Unsentenced detainees as proportion of prison population in Japan

Japan: Unsentenced detainees as proportion of prison population was 14.4 in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
14.4
Change on year
up 14.0%
World rank
132nd
of 152 countries
All-time high
16.54
in 2003
All-time low
10.72
in 2008
Years of data
21
2003–2023

Unsentenced detainees as proportion of prison population in Japan, 2003–2023

0510152003201320232003: 16.52004: 152005: 13.62006: 12.12007: 11.12008: 10.72009: 10.82010: 11.12011: 11.22012: 10.92013: 10.92014: 11.52015: 11.32016: 11.22017: 11.12018: 11.52019: 12.42020: 13.32021: 12.72022: 12.62023: 14.4

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

Japan recorded 14.4 for unsentenced detainees as proportion of prison population in 2023.

The figure is up 14.0% on the previous year and up 32.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unsentenced detainees as proportion of prison population in Japan peaked at 16.54 in 2003 and was at its lowest, 10.72, in 2008.

Japan ranks 132nd of 152 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 12.84 10.72 16.54 7
2010s 11.3 10.9 12.37 10
2020s 13.24 12.63 14.4 4

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 129 Türkiye 14.92 compare
  2. 130 Kuwait 14.6 compare
  3. 130 Nicaragua 14.6 compare
  4. 133 North Macedonia 14.13 compare
  5. 134 Slovak Republic 13.05 compare
  6. 135 Romania 12.73 compare

See the full ranking of 152 places →

More population data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is unsentenced detainees as proportion of prison population in Japan?
Unsentenced detainees as proportion of prison population in Japan was 14.4 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest unsentenced detainees as proportion of prison population recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 16.54 in 2003.
What is the lowest unsentenced detainees as proportion of prison population recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 10.72 in 2008.
How does Japan rank for unsentenced detainees as proportion of prison population?
Japan ranks 132nd out of 152 countries with data for 2023.
Is unsentenced detainees as proportion of prison population rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is up 32.1%. 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 Unsentenced detainees as proportion of prison population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unsentenced detainees as proportion of prison population in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 20 August 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/unsentenced-detainees-as-proportion-of-prison-population/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Unsentenced detainees as proportion of prison population
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
152 places, 2,233 data points, 2001–2024
Last refreshed