Annual birth rate and peak birth month in Japan
Japan: Annual birth rate and peak birth month was 5.97 births per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Annual birth rate and peak birth month in Japan, 1947–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per 1,000 people.
Analysis
Japan recorded 5.97 births per 1,000 people for annual birth rate and peak birth month in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 77 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.1% on the previous year and down 27.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual birth rate and peak birth month in Japan peaked at 35.46 births per 1,000 people in 1947 and was at its lowest, 5.97 births per 1,000 people, in 2023.
That places Japan 38th out of 41 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 77 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 34.67 births per 1,000 people | 33.96 births per 1,000 people | 35.46 births per 1,000 people | 3 |
| 1950s | 21.41 births per 1,000 people | 17.6 births per 1,000 people | 28.83 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 17.76 births per 1,000 people | 13.94 births per 1,000 people | 19.69 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 17.46 births per 1,000 people | 14.31 births per 1,000 people | 19.52 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.05 births per 1,000 people | 10.22 births per 1,000 people | 13.62 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.72 births per 1,000 people | 9.4 births per 1,000 people | 10 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.86 births per 1,000 people | 8.43 births per 1,000 people | 9.49 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.9 births per 1,000 people | 6.97 births per 1,000 people | 8.48 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.41 births per 1,000 people | 5.97 births per 1,000 people | 6.8 births per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More population data for Japan
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Population density 210.83 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.83 million people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.5% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.15 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 1.15 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 29,068 people (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.15 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious 1.21 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate accounting for survival until childbearing age 1.2 children per women (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual birth rate and peak birth month in Japan?
- Annual birth rate and peak birth month in Japan was 5.97 births per 1,000 people in 2023, according to Human Mortality Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual birth rate and peak birth month recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 35.46 births per 1,000 people in 1947.
- What is the lowest annual birth rate and peak birth month recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.97 births per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does Japan rank for annual birth rate and peak birth month?
- Japan ranks 38th out of 41 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual birth rate and peak birth month rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual birth rate and peak birth month. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The total number of births per 1,000 people in a given year.