Total dependency ratio in Japan
Japan: Total dependency ratio was 69.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
69.9%
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
47th
of 236 countries
All-time high
70.1%
in 2021
All-time low
42.9%
in 1992
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Total dependency ratio in Japan, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, total dependency ratio in Japan stood at 69.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Japan peaked at 70.1% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 42.9%, in 1992.
Japan ranks 47th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Total dependency ratio in Japan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 67.0% | — |
| 1951 | 66.3% | -1.1% |
| 1952 | 65.5% | -1.2% |
| 1953 | 64.9% | -0.9% |
| 1954 | 64.0% | -1.4% |
| 1955 | 62.4% | -2.6% |
| 1956 | 60.5% | -3.0% |
| 1957 | 58.6% | -3.0% |
| 1958 | 56.9% | -3.0% |
| 1959 | 55.8% | -2.0% |
| 1960 | 55.2% | -1.0% |
| 1961 | 53.8% | -2.5% |
| 1962 | 51.4% | -4.5% |
| 1963 | 49.0% | -4.7% |
| 1964 | 47.1% | -3.9% |
| 1965 | 45.8% | -2.7% |
| 1966 | 44.6% | -2.6% |
| 1967 | 43.8% | -1.7% |
| 1968 | 43.6% | -0.6% |
| 1969 | 43.5% | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 43.5% | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 43.8% | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 44.5% | +1.6% |
| 1973 | 45.3% | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 46.0% | +1.5% |
| 1975 | 46.6% | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 47.1% | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 47.5% | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 47.9% | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 48.1% | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 48.2% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 48.3% | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 48.4% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 47.9% | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 47.6% | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 47.1% | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 46.4% | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 45.5% | -1.8% |
| 1988 | 44.6% | -2.0% |
| 1989 | 43.8% | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 43.2% | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 42.9% | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 42.9% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 42.9% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 43.1% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 43.5% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 43.9% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 44.6% | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 45.2% | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 45.9% | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 46.7% | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 47.6% | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 48.5% | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 49.3% | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 50.3% | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 51.5% | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 53.0% | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 54.3% | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 55.7% | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 56.7% | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 57.3% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 58.5% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 60.5% | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 62.5% | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 64.4% | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 65.9% | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 67.2% | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 68.2% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 68.9% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 69.3% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 69.7% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 70.1% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 70.1% | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 69.9% | -0.2% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 69.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 52.7%, 1.3× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Japan's 69.9% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 54.0%, 1.3× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 62.2% | 55.8% | 67.0% | 10 |
| 1960s | 47.8% | 43.5% | 55.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 46.0% | 43.5% | 48.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 46.8% | 43.8% | 48.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 43.8% | 42.9% | 45.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.4% | 46.7% | 56.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.3% | 57.3% | 69.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.0% | 69.7% | 70.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 44 Sierra Leone 71.6% compare
- 45 Rwanda 71.1% compare
- 46 Pakistan 70.2% compare
- 48 Equatorial Guinea 69.8% compare
- 49 Solomon Islands 69.5% compare
- 50 Namibia 69.1% compare
More reference data data for Japan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.981 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3629 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 4.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.57 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 23.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.98 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total dependency ratio in Japan?
- Total dependency ratio in Japan was 69.9% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 70.1% in 2021.
- What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.9% in 1992.
- How does Japan rank for total dependency ratio?
- Japan ranks 47th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Total dependency ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of children (under 15) and people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).