Maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff in Japan
Japan: Maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff was 4.31 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
4.31 deaths per 100,000 live births
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
173rd
of 185 countries
All-time high
17.42 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 1985
All-time low
4.25 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 2019
Years of data
36
1985–2020
Maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff in Japan, 1985–2020
Source: UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 live births.
Analysis
In 2020, maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff in Japan stood at 4.31 deaths per 100,000 live births.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and down 23.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff in Japan peaked at 17.42 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1985 and was at its lowest, 4.25 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2019.
Japan ranks 173rd of 185 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff in Japan, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 17.42 deaths per 100,000 live births | — |
| 1986 | 14.57 deaths per 100,000 live births | -16.4% |
| 1987 | 13.59 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.7% |
| 1988 | 13.36 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.7% |
| 1989 | 13.24 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 12.95 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 12.02 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.2% |
| 1992 | 11.68 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.8% |
| 1993 | 11.23 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.9% |
| 1994 | 10.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.6% |
| 1995 | 10.93 deaths per 100,000 live births | +6.5% |
| 1996 | 10.13 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.4% |
| 1997 | 9.96 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 9.68 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.8% |
| 1999 | 9.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.3% |
| 2000 | 8.53 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.0% |
| 2001 | 8.17 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 7.73 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.3% |
| 2003 | 7.58 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 7.32 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.4% |
| 2005 | 7.18 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 6.57 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.5% |
| 2007 | 6.17 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.2% |
| 2008 | 6.01 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 5.88 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 5.66 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.8% |
| 2011 | 5.49 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.0% |
| 2012 | 5.3 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.4% |
| 2013 | 5.14 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.1% |
| 2014 | 5.1 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 4.85 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.0% |
| 2016 | 4.87 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 5.06 deaths per 100,000 live births | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 5.19 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 4.25 deaths per 100,000 live births | -18.2% |
| 2020 | 4.31 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 14.44 deaths per 100,000 live births | 13.24 deaths per 100,000 live births | 17.42 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5 |
| 1990s | 10.81 deaths per 100,000 live births | 9.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | 12.95 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.11 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5.88 deaths per 100,000 live births | 8.53 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.09 deaths per 100,000 live births | 4.25 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5.66 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.31 deaths per 100,000 live births | 4.31 deaths per 100,000 live births | 4.31 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 170 Slovenia 4.53 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 171 Sweden 4.51 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 172 Germany 4.43 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 174 Netherlands 4.31 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 175 Spain 3.44 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 176 Czechia 3.37 deaths per 100,000 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)
- Population ages 65-69, male, annual growth rate -0.5216 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per capita 0.0292 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, annual growth rate -5.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per capita 0.0331 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff in Japan?
- Maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff in Japan was 4.31 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, according to UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 17.42 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1985.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.25 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019.
- How does Japan rank for maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff?
- Japan ranks 173rd out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality ratio vs. births attended by skilled health staff. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The estimated maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.