Deaths from earthquakes in Japan
Japan: Deaths from earthquakes was 549 deaths in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
549 deaths
Change on year
up 54,800.0%
World rank
3rd
of 51 countries
All-time high
105,385 deaths
in 1923
All-time low
1 deaths
in 1678
Years of data
104
1586–2024
Deaths from earthquakes in Japan, 1586–2024
Source: National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
In 2024, deaths from earthquakes in Japan stood at 549 deaths.
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, deaths from earthquakes in Japan peaked at 105,385 deaths in 1923 and was at its lowest, 1 deaths, 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.
Deaths from earthquakes in Japan, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1586 | 8,000 deaths | — |
| 1596 | 708 deaths | -91.1% |
| 1597 | 40 deaths | -94.4% |
| 1605 | 6,001 deaths | +14902.5% |
| 1611 | 8,700 deaths | +45.0% |
| 1616 | 200 deaths | -97.7% |
| 1633 | 150 deaths | -25.0% |
| 1640 | 700 deaths | +366.7% |
| 1644 | 117 deaths | -83.3% |
| 1649 | 200 deaths | +70.9% |
| 1659 | 39 deaths | -80.5% |
| 1662 | 800 deaths | +1951.3% |
| 1666 | 1,500 deaths | +87.5% |
| 1676 | 7 deaths | -99.5% |
| 1677 | 500 deaths | +7042.9% |
| 1678 | 1 deaths | -99.8% |
| 1694 | 394 deaths | +39300.0% |
| 1700 | 1,000 deaths | +153.8% |
| 1703 | 5,233 deaths | +423.3% |
| 1704 | 58 deaths | -98.9% |
| 1707 | 7,000 deaths | +11969.0% |
| 1711 | 1,004 deaths | -85.7% |
| 1714 | 56 deaths | -94.4% |
| 1729 | 5 deaths | -91.1% |
| 1751 | 2,100 deaths | +41900.0% |
| 1766 | 1,700 deaths | -19.0% |
| 1771 | 13,486 deaths | +693.3% |
| 1792 | 15,030 deaths | +11.4% |
| 1793 | 757 deaths | -95.0% |
| 1802 | 19 deaths | -97.5% |
| 1804 | 450 deaths | +2268.4% |
| 1810 | 59 deaths | -86.9% |
| 1828 | 1,443 deaths | +2345.8% |
| 1830 | 280 deaths | -80.6% |
| 1833 | 85 deaths | -69.6% |
| 1843 | 45 deaths | -47.1% |
| 1847 | 12,000 deaths | +26566.7% |
| 1853 | 79 deaths | -99.3% |
| 1854 | 5,352 deaths | +6674.7% |
| 1855 | 6,757 deaths | +26.3% |
| 1856 | 26 deaths | -99.6% |
| 1858 | 203 deaths | +680.8% |
| 1872 | 804 deaths | +296.1% |
| 1889 | 20 deaths | -97.5% |
| 1891 | 7,273 deaths | +36265.0% |
| 1894 | 751 deaths | -89.7% |
| 1896 | 27,328 deaths | +3538.9% |
| 1901 | 18 deaths | -99.9% |
| 1905 | 68 deaths | +277.8% |
| 1909 | 41 deaths | -39.7% |
| 1911 | 12 deaths | -70.7% |
| 1914 | 157 deaths | +1208.3% |
| 1922 | 27 deaths | -82.8% |
| 1923 | 105,385 deaths | +390214.8% |
| 1924 | 14 deaths | -100.0% |
| 1925 | 395 deaths | +2721.4% |
| 1927 | 3,022 deaths | +665.1% |
| 1930 | 259 deaths | -91.4% |
| 1931 | 17 deaths | -93.4% |
| 1933 | 3,022 deaths | +17676.5% |
| 1935 | 9 deaths | -99.7% |
| 1936 | 3 deaths | -66.7% |
| 1938 | 2 deaths | -33.3% |
| 1939 | 28 deaths | +1300.0% |
| 1940 | 10 deaths | -64.3% |
| 1941 | 2 deaths | -80.0% |
| 1943 | 1,400 deaths | +69900.0% |
| 1944 | 1,223 deaths | -12.6% |
| 1945 | 2,306 deaths | +88.6% |
| 1946 | 1,362 deaths | -40.9% |
| 1948 | 5,131 deaths | +276.7% |
| 1952 | 33 deaths | -99.4% |
| 1953 | 1 deaths | -97.0% |
| 1961 | 12 deaths | +1100.0% |
| 1962 | 1 deaths | -91.7% |
| 1964 | 36 deaths | +3500.0% |
| 1965 | 1 deaths | -97.2% |
| 1968 | 56 deaths | +5500.0% |
| 1973 | 27 deaths | -51.8% |
| 1974 | 29 deaths | +7.4% |
| 1978 | 53 deaths | +82.8% |
| 1980 | 2 deaths | -96.2% |
| 1982 | 110 deaths | +5400.0% |
| 1983 | 105 deaths | -4.5% |
| 1984 | 49 deaths | -53.3% |
| 1987 | 4 deaths | -91.8% |
| 1993 | 233 deaths | +5725.0% |
| 1994 | 3 deaths | -98.7% |
| 1995 | 6,434 deaths | +214366.7% |
| 2000 | 1 deaths | -100.0% |
| 2001 | 2 deaths | +100.0% |
| 2003 | 2 deaths | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 40 deaths | +1900.0% |
| 2005 | 1 deaths | -97.5% |
| 2007 | 10 deaths | +900.0% |
| 2008 | 24 deaths | +140.0% |
| 2009 | 1 deaths | -95.8% |
| 2011 | 18,438 deaths | +1843700.0% |
| 2016 | 273 deaths | -98.5% |
| 2018 | 49 deaths | -82.1% |
| 2021 | 1 deaths | -98.0% |
| 2022 | 4 deaths | +300.0% |
| 2023 | 1 deaths | -75.0% |
| 2024 | 549 deaths | +54800.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 549 deaths is above the median for high income countries, which is 2 deaths, 274.5× the median. (15 countries reporting)
- Japan's 549 deaths is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.5 deaths, 156.9× the median. (8 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Deaths from earthquakes 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 deaths | 18,438 deaths |
| 1923 | +390214.8% | 27 deaths | 105,385 deaths |
| 1995 | +214366.7% | 3 deaths | 6,434 deaths |
| 1943 | +69900.0% | 2 deaths | 1,400 deaths |
| 2024 | +54800.0% | 1 deaths | 549 deaths |
| 1751 | +41900.0% | 5 deaths | 2,100 deaths |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1580s | 8,000 deaths | 8,000 deaths | 8,000 deaths | 1 |
| 1590s | 374 deaths | 40 deaths | 708 deaths | 2 |
| 1600s | 6,001 deaths | 6,001 deaths | 6,001 deaths | 1 |
| 1610s | 4,450 deaths | 200 deaths | 8,700 deaths | 2 |
| 1630s | 150 deaths | 150 deaths | 150 deaths | 1 |
| 1640s | 339 deaths | 117 deaths | 700 deaths | 3 |
| 1650s | 39 deaths | 39 deaths | 39 deaths | 1 |
| 1660s | 1,150 deaths | 800 deaths | 1,500 deaths | 2 |
| 1670s | 169.33 deaths | 1 deaths | 500 deaths | 3 |
| 1690s | 394 deaths | 394 deaths | 394 deaths | 1 |
| 1700s | 3,323 deaths | 58 deaths | 7,000 deaths | 4 |
| 1710s | 530 deaths | 56 deaths | 1,004 deaths | 2 |
| 1720s | 5 deaths | 5 deaths | 5 deaths | 1 |
| 1750s | 2,100 deaths | 2,100 deaths | 2,100 deaths | 1 |
| 1760s | 1,700 deaths | 1,700 deaths | 1,700 deaths | 1 |
| 1770s | 13,486 deaths | 13,486 deaths | 13,486 deaths | 1 |
| 1790s | 7,894 deaths | 757 deaths | 15,030 deaths | 2 |
| 1800s | 234.5 deaths | 19 deaths | 450 deaths | 2 |
| 1810s | 59 deaths | 59 deaths | 59 deaths | 1 |
| 1820s | 1,443 deaths | 1,443 deaths | 1,443 deaths | 1 |
| 1830s | 182.5 deaths | 85 deaths | 280 deaths | 2 |
| 1840s | 6,022 deaths | 45 deaths | 12,000 deaths | 2 |
| 1850s | 2,483 deaths | 26 deaths | 6,757 deaths | 5 |
| 1870s | 804 deaths | 804 deaths | 804 deaths | 1 |
| 1880s | 20 deaths | 20 deaths | 20 deaths | 1 |
| 1890s | 11,784 deaths | 751 deaths | 27,328 deaths | 3 |
| 1900s | 42.33 deaths | 18 deaths | 68 deaths | 3 |
| 1910s | 84.5 deaths | 12 deaths | 157 deaths | 2 |
| 1920s | 21,769 deaths | 14 deaths | 105,385 deaths | 5 |
| 1930s | 477.14 deaths | 2 deaths | 3,022 deaths | 7 |
| 1940s | 1,633 deaths | 2 deaths | 5,131 deaths | 7 |
| 1950s | 17 deaths | 1 deaths | 33 deaths | 2 |
| 1960s | 21.2 deaths | 1 deaths | 56 deaths | 5 |
| 1970s | 36.33 deaths | 27 deaths | 53 deaths | 3 |
| 1980s | 54 deaths | 2 deaths | 110 deaths | 5 |
| 1990s | 2,223 deaths | 3 deaths | 6,434 deaths | 3 |
| 2000s | 10.12 deaths | 1 deaths | 40 deaths | 8 |
| 2010s | 6,253 deaths | 49 deaths | 18,438 deaths | 3 |
| 2020s | 138.75 deaths | 1 deaths | 549 deaths | 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 deaths from earthquakes in Japan?
- Deaths from earthquakes in Japan was 549 deaths in 2024, according to National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest deaths from earthquakes recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 105,385 deaths in 1923.
- What is the lowest deaths from earthquakes recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 deaths in 1678.
- How does Japan rank for deaths from earthquakes?
- Japan ranks 3rd out of 51 countries with data for 2024.
- Is deaths from earthquakes 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 National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Deaths from earthquakes. 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).
About this data
Includes direct deaths from the event plus those from secondary impacts, such as a tsunami triggered by an earthquake. Due to data availability, recent data will be more complete than older historical estimates.