Death rate in Japan
Japan: Death rate was 12.26 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
12.26 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 5.2%
World rank
22nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
12.92 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2022
All-time low
6.02 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1979
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Death rate in Japan, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2023, death rate in Japan stood at 12.26 deaths per 1,000 people.
The figure is down 5.2% on the previous year and up 19.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate in Japan peaked at 12.92 deaths per 1,000 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 6.02 deaths per 1,000 people, in 1979.
That places Japan 22nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Death rate in Japan, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 10.91 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 9.96 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.7% |
| 1952 | 8.99 deaths per 1,000 people | -9.8% |
| 1953 | 8.96 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1954 | 8.27 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.8% |
| 1955 | 7.86 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.9% |
| 1956 | 8.13 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.4% |
| 1957 | 8.37 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.9% |
| 1958 | 7.57 deaths per 1,000 people | -9.5% |
| 1959 | 7.55 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1960 | 7.68 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1961 | 7.5 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1962 | 7.57 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 1963 | 7.07 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.6% |
| 1964 | 7.03 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1965 | 7.24 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.0% |
| 1966 | 6.82 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.8% |
| 1967 | 6.85 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 6.86 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 6.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 6.97 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 6.62 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.1% |
| 1972 | 6.54 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1973 | 6.64 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 6.55 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1975 | 6.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1976 | 6.31 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1977 | 6.13 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1978 | 6.13 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 6.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1980 | 6.27 deaths per 1,000 people | +4.1% |
| 1981 | 6.22 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1982 | 6.12 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 6.35 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.7% |
| 1984 | 6.33 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 6.4 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 6.36 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 6.3 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 6.6 deaths per 1,000 people | +4.7% |
| 1989 | 6.51 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 6.73 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.5% |
| 1991 | 6.74 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 6.99 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.6% |
| 1993 | 7.18 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 7.17 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 7.55 deaths per 1,000 people | +5.3% |
| 1996 | 7.32 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 1997 | 7.45 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 7.63 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 8 deaths per 1,000 people | +4.8% |
| 2000 | 7.83 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 7.87 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 7.96 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 8.22 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 8.32 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 8.78 deaths per 1,000 people | +5.4% |
| 2006 | 8.81 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 8.97 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 9.23 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 9.22 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 9.64 deaths per 1,000 people | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 10.09 deaths per 1,000 people | +4.7% |
| 2012 | 10.14 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 10.24 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 10.3 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 10.44 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 10.61 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 10.89 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 11.11 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 11.3 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 11.27 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 11.82 deaths per 1,000 people | +4.9% |
| 2022 | 12.92 deaths per 1,000 people | +9.3% |
| 2023 | 12.26 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.2% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 12.26 deaths per 1,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 8.37 deaths per 1,000 people, 1.5× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Japan's 12.26 deaths per 1,000 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 6.87 deaths per 1,000 people, 1.8× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 8.66 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.55 deaths per 1,000 people | 10.91 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 7.15 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.82 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.68 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.43 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.02 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.97 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.35 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.12 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.6 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.28 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.73 deaths per 1,000 people | 8 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.52 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.83 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.23 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.48 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.64 deaths per 1,000 people | 11.3 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.07 deaths per 1,000 people | 11.27 deaths per 1,000 people | 12.92 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Japan
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)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,294 deaths per 1,000 people (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is death rate in Japan?
- Death rate in Japan was 12.26 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest death rate recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 12.92 deaths per 1,000 people in 2022.
- What is the lowest death rate recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.02 deaths per 1,000 people in 1979.
- How does Japan rank for death rate?
- Japan ranks 22nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is death rate rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Death rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of deaths in a year per 1,000 people in the population.