Earthquake deaths in Japan
Japan: Earthquake deaths was 549 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
549
Change on year
up 54,800.0%
World rank
3rd
of 51 countries
All-time high
105,385
in 1923
All-time low
1
in 1678
Years of data
104
1586–2024
Earthquake deaths in Japan, 1586–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2024, earthquake deaths in Japan stood at 549.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 54,800.0% on the previous year and up 101.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, earthquake deaths in Japan peaked at 105,385 in 1923 and was at its lowest, 1, in 1678.
Japan ranks 3rd of 51 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Earthquake deaths in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1586 | 8,000 | — |
| 1596 | 708 | -91.1% |
| 1597 | 40 | -94.4% |
| 1605 | 6,001 | +14902.5% |
| 1611 | 8,700 | +45.0% |
| 1616 | 200 | -97.7% |
| 1633 | 150 | -25.0% |
| 1640 | 700 | +366.7% |
| 1644 | 117 | -83.3% |
| 1649 | 200 | +70.9% |
| 1659 | 39 | -80.5% |
| 1662 | 800 | +1951.3% |
| 1666 | 1,500 | +87.5% |
| 1676 | 7 | -99.5% |
| 1677 | 500 | +7042.9% |
| 1678 | 1 | -99.8% |
| 1694 | 394 | +39300.0% |
| 1700 | 1,000 | +153.8% |
| 1703 | 5,233 | +423.3% |
| 1704 | 58 | -98.9% |
| 1707 | 7,000 | +11969.0% |
| 1711 | 1,004 | -85.7% |
| 1714 | 56 | -94.4% |
| 1729 | 5 | -91.1% |
| 1751 | 2,100 | +41900.0% |
| 1766 | 1,700 | -19.0% |
| 1771 | 13,486 | +693.3% |
| 1792 | 15,030 | +11.4% |
| 1793 | 757 | -95.0% |
| 1802 | 19 | -97.5% |
| 1804 | 450 | +2268.4% |
| 1810 | 59 | -86.9% |
| 1828 | 1,443 | +2345.8% |
| 1830 | 280 | -80.6% |
| 1833 | 85 | -69.6% |
| 1843 | 45 | -47.1% |
| 1847 | 12,000 | +26566.7% |
| 1853 | 79 | -99.3% |
| 1854 | 5,352 | +6674.7% |
| 1855 | 6,757 | +26.3% |
| 1856 | 26 | -99.6% |
| 1858 | 203 | +680.8% |
| 1872 | 804 | +296.1% |
| 1889 | 20 | -97.5% |
| 1891 | 7,273 | +36265.0% |
| 1894 | 751 | -89.7% |
| 1896 | 27,328 | +3538.9% |
| 1901 | 18 | -99.9% |
| 1905 | 68 | +277.8% |
| 1909 | 41 | -39.7% |
| 1911 | 12 | -70.7% |
| 1914 | 157 | +1208.3% |
| 1922 | 27 | -82.8% |
| 1923 | 105,385 | +390214.8% |
| 1924 | 14 | -100.0% |
| 1925 | 395 | +2721.4% |
| 1927 | 3,022 | +665.1% |
| 1930 | 259 | -91.4% |
| 1931 | 17 | -93.4% |
| 1933 | 3,022 | +17676.5% |
| 1935 | 9 | -99.7% |
| 1936 | 3 | -66.7% |
| 1938 | 2 | -33.3% |
| 1939 | 28 | +1300.0% |
| 1940 | 10 | -64.3% |
| 1941 | 2 | -80.0% |
| 1943 | 1,400 | +69900.0% |
| 1944 | 1,223 | -12.6% |
| 1945 | 2,306 | +88.6% |
| 1946 | 1,362 | -40.9% |
| 1948 | 5,131 | +276.7% |
| 1952 | 33 | -99.4% |
| 1953 | 1 | -97.0% |
| 1961 | 12 | +1100.0% |
| 1962 | 1 | -91.7% |
| 1964 | 36 | +3500.0% |
| 1965 | 1 | -97.2% |
| 1968 | 56 | +5500.0% |
| 1973 | 27 | -51.8% |
| 1974 | 29 | +7.4% |
| 1978 | 53 | +82.8% |
| 1980 | 2 | -96.2% |
| 1982 | 110 | +5400.0% |
| 1983 | 105 | -4.5% |
| 1984 | 49 | -53.3% |
| 1987 | 4 | -91.8% |
| 1993 | 233 | +5725.0% |
| 1994 | 3 | -98.7% |
| 1995 | 6,434 | +214366.7% |
| 2000 | 1 | -100.0% |
| 2001 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 2003 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 40 | +1900.0% |
| 2005 | 1 | -97.5% |
| 2007 | 10 | +900.0% |
| 2008 | 24 | +140.0% |
| 2009 | 1 | -95.8% |
| 2011 | 18,438 | +1843700.0% |
| 2016 | 273 | -98.5% |
| 2018 | 49 | -82.1% |
| 2021 | 1 | -98.0% |
| 2022 | 4 | +300.0% |
| 2023 | 1 | -75.0% |
| 2024 | 549 | +54800.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 549 is above the median for high income countries, which is 2, 274.5× the median. (15 countries reporting)
- Japan's 549 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.5, 156.9× the median. (8 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Earthquake deaths 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +1843700.0% | 1 | 18,438 |
| 1923 | +390214.8% | 27 | 105,385 |
| 1995 | +214366.7% | 3 | 6,434 |
| 1943 | +69900.0% | 2 | 1,400 |
| 2024 | +54800.0% | 1 | 549 |
| 1751 | +41900.0% | 5 | 2,100 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1580s | 8,000 | 8,000 | 8,000 | 1 |
| 1590s | 374 | 40 | 708 | 2 |
| 1600s | 6,001 | 6,001 | 6,001 | 1 |
| 1610s | 4,450 | 200 | 8,700 | 2 |
| 1630s | 150 | 150 | 150 | 1 |
| 1640s | 339 | 117 | 700 | 3 |
| 1650s | 39 | 39 | 39 | 1 |
| 1660s | 1,150 | 800 | 1,500 | 2 |
| 1670s | 169.33 | 1 | 500 | 3 |
| 1690s | 394 | 394 | 394 | 1 |
| 1700s | 3,323 | 58 | 7,000 | 4 |
| 1710s | 530 | 56 | 1,004 | 2 |
| 1720s | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| 1750s | 2,100 | 2,100 | 2,100 | 1 |
| 1760s | 1,700 | 1,700 | 1,700 | 1 |
| 1770s | 13,486 | 13,486 | 13,486 | 1 |
| 1790s | 7,894 | 757 | 15,030 | 2 |
| 1800s | 234.5 | 19 | 450 | 2 |
| 1810s | 59 | 59 | 59 | 1 |
| 1820s | 1,443 | 1,443 | 1,443 | 1 |
| 1830s | 182.5 | 85 | 280 | 2 |
| 1840s | 6,022 | 45 | 12,000 | 2 |
| 1850s | 2,483 | 26 | 6,757 | 5 |
| 1870s | 804 | 804 | 804 | 1 |
| 1880s | 20 | 20 | 20 | 1 |
| 1890s | 11,784 | 751 | 27,328 | 3 |
| 1900s | 42.33 | 18 | 68 | 3 |
| 1910s | 84.5 | 12 | 157 | 2 |
| 1920s | 21,769 | 14 | 105,385 | 5 |
| 1930s | 477.14 | 2 | 3,022 | 7 |
| 1940s | 1,633 | 2 | 5,131 | 7 |
| 1950s | 17 | 1 | 33 | 2 |
| 1960s | 21.2 | 1 | 56 | 5 |
| 1970s | 36.33 | 27 | 53 | 3 |
| 1980s | 54 | 2 | 110 | 5 |
| 1990s | 2,223 | 3 | 6,434 | 3 |
| 2000s | 10.12 | 1 | 40 | 8 |
| 2010s | 6,253 | 49 | 18,438 | 3 |
| 2020s | 138.75 | 1 | 549 | 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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 178 (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 earthquake deaths in Japan?
- Earthquake deaths in Japan was 549 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest earthquake deaths recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 105,385 in 1923.
- What is the lowest earthquake deaths recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 in 1678.
- How does Japan rank for earthquake deaths?
- Japan ranks 3rd out of 51 countries with data for 2024.
- Is earthquake deaths rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 101.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Earthquake deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 104 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).