Fertility rate: births per woman in Japan
Japan: Fertility rate: births per woman was 1.21 live births per woman in 2023. ▼ Falling
Fertility rate: births per woman in Japan, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in live births per woman.
Analysis
Japan recorded 1.21 live births per woman for fertility rate: births per woman in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.8% on the previous year and down 13.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate: births per woman in Japan peaked at 3.62 live births per woman in 1950 and was at its lowest, 1.21 live births per woman, in 2023.
That places Japan 216th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.57 live births per woman | 2.04 live births per woman | 3.62 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.98 live births per woman | 1.63 live births per woman | 2.16 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.96 live births per woman | 1.77 live births per woman | 2.15 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.7 live births per woman | 1.55 live births per woman | 1.78 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.43 live births per woman | 1.34 live births per woman | 1.51 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.3 live births per woman | 1.25 live births per woman | 1.35 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.38 live births per woman | 1.32 live births per woman | 1.42 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.26 live births per woman | 1.21 live births per woman | 1.3 live births per woman | 4 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More reference data data for Japan
- Number of child deaths per woman 0.0038 under-five deaths per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 1.21 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate vs. Human Development Index 1.21 live births per woman (2023)
- Human Development Index 0.925 (2023)
- Rule of Law - Governance estimate 1.51 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 (2024)
- Rule of Law - Governance score 82.98 0-100 (2024)
- Voice and Accountability - Governance score 76.38 0-100 (2024)
- Voice and Accountability - Governance estimate 1.12 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 (2024)
- Political Stability - Governance score 85.27 0-100 (2024)
- Political Stability - Governance estimate 1.13 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate: births per woman in Japan?
- Fertility rate: births per woman in Japan was 1.21 live births per woman in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertility rate: births per woman recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.62 live births per woman in 1950.
- What is the lowest fertility rate: births per woman recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.21 live births per woman in 2023.
- How does Japan rank for fertility rate: births per woman?
- Japan ranks 216th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertility rate: births per woman rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate: births per woman. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The total fertility rate: the average number of children a woman would have if she experienced the year's age-specific birth rates throughout her childbearing years.