Deaths from tsunamis in Japan
Japan: Deaths from tsunamis was 549 deaths in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
549 deaths
Change on year
up 54,800.0%
World rank
3rd
of 20 countries
All-time high
105,385 deaths
in 1923
All-time low
1 deaths
in 1892
Years of data
77
1026–2024
Deaths from tsunamis in Japan, 1026–2024
Source: National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
In 2024, deaths from tsunamis in Japan stood at 549 deaths.
The figure is up 54,800.0% on the previous year and down 97.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, deaths from tsunamis in Japan peaked at 105,385 deaths in 1923 and was at its lowest, 1 deaths, in 1892.
Japan ranks 3rd of 20 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Deaths from tsunamis in Japan, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1026 | 1,001 deaths | — |
| 1341 | 2,600 deaths | +159.7% |
| 1361 | 660 deaths | -74.6% |
| 1495 | 200 deaths | -69.7% |
| 1498 | 5,000 deaths | +2400.0% |
| 1586 | 8,000 deaths | +60.0% |
| 1596 | 708 deaths | -91.1% |
| 1597 | 40 deaths | -94.4% |
| 1605 | 6,001 deaths | +14902.5% |
| 1611 | 5,000 deaths | -16.7% |
| 1633 | 150 deaths | -97.0% |
| 1640 | 700 deaths | +366.7% |
| 1644 | 117 deaths | -83.3% |
| 1662 | 200 deaths | +70.9% |
| 1677 | 500 deaths | +150.0% |
| 1703 | 5,233 deaths | +946.6% |
| 1707 | 7,000 deaths | +33.8% |
| 1711 | 1,000 deaths | -85.7% |
| 1741 | 2,000 deaths | +100.0% |
| 1751 | 2,100 deaths | +5.0% |
| 1766 | 1,700 deaths | -19.0% |
| 1771 | 13,486 deaths | +693.3% |
| 1781 | 38 deaths | -99.7% |
| 1792 | 15,000 deaths | +39373.7% |
| 1793 | 757 deaths | -95.0% |
| 1802 | 19 deaths | -97.5% |
| 1804 | 450 deaths | +2268.4% |
| 1810 | 57 deaths | -87.3% |
| 1833 | 85 deaths | +49.1% |
| 1843 | 45 deaths | -47.1% |
| 1854 | 4,000 deaths | +8788.9% |
| 1855 | 6,757 deaths | +68.9% |
| 1856 | 26 deaths | -99.6% |
| 1872 | 804 deaths | +2992.3% |
| 1892 | 1 deaths | -99.9% |
| 1894 | 727 deaths | +72600.0% |
| 1896 | 27,122 deaths | +3630.7% |
| 1901 | 18 deaths | -99.9% |
| 1905 | 57 deaths | +216.7% |
| 1909 | 41 deaths | -28.1% |
| 1911 | 12 deaths | -70.7% |
| 1914 | 63 deaths | +425.0% |
| 1923 | 105,385 deaths | +167177.8% |
| 1927 | 3,022 deaths | -97.1% |
| 1931 | 1 deaths | -100.0% |
| 1933 | 3,022 deaths | +302100.0% |
| 1938 | 2 deaths | -99.9% |
| 1939 | 28 deaths | +1300.0% |
| 1940 | 10 deaths | -64.3% |
| 1941 | 2 deaths | -80.0% |
| 1944 | 1,223 deaths | +61050.0% |
| 1945 | 2,308 deaths | +88.7% |
| 1946 | 1,362 deaths | -41.0% |
| 1952 | 64 deaths | -95.3% |
| 1953 | 1 deaths | -98.4% |
| 1961 | 2 deaths | +100.0% |
| 1964 | 36 deaths | +1700.0% |
| 1968 | 53 deaths | +47.2% |
| 1974 | 30 deaths | -43.4% |
| 1978 | 53 deaths | +76.7% |
| 1979 | 3 deaths | -94.3% |
| 1982 | 110 deaths | +3566.7% |
| 1983 | 104 deaths | -5.5% |
| 1987 | 2 deaths | -98.1% |
| 1993 | 231 deaths | +11450.0% |
| 1994 | 3 deaths | -98.7% |
| 1995 | 6,434 deaths | +214366.7% |
| 2000 | 1 deaths | -100.0% |
| 2003 | 2 deaths | +100.0% |
| 2007 | 10 deaths | +400.0% |
| 2008 | 29 deaths | +190.0% |
| 2009 | 1 deaths | -96.6% |
| 2011 | 18,431 deaths | +1843000.0% |
| 2021 | 1 deaths | -100.0% |
| 2022 | 4 deaths | +300.0% |
| 2023 | 1 deaths | -75.0% |
| 2024 | 549 deaths | +54800.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 549 deaths is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.5 deaths, 219.6× the median. (6 countries reporting)
- Japan's 549 deaths is above the median for high income countries, which is 1 deaths, 549.0× the median. (9 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Deaths from tsunamis 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +1843000.0% | 1 deaths | 18,431 deaths |
| 1933 | +302100.0% | 1 deaths | 3,022 deaths |
| 1995 | +214366.7% | 3 deaths | 6,434 deaths |
| 1923 | +167177.8% | 63 deaths | 105,385 deaths |
| 1894 | +72600.0% | 1 deaths | 727 deaths |
| 1944 | +61050.0% | 2 deaths | 1,223 deaths |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1020s | 1,001 deaths | 1,001 deaths | 1,001 deaths | 1 |
| 1340s | 2,600 deaths | 2,600 deaths | 2,600 deaths | 1 |
| 1360s | 660 deaths | 660 deaths | 660 deaths | 1 |
| 1490s | 2,600 deaths | 200 deaths | 5,000 deaths | 2 |
| 1580s | 8,000 deaths | 8,000 deaths | 8,000 deaths | 1 |
| 1590s | 374 deaths | 40 deaths | 708 deaths | 2 |
| 1600s | 6,001 deaths | 6,001 deaths | 6,001 deaths | 1 |
| 1610s | 5,000 deaths | 5,000 deaths | 5,000 deaths | 1 |
| 1630s | 150 deaths | 150 deaths | 150 deaths | 1 |
| 1640s | 408.5 deaths | 117 deaths | 700 deaths | 2 |
| 1660s | 200 deaths | 200 deaths | 200 deaths | 1 |
| 1670s | 500 deaths | 500 deaths | 500 deaths | 1 |
| 1700s | 6,116 deaths | 5,233 deaths | 7,000 deaths | 2 |
| 1710s | 1,000 deaths | 1,000 deaths | 1,000 deaths | 1 |
| 1740s | 2,000 deaths | 2,000 deaths | 2,000 deaths | 1 |
| 1750s | 2,100 deaths | 2,100 deaths | 2,100 deaths | 1 |
| 1760s | 1,700 deaths | 1,700 deaths | 1,700 deaths | 1 |
| 1770s | 13,486 deaths | 13,486 deaths | 13,486 deaths | 1 |
| 1780s | 38 deaths | 38 deaths | 38 deaths | 1 |
| 1790s | 7,878 deaths | 757 deaths | 15,000 deaths | 2 |
| 1800s | 234.5 deaths | 19 deaths | 450 deaths | 2 |
| 1810s | 57 deaths | 57 deaths | 57 deaths | 1 |
| 1830s | 85 deaths | 85 deaths | 85 deaths | 1 |
| 1840s | 45 deaths | 45 deaths | 45 deaths | 1 |
| 1850s | 3,594 deaths | 26 deaths | 6,757 deaths | 3 |
| 1870s | 804 deaths | 804 deaths | 804 deaths | 1 |
| 1890s | 9,283 deaths | 1 deaths | 27,122 deaths | 3 |
| 1900s | 38.67 deaths | 18 deaths | 57 deaths | 3 |
| 1910s | 37.5 deaths | 12 deaths | 63 deaths | 2 |
| 1920s | 54,204 deaths | 3,022 deaths | 105,385 deaths | 2 |
| 1930s | 763.25 deaths | 1 deaths | 3,022 deaths | 4 |
| 1940s | 981 deaths | 2 deaths | 2,308 deaths | 5 |
| 1950s | 32.5 deaths | 1 deaths | 64 deaths | 2 |
| 1960s | 30.33 deaths | 2 deaths | 53 deaths | 3 |
| 1970s | 28.67 deaths | 3 deaths | 53 deaths | 3 |
| 1980s | 72 deaths | 2 deaths | 110 deaths | 3 |
| 1990s | 2,223 deaths | 3 deaths | 6,434 deaths | 3 |
| 2000s | 8.6 deaths | 1 deaths | 29 deaths | 5 |
| 2010s | 18,431 deaths | 18,431 deaths | 18,431 deaths | 1 |
| 2020s | 138.75 deaths | 1 deaths | 549 deaths | 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)
- 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 deaths from tsunamis in Japan?
- Deaths from tsunamis in Japan was 549 deaths in 2024, according to National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest deaths from tsunamis recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 105,385 deaths in 1923.
- What is the lowest deaths from tsunamis recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 deaths in 1892.
- How does Japan rank for deaths from tsunamis?
- Japan ranks 3rd out of 20 countries with data for 2024.
- Is deaths from tsunamis rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 97.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Deaths from tsunamis. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Due to data availability, recent data will be more complete than older historical estimates.