026
JPN59:27Tomoki Ota· 2025
Women
Current
WR1:02:52Letesenbet Gidey· 2021
JPN1:06:38Hitomi Niiya· 2020
The gap over time
How the gap between the world and Japan records has moved.
Men
+2:07Current
WR57:20Jacob Kiplimo· 2026
JPN59:27Tomoki Ota· 2025
Women
+3:46Current
WR1:02:52Letesenbet Gidey· 2021
JPN1:06:38Hitomi Niiya· 2020
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.