Annual death rates at different ages in Japan
Japan: Annual death rates at different ages was 1.65 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
1.65 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 3.4%
World rank
231st
of 236 countries
All-time high
89.71 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1947
All-time low
1.65 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2023
Years of data
77
1947–2023
Annual death rates at different ages in Japan, 1947–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual death rates at different ages in Japan is 1.65 deaths per 1,000 people, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 77 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.4% on the previous year and down 22.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual death rates at different ages in Japan peaked at 89.71 deaths per 1,000 people in 1947 and was at its lowest, 1.65 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2023.
That places Japan 231st out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual death rates at different ages in Japan, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 89.71 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1948 | 64.27 deaths per 1,000 people | -28.4% |
| 1949 | 65.67 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 1950 | 58.58 deaths per 1,000 people | -10.8% |
| 1951 | 55.91 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1952 | 49.45 deaths per 1,000 people | -11.5% |
| 1953 | 48.63 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1954 | 44.97 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.5% |
| 1955 | 40.28 deaths per 1,000 people | -10.4% |
| 1956 | 40.96 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1957 | 39.61 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1958 | 36.44 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.0% |
| 1959 | 33.81 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.2% |
| 1960 | 31.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.2% |
| 1961 | 29.16 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.0% |
| 1962 | 27.06 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.2% |
| 1963 | 23.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -12.1% |
| 1964 | 21.26 deaths per 1,000 people | -10.6% |
| 1965 | 19.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.4% |
| 1966 | 17.09 deaths per 1,000 people | -13.2% |
| 1967 | 17.13 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 15.58 deaths per 1,000 people | -9.0% |
| 1969 | 14.35 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.8% |
| 1970 | 13.64 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.0% |
| 1971 | 12.92 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.3% |
| 1972 | 11.9 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.8% |
| 1973 | 11.48 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1974 | 10.75 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.3% |
| 1975 | 9.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -9.0% |
| 1976 | 9.23 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
| 1977 | 8.86 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 1978 | 8.34 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.8% |
| 1979 | 7.81 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.3% |
| 1980 | 7.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.5% |
| 1981 | 7.07 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 1982 | 6.61 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.4% |
| 1983 | 6.25 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
| 1984 | 6 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1985 | 5.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -9.1% |
| 1986 | 5.2 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.7% |
| 1987 | 4.93 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.1% |
| 1988 | 4.77 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1989 | 4.47 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.3% |
| 1990 | 4.57 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 4.49 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 4.52 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 4.32 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.4% |
| 1994 | 4.4 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 4.18 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.0% |
| 1996 | 3.84 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.1% |
| 1997 | 3.68 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.2% |
| 1998 | 3.68 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 3.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.0% |
| 2000 | 3.29 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 2001 | 3.09 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.1% |
| 2002 | 3.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 2.98 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 2.83 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.1% |
| 2005 | 2.76 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 2.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 2.61 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 2.58 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 2.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.4% |
| 2010 | 2.34 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 2.36 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 2.22 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
| 2013 | 2.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2014 | 2.08 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 1.96 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.0% |
| 2016 | 1.99 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 1.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.4% |
| 2018 | 1.88 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 1.87 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 1.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.1% |
| 2021 | 1.73 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 2022 | 1.71 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 1.65 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 1.65 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.46 deaths per 1,000 people, 37% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Japan's 1.65 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 13.27 deaths per 1,000 people, 12% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual death rates at different ages in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | -28.4% | 89.71 deaths per 1,000 people | 64.27 deaths per 1,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 73.22 deaths per 1,000 people | 64.27 deaths per 1,000 people | 89.71 deaths per 1,000 people | 3 |
| 1950s | 44.86 deaths per 1,000 people | 33.81 deaths per 1,000 people | 58.58 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 21.65 deaths per 1,000 people | 14.35 deaths per 1,000 people | 31.38 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.47 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.81 deaths per 1,000 people | 13.64 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.81 deaths per 1,000 people | 4.47 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.38 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.11 deaths per 1,000 people | 3.39 deaths per 1,000 people | 4.57 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.82 deaths per 1,000 people | 2.39 deaths per 1,000 people | 3.29 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.07 deaths per 1,000 people | 1.85 deaths per 1,000 people | 2.36 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.72 deaths per 1,000 people | 1.65 deaths per 1,000 people | 1.8 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 228 Slovenia 1.81 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 229 Singapore 1.73 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 230 Montenegro 1.72 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 232 Estonia 1.4 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 233 Hong Kong 1.35 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 234 Cayman Islands 1.11 deaths per 1,000 people compare
More health data for Japan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.73 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2774 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 178 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0155 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0163 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual death rates at different ages in Japan?
- Annual death rates at different ages in Japan was 1.65 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual death rates at different ages recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 89.71 deaths per 1,000 people in 1947.
- What is the lowest annual death rates at different ages recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.65 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does Japan rank for annual death rates at different ages?
- Japan ranks 231st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual death rates at different ages rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual death rates at different ages. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Death rate, calculated as the number of deaths divided by the average number of people alive during the interval.