Sex ratio by age in Japan
Japan: Sex ratio by age was 16.17 males per 100 females in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
16.17 males per 100 females
Change on year
up 2.1%
World rank
145th
of 212 countries
All-time high
38.55 males per 100 females
in 1990
All-time low
8.05 males per 100 females
in 1996
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Sex ratio by age in Japan, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in males per 100 females.
Analysis
In 2023, sex ratio by age in Japan stood at 16.17 males per 100 females.
That represents a change of up 2.1% on the previous year and up 20.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sex ratio by age in Japan peaked at 38.55 males per 100 females in 1990 and was at its lowest, 8.05 males per 100 females, in 1996.
That places Japan 145th out of 212 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Sex ratio by age in Japan, year by year
| Year | males per 100 females | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 23.08 males per 100 females | — |
| 1951 | 23.4 males per 100 females | +1.4% |
| 1952 | 22.73 males per 100 females | -2.9% |
| 1953 | 21.55 males per 100 females | -5.2% |
| 1954 | 20.29 males per 100 females | -5.9% |
| 1955 | 18.79 males per 100 females | -7.4% |
| 1956 | 18.44 males per 100 females | -1.9% |
| 1957 | 19.44 males per 100 females | +5.5% |
| 1958 | 19.79 males per 100 females | +1.8% |
| 1959 | 20.29 males per 100 females | +2.5% |
| 1960 | 20.83 males per 100 females | +2.7% |
| 1961 | 22.07 males per 100 females | +5.9% |
| 1962 | 22.91 males per 100 females | +3.8% |
| 1963 | 22.32 males per 100 females | -2.6% |
| 1964 | 22.27 males per 100 females | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 23.33 males per 100 females | +4.8% |
| 1966 | 25.51 males per 100 females | +9.3% |
| 1967 | 27.27 males per 100 females | +6.9% |
| 1968 | 27.2 males per 100 females | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 26.39 males per 100 females | -3.0% |
| 1970 | 26.01 males per 100 females | -1.5% |
| 1971 | 26.94 males per 100 females | +3.6% |
| 1972 | 26.85 males per 100 females | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 25.48 males per 100 females | -5.1% |
| 1974 | 24.58 males per 100 females | -3.5% |
| 1975 | 24.78 males per 100 females | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 25.95 males per 100 females | +4.7% |
| 1977 | 27.73 males per 100 females | +6.8% |
| 1978 | 29.42 males per 100 females | +6.1% |
| 1979 | 30.15 males per 100 females | +2.5% |
| 1980 | 30.56 males per 100 females | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 30.47 males per 100 females | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 29.49 males per 100 females | -3.2% |
| 1983 | 28.88 males per 100 females | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 29.09 males per 100 females | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 29.48 males per 100 females | +1.3% |
| 1986 | 30.35 males per 100 females | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 32.57 males per 100 females | +7.3% |
| 1988 | 35.17 males per 100 females | +8.0% |
| 1989 | 37.01 males per 100 females | +5.2% |
| 1990 | 38.55 males per 100 females | +4.2% |
| 1991 | 37.4 males per 100 females | -3.0% |
| 1992 | 31.29 males per 100 females | -16.3% |
| 1993 | 21.77 males per 100 females | -30.4% |
| 1994 | 13.49 males per 100 females | -38.0% |
| 1995 | 8.85 males per 100 females | -34.4% |
| 1996 | 8.05 males per 100 females | -9.1% |
| 1997 | 10.18 males per 100 females | +26.5% |
| 1998 | 12.39 males per 100 females | +21.7% |
| 1999 | 13.99 males per 100 females | +13.0% |
| 2000 | 15.12 males per 100 females | +8.1% |
| 2001 | 15.93 males per 100 females | +5.3% |
| 2002 | 16.28 males per 100 females | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 16.13 males per 100 females | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 15.65 males per 100 females | -3.0% |
| 2005 | 15.12 males per 100 females | -3.4% |
| 2006 | 14.65 males per 100 females | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 14.22 males per 100 females | -2.9% |
| 2008 | 13.78 males per 100 females | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 13.5 males per 100 females | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 13.39 males per 100 females | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 13.24 males per 100 females | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 13.19 males per 100 females | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 13.41 males per 100 females | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 13.78 males per 100 females | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 13.87 males per 100 females | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 13.83 males per 100 females | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 13.98 males per 100 females | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 14.26 males per 100 females | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 14.64 males per 100 females | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 15.04 males per 100 females | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 15.48 males per 100 females | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 15.83 males per 100 females | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 16.17 males per 100 females | +2.1% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 16.17 males per 100 females is below the median for high income countries, which is 21.34 males per 100 females, 76% of the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Japan's 16.17 males per 100 females is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 21.92 males per 100 females, 74% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Sex ratio by age in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | -38.0% | 21.77 males per 100 females | 13.49 males per 100 females |
| 1995 | -34.4% | 13.49 males per 100 females | 8.85 males per 100 females |
| 1993 | -30.4% | 31.29 males per 100 females | 21.77 males per 100 females |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 20.78 males per 100 females | 18.44 males per 100 females | 23.4 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1960s | 24.01 males per 100 females | 20.83 males per 100 females | 27.27 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1970s | 26.79 males per 100 females | 24.58 males per 100 females | 30.15 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1980s | 31.31 males per 100 females | 28.88 males per 100 females | 37.01 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.59 males per 100 females | 8.05 males per 100 females | 38.55 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.04 males per 100 females | 13.5 males per 100 females | 16.28 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.76 males per 100 females | 13.19 males per 100 females | 14.64 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.63 males per 100 females | 15.04 males per 100 females | 16.17 males per 100 females | 4 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More gender data for Japan
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 12,429 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -1.96 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 107,155 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 107,155 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate -0.4423 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 367,041 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 384,885 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 368,886 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 386,553 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 378,555 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sex ratio by age in Japan?
- Sex ratio by age in Japan was 16.17 males per 100 females in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest sex ratio by age recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 38.55 males per 100 females in 1990.
- What is the lowest sex ratio by age recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.05 males per 100 females in 1996.
- How does Japan rank for sex ratio by age?
- Japan ranks 145th out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
- Is sex ratio by age rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.5%. 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 Sex ratio by age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of males per 100 females at age 100+.