Life expectancy in Japan
Japan: Life expectancy was 84.69 years in 2020. ▲ Rising
Life expectancy in Japan, 1870–2020
Source: Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2020, life expectancy in Japan stood at 84.69 years. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is up 2.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy in Japan peaked at 84.69 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 36.6 years, in 1870.
Japan ranks 2nd of 162 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Life expectancy in Japan, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 36.6 years | — |
| 1880 | 37.42 years | +2.2% |
| 1890 | 37.68 years | +0.7% |
| 1900 | 38.6 years | +2.5% |
| 1913 | 40.44 years | +4.8% |
| 1925 | 42.63 years | +5.4% |
| 1929 | 45.68 years | +7.2% |
| 1933 | 46.98 years | +2.8% |
| 1938 | 48.27 years | +2.8% |
| 1950 | 59.24 years | +22.7% |
| 1955 | 65.7 years | +10.9% |
| 1960 | 67.7 years | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 70.24 years | +3.8% |
| 1970 | 72 years | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 74.36 years | +3.3% |
| 1980 | 76.14 years | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 77.8 years | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 78.98 years | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 79.67 years | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 81.18 years | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 82.01 years | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 82.92 years | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 83.89 years | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 84.69 years | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 36.6 years | 36.6 years | 36.6 years | 1 |
| 1880s | 37.42 years | 37.42 years | 37.42 years | 1 |
| 1890s | 37.68 years | 37.68 years | 37.68 years | 1 |
| 1900s | 38.6 years | 38.6 years | 38.6 years | 1 |
| 1910s | 40.44 years | 40.44 years | 40.44 years | 1 |
| 1920s | 44.16 years | 42.63 years | 45.68 years | 2 |
| 1930s | 47.63 years | 46.98 years | 48.27 years | 2 |
| 1950s | 62.47 years | 59.24 years | 65.7 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 68.97 years | 67.7 years | 70.24 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 73.18 years | 72 years | 74.36 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 76.97 years | 76.14 years | 77.8 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 79.33 years | 78.98 years | 79.67 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 81.59 years | 81.18 years | 82.01 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 83.41 years | 82.92 years | 83.89 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 84.69 years | 84.69 years | 84.69 years | 1 |
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)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate -2.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.0547 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate -2.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.0576 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy in Japan?
- Life expectancy in Japan was 84.69 years in 2020, according to Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 84.69 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest life expectancy recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.6 years in 1870.
- How does Japan rank for life expectancy?
- Japan ranks 2nd out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is life expectancy rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average number of years a newborn would live if age-specific mortality rates in the current year were to stay the same throughout its life.