Total Fertility Rate in Japan
Japan: Total Fertility Rate was 1.26 in 2022. ▼ Falling
Total Fertility Rate in Japan, 1960–2022
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total fertility rate in Japan is 1.26, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.1% on the previous year and down 10.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total fertility rate in Japan peaked at 2.23 in 1967 and was at its lowest, 1.26, in 2005.
That places Japan 186th out of 197 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Total Fertility Rate in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2 | — |
| 1961 | 1.96 | -2.0% |
| 1962 | 1.98 | +1.0% |
| 1963 | 2 | +1.0% |
| 1964 | 2.05 | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 2.14 | +4.4% |
| 1966 | 1.58 | -26.2% |
| 1967 | 2.23 | +41.1% |
| 1968 | 2.13 | -4.5% |
| 1969 | 2.13 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 2.13 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 2.16 | +1.4% |
| 1972 | 2.14 | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 2.14 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 2.05 | -4.2% |
| 1975 | 1.91 | -6.8% |
| 1976 | 1.85 | -3.1% |
| 1977 | 1.8 | -2.7% |
| 1978 | 1.79 | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 1.77 | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 1.75 | -1.1% |
| 1981 | 1.74 | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 1.77 | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 1.8 | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 1.81 | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 1.76 | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 1.72 | -2.3% |
| 1987 | 1.69 | -1.7% |
| 1988 | 1.66 | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 1.57 | -5.4% |
| 1990 | 1.54 | -1.9% |
| 1991 | 1.53 | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 1.5 | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 1.46 | -2.7% |
| 1994 | 1.5 | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 1.42 | -5.3% |
| 1996 | 1.43 | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 1.39 | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 1.38 | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 1.34 | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 1.36 | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 1.33 | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 1.32 | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 1.29 | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 1.29 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.26 | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 1.32 | +4.8% |
| 2007 | 1.34 | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 1.37 | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 1.37 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.39 | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 1.39 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.41 | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 1.43 | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 1.42 | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 1.45 | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 1.44 | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 1.43 | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 1.42 | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 1.36 | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 1.33 | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 1.3 | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 1.26 | -3.1% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 1.26 is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.52, 83% of the median. (69 countries reporting)
- Japan's 1.26 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.32, 54% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total Fertility Rate 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | +41.1% | 1.58 | 2.23 |
| 1966 | -26.2% | 2.14 | 1.58 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.02 | 1.58 | 2.23 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.97 | 1.77 | 2.16 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.73 | 1.57 | 1.81 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.45 | 1.34 | 1.54 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.32 | 1.26 | 1.37 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.41 | 1.36 | 1.45 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.3 | 1.26 | 1.33 | 3 |
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 total fertility rate in Japan?
- Total fertility rate in Japan was 1.26 in 2022, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest total fertility rate recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 2.23 in 1967.
- What is the lowest total fertility rate recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.26 in 2005.
- How does Japan rank for total fertility rate?
- Japan ranks 186th out of 197 countries with data for 2022.
- Is total fertility rate rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Total Fertility Rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
Gender-disaggregated data on health outcomes.