Infant mortality rate in Japan
Japan: Infant mortality rate was 0.1817 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.1817 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
196th
of 199 countries
All-time high
6.24 deaths per 100 live births
in 1949
All-time low
0.1769 deaths per 100 live births
in 2021
Years of data
76
1949–2024
Infant mortality rate in Japan, 1949–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for infant mortality rate in Japan is 0.1817 deaths per 100 live births, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and down 12.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in Japan peaked at 6.24 deaths per 100 live births in 1949 and was at its lowest, 0.1769 deaths per 100 live births, in 2021.
That places Japan 196th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Infant mortality rate in Japan, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 6.24 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1950 | 5.79 deaths per 100 live births | -7.2% |
| 1951 | 5.37 deaths per 100 live births | -7.2% |
| 1952 | 4.99 deaths per 100 live births | -7.0% |
| 1953 | 4.66 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1954 | 4.38 deaths per 100 live births | -6.1% |
| 1955 | 4.13 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 1956 | 3.92 deaths per 100 live births | -5.2% |
| 1957 | 3.71 deaths per 100 live births | -5.1% |
| 1958 | 3.51 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 1959 | 3.28 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 1960 | 3.04 deaths per 100 live births | -7.3% |
| 1961 | 2.79 deaths per 100 live births | -8.2% |
| 1962 | 2.54 deaths per 100 live births | -8.9% |
| 1963 | 2.31 deaths per 100 live births | -9.2% |
| 1964 | 2.1 deaths per 100 live births | -9.2% |
| 1965 | 1.91 deaths per 100 live births | -8.8% |
| 1966 | 1.75 deaths per 100 live births | -8.2% |
| 1967 | 1.62 deaths per 100 live births | -7.5% |
| 1968 | 1.51 deaths per 100 live births | -6.8% |
| 1969 | 1.42 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 1970 | 1.34 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 1971 | 1.26 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 1972 | 1.19 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1973 | 1.13 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 1974 | 1.06 deaths per 100 live births | -5.7% |
| 1975 | 0.9997 deaths per 100 live births | -5.9% |
| 1976 | 0.9403 deaths per 100 live births | -5.9% |
| 1977 | 0.884 deaths per 100 live births | -6.0% |
| 1978 | 0.8316 deaths per 100 live births | -5.9% |
| 1979 | 0.7834 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 1980 | 0.738 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 1981 | 0.6953 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 1982 | 0.6549 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 1983 | 0.6168 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 1984 | 0.5812 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 1985 | 0.5492 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1986 | 0.5215 deaths per 100 live births | -5.0% |
| 1987 | 0.4986 deaths per 100 live births | -4.4% |
| 1988 | 0.4808 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 1989 | 0.4678 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 1990 | 0.4584 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 0.4511 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 0.4443 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 0.436 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 0.4252 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 0.4117 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1996 | 0.3958 deaths per 100 live births | -3.9% |
| 1997 | 0.3783 deaths per 100 live births | -4.4% |
| 1998 | 0.3606 deaths per 100 live births | -4.7% |
| 1999 | 0.3435 deaths per 100 live births | -4.7% |
| 2000 | 0.3277 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 2001 | 0.3138 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 2002 | 0.3017 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 2003 | 0.2914 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 2004 | 0.2825 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 0.2744 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 0.2665 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 0.2588 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 2008 | 0.2517 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 0.245 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 0.2382 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 0.2332 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 0.2232 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 0.2155 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 2014 | 0.2083 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 0.2016 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 0.1958 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 0.1906 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 0.1858 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 0.1815 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 0.1783 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 0.1769 deaths per 100 live births | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 0.1771 deaths per 100 live births | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 0.1789 deaths per 100 live births | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 0.1817 deaths per 100 live births | +1.6% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 0.1817 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.3612 deaths per 100 live births, 50% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Japan's 0.1817 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.39 deaths per 100 live births, 13% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 6.24 deaths per 100 live births | 6.24 deaths per 100 live births | 6.24 deaths per 100 live births | 1 |
| 1950s | 4.37 deaths per 100 live births | 3.28 deaths per 100 live births | 5.79 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.1 deaths per 100 live births | 1.42 deaths per 100 live births | 3.04 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.04 deaths per 100 live births | 0.7834 deaths per 100 live births | 1.34 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.5804 deaths per 100 live births | 0.4678 deaths per 100 live births | 0.738 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4105 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3435 deaths per 100 live births | 0.4584 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2814 deaths per 100 live births | 0.245 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3277 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2074 deaths per 100 live births | 0.1815 deaths per 100 live births | 0.2382 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1786 deaths per 100 live births | 0.1769 deaths per 100 live births | 0.1817 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 193 Finland 0.1872 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 194 Luxembourg 0.1866 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 195 Slovenia 0.1836 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 197 Belarus 0.1802 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 198 Estonia 0.153 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 199 San Marino 0.1214 deaths per 100 live births 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)
- 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 infant mortality rate in Japan?
- Infant mortality rate in Japan was 0.1817 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 6.24 deaths per 100 live births in 1949.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1769 deaths per 100 live births in 2021.
- How does Japan rank for infant mortality rate?
- Japan ranks 196th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Infant mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged under one year, per 100 live births .