Fertility and wanted fertility in Japan
Japan: Fertility and wanted fertility was 1.15 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Fertility and wanted fertility in Japan, 1960–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertility and wanted fertility in Japan is 1.15, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.2% on the previous year and down 19.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility and wanted fertility in Japan peaked at 2.23 in 1967 and was at its lowest, 1.15, in 2024.
Japan ranks 201st of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Fertility and wanted fertility in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2 | — |
| 1961 | 1.96 | -2.0% |
| 1962 | 1.98 | +1.0% |
| 1963 | 2 | +1.0% |
| 1964 | 2.05 | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 2.14 | +4.4% |
| 1966 | 1.58 | -26.2% |
| 1967 | 2.23 | +41.1% |
| 1968 | 2.13 | -4.5% |
| 1969 | 2.13 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 2.13 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 2.16 | +1.4% |
| 1972 | 2.14 | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 2.14 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 2.05 | -4.2% |
| 1975 | 1.91 | -6.8% |
| 1976 | 1.85 | -3.1% |
| 1977 | 1.8 | -2.7% |
| 1978 | 1.79 | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 1.77 | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 1.75 | -1.1% |
| 1981 | 1.74 | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 1.77 | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 1.8 | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 1.81 | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 1.76 | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 1.72 | -2.3% |
| 1987 | 1.69 | -1.7% |
| 1988 | 1.66 | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 1.57 | -5.4% |
| 1990 | 1.54 | -1.9% |
| 1991 | 1.53 | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 1.5 | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 1.46 | -2.7% |
| 1994 | 1.5 | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 1.42 | -5.3% |
| 1996 | 1.43 | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 1.39 | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 1.38 | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 1.34 | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 1.36 | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 1.33 | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 1.32 | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 1.29 | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 1.29 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.26 | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 1.32 | +4.8% |
| 2007 | 1.34 | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 1.37 | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 1.37 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.39 | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 1.39 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.41 | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 1.43 | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 1.42 | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 1.45 | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 1.44 | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 1.43 | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 1.42 | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 1.36 | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 1.33 | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 1.3 | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 1.26 | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 1.2 | -4.8% |
| 2024 | 1.15 | -4.2% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 1.15 is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.45, 79% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Japan's 1.15 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.12, 54% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fertility and wanted fertility 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | +41.1% | 1.58 | 2.23 |
| 1966 | -26.2% | 2.14 | 1.58 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.02 | 1.58 | 2.23 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.97 | 1.77 | 2.16 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.73 | 1.57 | 1.81 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.45 | 1.34 | 1.54 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.32 | 1.26 | 1.37 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.41 | 1.36 | 1.45 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.25 | 1.15 | 1.33 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More population data for Japan
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -5.09 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5507 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 103,784 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.5891 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2372 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.501 (2100)
- Population density 210.83 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 2.83 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility and wanted fertility in Japan?
- Fertility and wanted fertility in Japan was 1.15 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertility and wanted fertility recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 2.23 in 1967.
- What is the lowest fertility and wanted fertility recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.15 in 2024.
- How does Japan rank for fertility and wanted fertility?
- Japan ranks 201st out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility and wanted fertility rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility and wanted fertility. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).