Number of maternal deaths (Trends) in Japan
Japan: Number of maternal deaths (Trends) was 23 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Number of maternal deaths in Japan, 1985–2023
Source: Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of maternal deaths in Japan is 23, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 45.2% on the previous year and down 58.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of maternal deaths in Japan peaked at 260 in 1985 and was at its lowest, 23, in 2023.
That places Japan 109th out of 194 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of maternal deaths (Trends) in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 260 | — |
| 1986 | 240 | -7.7% |
| 1987 | 220 | -8.3% |
| 1988 | 200 | -9.1% |
| 1989 | 180 | -10.0% |
| 1990 | 170 | -5.6% |
| 1991 | 160 | -5.9% |
| 1992 | 150 | -6.2% |
| 1993 | 140 | -6.7% |
| 1994 | 130 | -7.1% |
| 1995 | 130 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 130 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 120 | -7.7% |
| 1998 | 120 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 110 | -8.3% |
| 2000 | 110 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 98 | -10.9% |
| 2002 | 91 | -7.1% |
| 2003 | 86 | -5.5% |
| 2004 | 83 | -3.5% |
| 2005 | 77 | -7.2% |
| 2006 | 75 | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 71 | -5.3% |
| 2008 | 70 | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 66 | -5.7% |
| 2010 | 64 | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 60 | -6.2% |
| 2012 | 57 | -5.0% |
| 2013 | 55 | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 52 | -5.5% |
| 2015 | 50 | -3.8% |
| 2016 | 48 | -4.0% |
| 2017 | 45 | -6.2% |
| 2018 | 43 | -4.4% |
| 2019 | 40 | -7.0% |
| 2020 | 36 | -10.0% |
| 2021 | 33 | -8.3% |
| 2022 | 42 | +27.3% |
| 2023 | 23 | -45.2% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 23 is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.5, 6.6× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Japan's 23 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 16, 1.4× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of maternal deaths (Trends) in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | -45.2% | 42 | 23 |
| 2022 | +27.3% | 33 | 42 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 220 | 180 | 260 | 5 |
| 1990s | 136 | 110 | 170 | 10 |
| 2000s | 82.7 | 66 | 110 | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.4 | 40 | 64 | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.5 | 23 | 42 | 4 |
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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 178 (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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0163 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of maternal deaths in Japan?
- Number of maternal deaths in Japan was 23 in 2023, according to Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest number of maternal deaths recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 260 in 1985.
- What is the lowest number of maternal deaths recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 23 in 2023.
- How does Japan rank for number of maternal deaths?
- Japan ranks 109th out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of maternal deaths rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 58.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Number of maternal deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 39 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
A maternal death refers to the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes.