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.
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Japan, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 1.96 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1962 | 1.98 births per woman | +1.0% |
| 1963 | 2 births per woman | +1.0% |
| 1964 | 2.05 births per woman | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 2.14 births per woman | +4.4% |
| 1966 | 1.58 births per woman | -26.2% |
| 1967 | 2.23 births per woman | +41.1% |
| 1968 | 2.13 births per woman | -4.5% |
| 1969 | 2.13 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 2.13 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 2.16 births per woman | +1.4% |
| 1972 | 2.14 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 2.14 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 2.05 births per woman | -4.2% |
| 1975 | 1.91 births per woman | -6.8% |
| 1976 | 1.85 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 1977 | 1.8 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 1978 | 1.79 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 1.77 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 1.75 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1981 | 1.74 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 1.77 births per woman | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 1.8 births per woman | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 1.81 births per woman | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 1.76 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 1.72 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1987 | 1.69 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1988 | 1.66 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 1.57 births per woman | -5.4% |
| 1990 | 1.54 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 1991 | 1.53 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 1.5 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 1.46 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 1994 | 1.5 births per woman | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 1.42 births per woman | -5.3% |
| 1996 | 1.43 births per woman | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 1.39 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 1.38 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 1.34 births per woman | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 1.36 births per woman | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 1.33 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 1.32 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 1.29 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 1.29 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.26 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 1.32 births per woman | +4.8% |
| 2007 | 1.34 births per woman | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 1.37 births per woman | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 1.37 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.39 births per woman | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 1.39 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.41 births per woman | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 1.43 births per woman | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 1.42 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 1.45 births per woman | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 1.44 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 1.43 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 1.42 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 1.36 births per woman | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 1.33 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 1.3 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 1.26 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 1.2 births per woman | -4.8% |
| 2024 | 1.15 births per woman | -4.2% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 1.15 births per woman is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.45 births per woman, 79% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Japan's 1.15 births per woman is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.12 births per woman, 54% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 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 births per woman | 2.23 births per woman |
| 1966 | -26.2% | 2.14 births per woman | 1.58 births per woman |
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
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5507 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- 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)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2372 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.5891 Percent per annum (2030)
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.