The fertility rate of a country is the average number of children that women from that country will have throughout their reproductive years. From 1800 until 1865, Japan's fertility rate grew quite gradually, from 4.1 children per woman, to 4.8. From this point the fertility rate drops to 3.6 over the next ten years, as Japan became more industrialized. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, Japan's fertility rate grew again, and reached it's highest recorded point in the early 1920s, where it was 5.4 children per woman. Since this point it has been gradually decreasing until now, although it did experience slight increases after the Second World War, and in the early 1970s. In recent decades Japan's population has aged extensively, and today, Japan has the second oldest population and second highest life expectancy in the world (after Monaco). In contrast to this, Japan has a very low birth rate, and it's fertility rate is expected to fall below 1.4 children per woman in 2020.

In Japan, the crude birth rate in 1800 was 29.6 live births per thousand people, meaning that approximately three percent of the population had been born in that year. From 1800 to 1865, Japan's crude birth rate rose gradually to around 34 births per thousand people, before dropping relatively sharply to 25 over the next ten years. This was a time of great social and economic reform in Japan, as the country became increasingly urbanized and industrialized. Japan's crude birth rate reached it's highest recorded point in the early 1920s, where the number was almost 35 births per thousand people, and since then it has been decreasing gradually. There were two times in the twentieth century where Japan's crude birth rate increased, after the Second World War, and during the period of economic prosperity in the 1960s and 70s. Since 1975, Japan's crude birth rate has gradually decreased to it's lowest recorded rate ever, and is expected to be at just 7.5 births per thousand people in 2020, making it the second lowest in the world (behind Monaco).

In 2022, there were around 6.3 live births per 1,000 inhabitants in Japan, down from about 6.6 in the previous year. The total number of live births in the nation amounted to approximately 770.8 thousand in 2022.

Japan’s aging society Directly after the end of WWII, the live birth rate in Japan was over 30 per 1,000 of population. The rate has constantly dropped in the last decades after the second baby boom (between 1971 and 1974). Meanwhile, the life expectancy of the Japanese people has continued to increase, reaching about 87.7 years for women and 81.7 years for men in 2020. Due to the combination of both factors, Japan has developed into the most rapidly aging society in the world. Almost 30 percent of Japan’s population is currently aged 65 years and older, falling into the “super-aged nation” defined by international institutions and organizations. 

Decreasing number of marriages In Japan, the number of births outside of marriage is small. The Japanese government, therefore, considers the decreasing number of marriages as the driving factor behind the country’s fertility decline. As of 2022, the number of marriages per 1,000 Japanese citizens was 4.1, less than half compared to that in the early 1970s. The average age of first marriage has also risen for both men and women in recent years. This trend can be partially attributed to the increasing number of employed and therefore financially and socially independent women in the last two decades. The employment rate of women in Japan exceeded 50 percent for the first time in history in 2018.

In 2022, the crude birth rate in Japan decreased by 0.3 live births per 1,000 inhabitants (-4.55 percent) compared to 2021. This marks the lowest rate during the observed period. The crude birth rate refers to the number of live births in a given year, expressed per 1,000 population. When studied in combination with the crude death rate, the rate of natural population increase can be determined.Find more statistics on other topics about Japan with key insights such as total fertility rate, infant mortality rate, and life expectancy of women at birth.

Japan JP: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data was reported at 7.800 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 8.000 Ratio for 2015. Japan JP: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data is updated yearly, averaging 10.800 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 19.400 Ratio in 1973 and a record low of 7.800 Ratio in 2016. Japan JP: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Crude birth rate indicates the number of live births occurring during the year, per 1,000 population estimated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural increase, which is equal to the rate of population change in the absence of migration.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average;

This scatter chart displays female population (people) against fertility rate (births per woman) and is filtered where the country is Japan. The data is about countries per year.

For most of the past two centuries, falling birth rates have been associated with societal progress. During the demographic transition, where pre-industrial societies modernize in terms of fertility and mortality, falling death rates, especially among infants and children, are the first major change. In response, as more children survive into adulthood, women have fewer children as the need to compensate for child mortality declines. This transition has happened at different times across the world and is an ongoing process, with early industrial countries being the first to transition, and Sub-Saharan African countries being the most recent to do so. Additionally, some Asian countries (particularly China through government policy) have gone through their demographic transitions at a much faster pace than those deemed more developed. Today, in countries such as Japan, Italy, and Germany, birth rates have fallen well below death rates; this is no longer considered a positive demographic trend, as it leads to natural population decline, and may create an over-aged population that could place a burden on healthcare systems.

Japan IPSS: Population: Projection: Medium Mortality: High Birth Rate data was reported at 94,903.610 Person th in 2065. This records a decrease from the previous number of 95,688.439 Person th for 2064. Japan IPSS: Population: Projection: Medium Mortality: High Birth Rate data is updated yearly, averaging 113,738.979 Person th from Dec 2015 (Median) to 2065, with 51 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 127,094.745 Person th in 2015 and a record low of 94,903.610 Person th in 2065. Japan IPSS: Population: Projection: Medium Mortality: High Birth Rate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Population and Social Security Research. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.G004: Population: Projection: National Institute of Population and Social Security Research.

Japan IPSS: Population: Projection: Low Mortality: High Birth Rate data was reported at 96,570.605 Person th in 2065. This records a decrease from the previous number of 97,346.029 Person th for 2064. Japan IPSS: Population: Projection: Low Mortality: High Birth Rate data is updated yearly, averaging 115,105.879 Person th from Dec 2015 (Median) to 2065, with 51 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 127,094.745 Person th in 2015 and a record low of 96,570.605 Person th in 2065. Japan IPSS: Population: Projection: Low Mortality: High Birth Rate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Population and Social Security Research. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.G004: Population: Projection: National Institute of Population and Social Security Research.

Japan IPSS: Population: Projection: Low Mortality: Low Birth Rate data was reported at 83,781.534 Person th in 2065. This records a decrease from the previous number of 84,877.121 Person th for 2064. Japan IPSS: Population: Projection: Low Mortality: Low Birth Rate data is updated yearly, averaging 109,693.156 Person th from Dec 2015 (Median) to 2065, with 51 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 127,094.745 Person th in 2015 and a record low of 83,781.534 Person th in 2065. Japan IPSS: Population: Projection: Low Mortality: Low Birth Rate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Population and Social Security Research. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.G004: Population: Projection: National Institute of Population and Social Security Research.

This line chart displays birth rate (per 1,000 people) by date and is filtered where the country is Japan. The data is about countries per year.

Japan IPSS: Population: Projection: Medium Mortality: Medium Birth Rate data was reported at 88,076.506 Person th in 2065. This records a decrease from the previous number of 89,036.383 Person th for 2064. Japan IPSS: Population: Projection: Medium Mortality: Medium Birth Rate data is updated yearly, averaging 110,918.554 Person th from Dec 2015 (Median) to 2065, with 51 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 127,094.745 Person th in 2015 and a record low of 88,076.506 Person th in 2065. Japan IPSS: Population: Projection: Medium Mortality: Medium Birth Rate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Population and Social Security Research. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.G004: Population: Projection: National Institute of Population and Social Security Research.

This scatter chart displays birth rate (per 1,000 people) against male population (people) and is filtered where the country is Japan. The data is about countries per year.

This dataset is about countries per year and is filtered where the country includes Japan, featuring 5 columns: agricultural land, alternative and nuclear energy, armed forces personnel, birth rate, and forest area. The preview is ordered by date (descending).

Between 1939 and 1950, Japan's annual fertility rate fluctuated between 3.1 and 4.4 births per woman, before spiking to 4.6 in 1947. This was the highest of the Axis powers listed, as European figures were generally much lower at this point in history. The increase in fertility that followed the Second World War was part of the global baby boom of the mid-twentieth century.

This bar chart displays fertility rate (births per woman) by continent using the aggregation average, weighted by population female and is filtered where the country is Japan. The data is about countries per year.

In 2023, 727,288 live births were recorded in Japan, continuing the downward trend of the last decade. In the same year, the number of deaths of newborns amounted to 600.

This dataset is about countries in Japan per year, featuring 3 columns: country, date, and fertility rate. The preview is ordered by date (descending).

Chart and table of the Japan infant mortality rate from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

UNICEF's country profile for Japan, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.