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Fertility & birth rates in Japan and Rwanda

Updated on by Georank team

Japan has an annual birth rate of 6 births per 1,000 people, compared to 28.3 for Rwanda. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 1.2 in Japan and 3.7 in Rwanda — 208.2% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -40% in Japan and by -55.4% in Rwanda — in 1960, it was 2 and 8.28, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Japan is ranked 192/196 by birth rate compared to 38/196 for Rwanda.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 30.7 years in Japan, compared to 23 years in Rwanda.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 32.1 in Japan — it's 30.6 in Rwanda.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 1.74 in Japan vs 30.8 in Rwanda.
  • In Japan, 18.6% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 26.2% in Rwanda.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was -0.7% in Japan and +2.24% in Rwanda.

Birth rate data compared

Japan Rwanda
Fertility rate 1.2 3.7
Birth rate 6 28.3
Birth rate rank 192/196 38/196
Age at first childbirth 30.7 years 23 years
Average age at childbearing 32.1 years 30.6 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 1.54 30.2
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 41 155.6
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 10.5 66.4
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 18.6% 26.2%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 52.8% 58.4%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 99.8% 94.2%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.003% 0.23%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 0.08% 1.81%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 0.18% 3.05%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 0.24% 4%
Population change due to births and deaths -871,617 +312,762
Natural population change rank 195/196 51/196
Natural population change rate -0.7% +2.24%
Population growth -0.43% +2.16%
Population growth rank 182/197 47/197
Life expectancy 85 years 68.2 years

Fertility rate in Japan vs Rwanda chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Japan was 1.2 children per woman in 2023, compared to 3.7 in Rwanda in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check Japan vs Rwanda population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Japan
Factual

UN forecast
Rwanda
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Japan Rwanda
1960 2 8.28
1961 1.96 8.28
1962 1.98 8.27
1963 2 8.27
1964 2.05 8.27
1965 2.14 8.25
1966 1.58 8.23
1967 2.23 8.21
1968 2.13 8.19
1969 2.13 8.18
1970 2.13 8.15
1971 2.16 8.09
1972 2.14 8.09
1973 2.14 8.09
1974 2.05 8.1
1975 1.91 8.1
1976 1.85 8.12
1977 1.8 8.14
1978 1.79 8.16
1979 1.77 8.13
1980 1.75 8.12
1981 1.74 8.1
1982 1.77 8.06
1983 1.8 8
1984 1.81 7.91
1985 1.76 7.79
1986 1.72 7.61
1987 1.69 7.43
1988 1.66 7.23
1989 1.57 7.03
1990 1.54 6.8
1991 1.53 6.62
1992 1.5 6.54
1993 1.46 6.48
1994 1.5 6.42
1995 1.42 6.35
1996 1.43 6.29
1997 1.39 6.24
1998 1.38 6.17
1999 1.34 6.06
2000 1.36 5.97
2001 1.33 5.89
2002 1.32 5.82
2003 1.29 5.74
2004 1.29 5.64
2005 1.26 5.5
2006 1.32 5.34
2007 1.34 5.14
2008 1.37 4.92
2009 1.37 4.71
2010 1.39 4.52
2011 1.39 4.33
2012 1.41 4.2
2013 1.43 4.14
2014 1.42 4.12
2015 1.45 4.11
2016 1.44 4.11
2017 1.43 4.08
2018 1.42 4.05
2019 1.36 3.99
2020 1.33 3.91
2021 1.3 3.84
2022 1.26 3.78
2023 1.2 3.7
2024 1.21 3.64
2025 1.22 3.59
2026 1.22 3.54
2027 1.23 3.49
2028 1.24 3.43
2029 1.25 3.38
2030 1.25 3.33
2031 1.26 3.28
2032 1.26 3.24
2033 1.27 3.19
2034 1.28 3.15
2035 1.28 3.11
2036 1.29 3.07
2037 1.29 3.03
2038 1.3 2.99
2039 1.3 2.95
2040 1.3 2.92
2041 1.31 2.89
2042 1.31 2.85
2043 1.31 2.81
2044 1.32 2.78
2045 1.32 2.75
2046 1.33 2.72
2047 1.33 2.69
2048 1.33 2.67
2049 1.34 2.64
2050 1.34 2.61

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Japan
Factual

UN forecast
Rwanda
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Japan Rwanda
1960 29.8% 49.2%
1961 29.1% 49.7%
1962 28% 50.2%
1963 26.8% 50.6%
1964 25.8% 50.8%
1965 25.1% 50.6%
1966 24.4% 50.2%
1967 23.8% 49.7%
1968 23.5% 49.2%
1969 23.4% 48.7%
1970 23.3% 48.2%
1971 23.3% 47.9%
1972 23.4% 47.5%
1973 23.6% 47.2%
1974 23.8% 46.9%
1975 23.8% 46.6%
1976 23.9% 46.4%
1977 23.9% 46.4%
1978 23.8% 46.4%
1979 23.7% 46.5%
1980 23.4% 46.8%
1981 23.3% 47.1%
1982 23.1% 47.4%
1983 22.6% 47.7%
1984 22.2% 48.1%
1985 21.7% 48.3%
1986 21% 48.6%
1987 20.3% 48.8%
1988 19.5% 48.9%
1989 18.8% 48.9%
1990 18% 49%
1991 17.4% 48.9%
1992 16.9% 48.7%
1993 16.4% 48.4%
1994 16% 50.1%
1995 15.6% 52.4%
1996 15.3% 51.4%
1997 15.1% 50.5%
1998 14.8% 49.2%
1999 14.6% 47.8%
2000 14.4% 46.4%
2001 14.2% 45.2%
2002 14.1% 44.3%
2003 13.9% 43.7%
2004 13.8% 43.3%
2005 13.8% 43.1%
2006 13.7% 42.9%
2007 13.6% 42.9%
2008 13.5% 42.8%
2009 13.5% 42.6%
2010 13.4% 42.4%
2011 13.3% 42.2%
2012 13.2% 41.9%
2013 13.1% 41.7%
2014 13% 41.4%
2015 12.8% 41.1%
2016 12.7% 40.9%
2017 12.6% 40.5%
2018 12.5% 40.1%
2019 12.4% 39.7%
2020 12.2% 39.2%
2021 12% 38.6%
2022 11.9% 38.2%
2023 11.6% 37.7%
2024 11.4% 37.4%
2025 11.2% 37%
2026 11% 36.7%
2027 10.9% 36.4%
2028 10.7% 36%
2029 10.5% 35.7%
2030 10.4% 35.4%
2031 10.3% 35%
2032 10.2% 34.7%
2033 10.1% 34.4%
2034 10.1% 34.1%
2035 10.1% 33.7%
2036 10.1% 33.4%
2037 10.1% 33.1%
2038 10.2% 32.9%
2039 10.3% 32.6%
2040 10.4% 32.3%
2041 10.5% 32%
2042 10.6% 31.7%
2043 10.7% 31.4%
2044 10.8% 31.1%
2045 10.9% 30.8%
2046 11% 30.5%
2047 11.1% 30.2%
2048 11.2% 29.9%
2049 11.2% 29.7%
2050 11.2% 29.4%

Children aged 0-14 make up 11.4% of the population in Japan and 37.4% in Rwanda in 2024, compared to 18% and 49% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Japan and Rwanda compared.

Natural population change in Japan vs Rwanda by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been -0.41% in Japan and +2.45% in Rwanda. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Japan
Rwanda

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Japan Rwanda
1960 894,874 100,627
1961 893,522 102,051
1962 901,864 102,548
1963 987,770 94,296
1964 1,046,553 102,562
1965 1,126,448 103,422
1966 682,072 105,128
1967 1,258,475 108,053
1968 1,191,930 111,422
1969 1,195,962 115,394
1970 1,230,496 119,273
1971 1,331,782 122,567
1972 1,372,006 126,403
1973 1,391,449 131,021
1974 1,332,960 135,743
1975 1,204,989 140,596
1976 1,127,750 147,665
1977 1,070,397 155,011
1978 1,011,234 163,779
1979 950,298 174,477
1980 864,372 184,988
1981 811,861 195,769
1982 805,664 205,147
1983 775,495 212,750
1984 756,523 219,337
1985 676,687 223,794
1986 631,706 225,526
1987 598,138 225,744
1988 527,085 223,759
1989 467,662 217,632
1990 407,478 207,895
1991 396,685 196,431
1992 360,833 188,025
1993 312,073 183,926
1994 363,017 -719,479
1995 276,039 121,137
1996 314,392 140,455
1997 277,325 174,687
1998 265,440 197,185
1999 202,610 210,518
2000 228,317 221,276
2001 203,438 230,845
2002 178,423 239,036
2003 114,946 251,243
2004 76,656 265,273
2005 -25,554 275,121
2006 12,785 282,149
2007 -25,600 285,791
2008 -51,225 287,334
2009 -76,828 287,034
2010 -128,070 286,848
2011 -204,533 282,922
2012 -229,733 282,584
2013 -242,146 286,331
2014 -267,279 292,779
2015 -292,424 299,114
2016 -343,106 305,549
2017 -406,310 310,323
2018 -456,520 312,512
2019 -531,858 313,525
2020 -542,923 312,692
2021 -640,976 309,895
2022 -825,825 312,145
2023 -871,617 312,762

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Japan vs Rwanda

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 3 deaths per 100,000 live births in Japan, compared to 229 deaths in Rwanda.

Japan
Rwanda
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Japan Rwanda
1985 19 1,116
1986 18 1,126
1987 17 1,145
1988 16 1,188
1989 15 1,238
1990 14 1,309
1991 13 1,386
1992 13 1,530
1993 12 1,619
1994 11 5,721
1995 11 1,505
1996 11 1,295
1997 10 1,318
1998 10 1,268
1999 9 1,073
2000 9 885
2001 8 769
2002 8 677
2003 8 551
2004 7 460
2005 7 465
2006 7 494
2007 6 494
2008 6 454
2009 6 418
2010 6 393
2011 6 358
2012 6 331
2013 5 317
2014 5 301
2015 5 292
2016 5 278
2017 5 275
2018 5 269
2019 5 261
2020 4 252
2021 4 254
2022 5 234
2023 3 229

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 0.24% in Japan and 4% in Rwanda. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Japan
Rwanda

Probability that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five

Year Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births
Japan Rwanda
1960 3.97% 22.4%
1961 3.62% 21.9%
1962 3.29% 21.5%
1963 2.98% 21.3%
1964 2.7% 21.1%
1965 2.46% 21.1%
1966 2.26% 21.2%
1967 2.1% 21.4%
1968 1.96% 21.7%
1969 1.85% 22%
1970 1.75% 22.3%
1971 1.65% 22.6%
1972 1.57% 23%
1973 1.49% 23.4%
1974 1.41% 24%
1975 1.33% 24.6%
1976 1.25% 25.1%
1977 1.18% 25.1%
1978 1.11% 24.6%
1979 1.05% 23.4%
1980 0.99% 21.8%
1981 0.93% 20.1%
1982 0.88% 18.6%
1983 0.83% 17.4%
1984 0.79% 16.6%
1985 0.75% 16.1%
1986 0.71% 15.6%
1987 0.68% 15.2%
1988 0.66% 14.8%
1989 0.64% 14.8%
1990 0.63% 15.1%
1991 0.62% 16%
1992 0.61% 17.5%
1993 0.6% 19.3%
1994 0.59% 38.9%
1995 0.57% 21.8%
1996 0.55% 22.2%
1997 0.52% 22.2%
1998 0.5% 21.5%
1999 0.47% 20.2%
2000 0.45% 18.5%
2001 0.43% 16.7%
2002 0.41% 14.9%
2003 0.4% 13.3%
2004 0.39% 11.8%
2005 0.37% 10.5%
2006 0.36% 9.37%
2007 0.35% 8.45%
2008 0.34% 7.62%
2009 0.34% 6.92%
2010 0.33% 6.33%
2011 0.33% 5.81%
2012 0.31% 5.45%
2013 0.3% 5.17%
2014 0.29% 4.96%
2015 0.28% 4.78%
2016 0.27% 4.63%
2017 0.26% 4.52%
2018 0.25% 4.43%
2019 0.25% 4.34%
2020 0.24% 4.25%
2021 0.24% 4.16%
2022 0.24% 4.08%
2023 0.24% 4%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Japan vs Rwanda
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