Health spending as a share of total government spending in Japan
Japan: Health spending as a share of total government spending was 23.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Health spending as a share of total government spending in Japan, 2000–2023
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for health spending as a share of total government spending in Japan is 23.3%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.1% on the previous year and up 4.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, health spending as a share of total government spending in Japan peaked at 25.4% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 15.1%, in 2000.
Japan ranks 3rd of 195 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Health spending as a share of total government spending in Japan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 15.1% | — |
| 2001 | 15.9% | +5.8% |
| 2002 | 16.1% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 16.4% | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 17.2% | +5.1% |
| 2005 | 17.8% | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 17.9% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 18.2% | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 18.1% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 18.1% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 18.9% | +4.9% |
| 2011 | 21.7% | +14.6% |
| 2012 | 22.2% | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 22.2% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 22.6% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 23.2% | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 23.2% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 24.5% | +5.5% |
| 2018 | 24.5% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 24.7% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 22.0% | -11.1% |
| 2021 | 24.5% | +11.8% |
| 2022 | 25.4% | +3.4% |
| 2023 | 23.3% | -8.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.1% | 15.1% | 18.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.8% | 18.9% | 24.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.8% | 22.0% | 25.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 1 San Marino 26.2% compare
- 2 Costa Rica 24.9% compare
- 4 United States 23.0% compare
- 5 Ireland 22.2% compare
- 6 Paraguay 21.6% 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)
- 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)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.0667 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 0.6248 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.04 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 89,577 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0.0007 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is health spending as a share of total government spending in Japan?
- Health spending as a share of total government spending in Japan was 23.3% in 2023, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest health spending as a share of total government spending recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 25.4% in 2022.
- What is the lowest health spending as a share of total government spending recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.1% in 2000.
- How does Japan rank for health spending as a share of total government spending?
- Japan ranks 3rd out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
- Is health spending as a share of total government spending rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Health spending as a share of total government spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Domestic general government health expenditure expressed as a percentage of total expenditure of the general government.