Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Japan
Japan: Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception was 1.15 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Japan, 1960–2024
Source: United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
Japan recorded 1.15 births per woman for fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
The figure is down 4.2% on the previous year and down 19.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Japan peaked at 2.23 births per woman in 1967 and was at its lowest, 1.15 births per woman, 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.02 births per woman | 1.58 births per woman | 2.23 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.97 births per woman | 1.77 births per woman | 2.16 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.73 births per woman | 1.57 births per woman | 1.81 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.45 births per woman | 1.34 births per woman | 1.54 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.32 births per woman | 1.26 births per woman | 1.37 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.41 births per woman | 1.36 births per woman | 1.45 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.25 births per woman | 1.15 births per woman | 1.33 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More population data for Japan
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.5% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.83 million people (2100)
- Population density 210.83 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.15 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 29,068 people (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.15 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate -0.6% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 1.21 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate vs. GDP per capita 1.21 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Japan?
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Japan was 1.15 births per woman in 2024, according to United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 2.23 births per woman in 1967.
- What is the lowest fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.15 births per woman in 2024.
- How does Japan rank for fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception?
- Japan ranks 201st out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 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 United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The total fertility rate, in a given year. The unmet need for contraception shows the estimated share of married fertile women of reproductive age who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.