Japan birth & fertility rate charts by year

Fertility rate in Japan by year

According to the latest birth rate data available, the fertility rate in Japan was 1.2 in 2023 and has been below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman since 1974. In 1993, the fertility rate was 1.46 — a 17.8% decline in 30 years.

Check population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart above shows the historical changes in fertility rate and ranking compared to other countries, where a lower rank number indicates a higher relative fertility rate.

Births, deaths, and natural population change by year

Over the past 10 years, the natural population change in Japan (from births and deaths only, excluding migration) has been -0.41% annually. On average, 517,883 more people died each year than were born.

Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was -0.7% — 871,617 more people died than were born.

In 2023, Japan ranks 195/196 for absolute natural population change and 193/196 for natural change rate, where a lower rank number indicates faster natural growth and a higher number indicates greater decline.

Birth rates by women's age

Above is a chart displaying birth rates in Japan by maternal age. In 2026, of all live births, 0.54% will be to women under age 20, 32.6% to women ages 20-29, and 66.9% to women ages 30 and above. The respective shares in 1990 were 1.5%, 60.4%, and 38.1%.

Children 0-14 years as share of population by year

Chart Table

Japan

Factual

UN forecast

World

Factual

UN forecast

1x

Year	Children 0-14 as share of population
	Japan	World
2100	11.5%	16.5%
2099	11.5%	16.6%
2098	11.5%	16.6%
2097	11.5%	16.7%
2096	11.6%	16.8%
2095	11.6%	16.8%
2094	11.6%	16.9%
2093	11.7%	17%
2092	11.7%	17%
2091	11.8%	17.1%
2090	11.8%	17.2%
2089	11.8%	17.2%
2088	11.8%	17.3%
2087	11.9%	17.4%
2086	11.9%	17.4%
2085	11.8%	17.5%
2084	11.8%	17.5%
2083	11.8%	17.6%
2082	11.8%	17.7%
2081	11.7%	17.7%
2080	11.6%	17.8%
2079	11.6%	17.8%
2078	11.5%	17.9%
2077	11.4%	17.9%
2076	11.3%	18%
2075	11.2%	18%
2074	11.1%	18.1%
2073	11.1%	18.2%
2072	11%	18.2%
2071	10.9%	18.3%
2070	10.9%	18.3%
2069	10.8%	18.4%
2068	10.8%	18.5%
2067	10.8%	18.6%
2066	10.8%	18.6%
2065	10.8%	18.7%
2064	10.8%	18.8%
2063	10.8%	18.9%
2062	10.9%	19.1%
2061	10.9%	19.2%
2060	11%	19.3%
2059	11%	19.4%
2058	11.1%	19.5%
2057	11.1%	19.6%
2056	11.2%	19.8%
2055	11.2%	19.9%
2054	11.3%	20%
2053	11.3%	20.1%
2052	11.3%	20.2%
2051	11.3%	20.3%
2050	11.2%	20.4%
2049	11.2%	20.5%
2048	11.1%	20.6%
2047	11.1%	20.7%
2046	11%	20.8%
2045	10.9%	20.9%
2044	10.8%	20.9%
2043	10.7%	21%
2042	10.6%	21.1%
2041	10.5%	21.2%
2040	10.4%	21.2%
2039	10.3%	21.3%
2038	10.2%	21.4%
2037	10.1%	21.5%
2036	10.1%	21.6%
2035	10.1%	21.8%
2034	10.1%	22%
2033	10.1%	22.2%
2032	10.2%	22.4%
2031	10.3%	22.7%
2030	10.5%	23%
2029	10.6%	23.3%
2028	10.8%	23.6%
2027	11%	23.9%
2026	11.1%	24.2%
2025	11.3%	24.6%
2024	11.4%	24.7%
2023	11.6%	25%
2022	11.9%	25.3%
2021	12%	25.6%
2020	12.2%	25.8%
2019	12.4%	26%
2018	12.5%	26.2%
2017	12.6%	26.4%
2016	12.7%	26.5%
2015	12.8%	26.6%
2014	13%	26.8%
2013	13.1%	26.9%
2012	13.2%	27%
2011	13.3%	27.1%
2010	13.4%	27.3%
2009	13.5%	27.5%
2008	13.5%	27.6%
2007	13.6%	27.9%
2006	13.7%	28.1%
2005	13.8%	28.5%
2004	13.8%	28.8%
2003	13.9%	29.2%
2002	14.1%	29.6%
2001	14.2%	30%
2000	14.4%	30.4%
1999	14.6%	30.8%
1998	14.8%	31.1%
1997	15.1%	31.5%
1996	15.3%	31.8%
1995	15.6%	32.1%
1994	16%	32.3%
1993	16.4%	32.5%
1992	16.9%	32.7%
1991	17.4%	32.9%
1990	18%	33%
1989	18.8%	33.2%
1988	19.5%	33.4%
1987	20.3%	33.6%
1986	21%	33.8%
1985	21.7%	34%
1984	22.2%	34.3%
1983	22.6%	34.6%
1982	23.1%	34.9%
1981	23.3%	35.2%
1980	23.4%	35.5%
1979	23.7%	35.9%
1978	23.8%	36.3%
1977	23.9%	36.7%
1976	23.9%	36.9%
1975	23.8%	37.1%
1974	23.8%	37.2%
1973	23.6%	37.3%
1972	23.4%	37.5%
1971	23.3%	37.6%
1970	23.3%	37.7%
1969	23.4%	37.8%
1968	23.5%	37.9%
1967	23.8%	38%
1966	24.4%	38%
1965	25.1%	38%
1964	25.8%	38%
1963	26.8%	37.8%
1962	28%	37.6%
1961	29.1%	37.5%
1960	29.8%	37.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Japan was 29.8% in 1960, 16.9% in 1992, and 11.4% as of the latest data in 2024.

More about the demographics of Japan.

Maternal mortality by year

Chart Table

Japan

World's average

1x

Year	Maternal mortality per 100K births
	Japan	World
2023	3	197
2022	5	203
2021	4	242
2020	4	211
2019	5	207
2018	5	211
2017	5	215
2016	5	220
2015	5	228
2014	5	231
2013	5	235
2012	6	239
2011	6	247
2010	6	253
2009	6	258
2008	6	264
2007	6	269
2006	7	276
2005	7	283
2004	7	291
2003	8	301
2002	8	311
2001	8	321
2000	9	328
1999	9	340
1998	10	360
1997	10	358
1996	11	366
1995	11	371
1994	11	382
1993	12	389
1992	13	395
1991	13	395
1990	14	391
1989	15	401
1988	16	414
1987	17	429
1986	18	438
1985	19	460

The maternal mortality rate in Japan was 3 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023 — a 0.003% chance of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination. This is a 66.7% decrease compared to the year 2000.

Under-five mortality by year

Chart Table

Japan

World's average

Probability that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five

1x

Year	Under 5 mortality rate
	Japan	World
2023	0.24%	2.49%
2022	0.24%	2.59%
2021	0.24%	2.66%
2020	0.24%	2.75%
2019	0.25%	2.86%
2018	0.25%	2.97%
2017	0.26%	3.11%
2016	0.27%	3.22%
2015	0.28%	3.35%
2014	0.29%	3.48%
2013	0.3%	3.61%
2012	0.31%	3.77%
2011	0.33%	3.97%
2010	0.33%	4.11%
2009	0.34%	4.31%
2008	0.34%	4.5%
2007	0.35%	4.7%
2006	0.36%	4.92%
2005	0.37%	5.16%
2004	0.39%	5.43%
2003	0.4%	5.65%
2002	0.41%	5.94%
2001	0.43%	6.21%
2000	0.45%	6.48%
1999	0.47%	6.75%
1998	0.5%	7.05%
1997	0.52%	7.28%
1996	0.55%	7.52%
1995	0.57%	7.76%
1994	0.59%	7.98%
1993	0.6%	8.19%
1992	0.61%	8.46%
1991	0.62%	8.66%
1990	0.63%	8.81%
1989	0.64%	9.02%
1988	0.66%	9.31%
1987	0.68%	9.47%
1986	0.71%	9.81%
1985	0.75%	10.1%
1984	0.79%	10.4%
1983	0.83%	10.6%
1982	0.88%	10.8%
1981	0.93%	11%
1980	0.99%	11.4%
1979	1.05%	11.7%
1978	1.11%	12.2%
1977	1.18%	12.6%
1976	1.25%	13%
1975	1.33%	13.4%
1974	1.41%	13.8%
1973	1.49%	14.1%
1972	1.57%	14.5%
1971	1.65%	15.1%
1970	1.75%	15.2%
1969	1.85%	15.4%
1968	1.96%	15.6%
1967	2.1%	15.9%
1966	2.26%	16.1%
1965	2.46%	16.4%
1964	2.7%	16.6%
1963	2.98%	16.5%
1962	3.29%	16.7%
1961	3.62%	17%
1960	3.97%	17.2%

The under-5 mortality rate in Japan was 2.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023 — a 0.24% chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five. This is down from 4.5 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000.