Total fertility rate: births per woman in Japan
Japan: Total fertility rate: births per woman was 1.2 births per woman in 2023. ▼ Falling
Total fertility rate: births per woman in Japan, 1947–2023
Source: Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
In 2023, total fertility rate: births per woman in Japan stood at 1.2 births per woman. That is the lowest value across all 77 years on record.
The figure is down 4.5% on the previous year and down 15.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total fertility rate: births per woman in Japan peaked at 4.61 births per woman in 1947 and was at its lowest, 1.2 births per woman, in 2023.
Japan ranks 31st of 34 countries on this measure, 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 | 4.48 births per woman | 4.37 births per woman | 4.61 births per woman | 3 |
| 1950s | 2.62 births per woman | 2.08 births per woman | 3.69 births per woman | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.03 births per woman | 1.59 births per woman | 2.24 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.98 births per woman | 1.75 births per woman | 2.17 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.72 births per woman | 1.58 births per woman | 1.8 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.46 births per woman | 1.35 births per woman | 1.54 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.32 births per woman | 1.26 births per woman | 1.36 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.4 births per woman | 1.34 births per woman | 1.44 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.27 births per woman | 1.2 births per woman | 1.32 births per woman | 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 total fertility rate: births per woman in Japan?
- Total fertility rate: births per woman in Japan was 1.2 births per woman in 2023, according to Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total fertility rate: births per woman recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 4.61 births per woman in 1947.
- What is the lowest total fertility rate: births per woman recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2 births per woman in 2023.
- How does Japan rank for total fertility rate: births per woman?
- Japan ranks 31st out of 34 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total fertility rate: births per woman rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Total fertility rate: births per woman. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The average number of children a woman would have in her lifetime if she experienced the fertility rates of a specific year.