What is maternal mortality ratio in Japan?

Maternal mortality ratio in Japan was 4.31 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, according to UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.

What is the highest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Japan?

The highest recorded value was 260 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1935.

What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio 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?

Japan ranks 176th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.

Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Japan?

Over the last ten years it is down 23.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Japan data come from?

The figures come from UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Maternal mortality ratio in Japan

Name: Maternal mortality ratio in Japan
Creator: UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Japan: Maternal mortality ratio was 4.31 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)

4.31 deaths per 100,000 live births

Change on year

up 1.6%

World rank

176th

of 189 countries

All-time high

260 deaths per 100,000 live births

in 1935

All-time low

4.25 deaths per 100,000 live births

in 2019

Years of data

1935–2020

Maternal mortality ratio in Japan, 1935–2020

Source: UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 live births.

Analysis

The most recent figure for maternal mortality ratio in Japan is 4.31 deaths per 100,000 live births, measured in 2020.

That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and down 23.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Japan peaked at 260 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1935 and was at its lowest, 4.25 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2019.

Japan ranks 176th of 189 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1930s	260 deaths per 100,000 live births	260 deaths per 100,000 live births	260 deaths per 100,000 live births	1
1940s	204 deaths per 100,000 live births	168 deaths per 100,000 live births	240 deaths per 100,000 live births	2
1950s	162.37 deaths per 100,000 live births	140.24 deaths per 100,000 live births	175.02 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
1960s	91.12 deaths per 100,000 live births	57.42 deaths per 100,000 live births	125.45 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
1970s	32.41 deaths per 100,000 live births	21.73 deaths per 100,000 live births	51.63 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
1980s	16.18 deaths per 100,000 live births	13.24 deaths per 100,000 live births	20.23 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
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

173 Slovenia 4.53 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
174 Sweden 4.51 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
175 Germany 4.43 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
177 Netherlands 4.31 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
178 Spain 3.44 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
179 Czechia 3.37 deaths per 100,000 live births compare

See the full ranking of 189 places →

More health data for Japan

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)
Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2026)
Deaths in armed conflicts by region 0 deaths (2026)
Age population, age 25, male, interpolated 633,995 (2025)
Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 607,213 (2025)
Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 640,318 (2025)
Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 611,707 (2025)
Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 638,500 (2025)
Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 608,501 (2025)

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is maternal mortality ratio in Japan?: Maternal mortality ratio in Japan was 4.31 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, according to UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Japan?: The highest recorded value was 260 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1935.
What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio 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?: Japan ranks 176th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Japan?: Over the last ten years it is down 23.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Japan data come from?: The figures come from UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Maternal mortality ratio
Unit: deaths per 100,000 live births
Source: UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 189 places, 8,868 data points, 1751–2020
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

The estimated number of women who die from maternal conditions per 100,000 live births, based on data from death certificates, large-scale surveys, and statistical modeling.