Iceland vs Japan: Prison population rate
Iceland
35 prisoners per 100,000 people
in 2024
Japan
33 prisoners per 100,000 people
in 2024
Iceland rank
196th
Japan rank
197th
Prison population rate over time
- Iceland
- Japan
How they compare
Iceland currently reports 35 prisoners per 100,000 people against 33 prisoners per 100,000 people in Japan, a difference of 2 prisoners per 100,000 people.
That makes Iceland's figure about 1.1 times Japan's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 12 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Japan ahead.
Iceland ranks 196th and Japan ranks 197th of 202 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Iceland averaged higher in 1 and Japan in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iceland | Japan | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 37.4 prisoners per 100,000 people | 57.4 prisoners per 100,000 people | 20 prisoners per 100,000 people | Japan |
| 2010s | 44 prisoners per 100,000 people | 48.4 prisoners per 100,000 people | 4.4 prisoners per 100,000 people | Japan |
| 2020s | 39.5 prisoners per 100,000 people | 35 prisoners per 100,000 people | 4.5 prisoners per 100,000 people | Iceland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher prison population rate, Iceland or Japan?
- Iceland, at 35 prisoners per 100,000 people against 33 prisoners per 100,000 people in Japan as of 2024.
- What is the difference in prison population rate between Iceland and Japan?
- 2 prisoners per 100,000 people, with Iceland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iceland and Japan?
- 12 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
- How do Iceland and Japan rank globally for prison population rate?
- Iceland ranks 196th and Japan ranks 197th of 202 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Prison population rate. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Prison population (including pre-trial detainees and remand prisoners), per 100,000 population.