Enrolment in early childhood education, both sexes in Japan

Japan: Enrolment in early childhood education, both sexes was 2.82 million number in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
2.82 million number
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
11th
of 171 countries
All-time high
3.63 million number
in 2006
All-time low
2.82 million number
in 2018
Years of data
19
2000–2018

Enrolment in early childhood education, both sexes in Japan, 2000–2018

01.0M2.0M3.0M4.0M2000200920182000: 3.4M number2001: 3.5M number2002: 3.5M number2003: 3.6M number2004: 3.6M number2005: 3.6M number2006: 3.6M number2007: 3.6M number2008: 3.6M number2009: 3.6M number2010: 3.5M number2011: 3.5M number2012: 3.5M number2013: 2.9M number2014: 2.9M number2015: 2.9M number2016: 2.9M number2017: 2.9M number2018: 2.8M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for enrolment in early childhood education, both sexes in Japan is 2.82 million number, measured in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 19 years on record.

That represents a change of down 1.7% on the previous year and down 21.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in early childhood education, both sexes in Japan peaked at 3.63 million number in 2006 and was at its lowest, 2.82 million number, in 2018.

That places Japan 11th out of 171 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 19 years of available data.

Enrolment in early childhood education, both sexes in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in early childhood education, both sexes (number) in Japan, 2000 to 2018.
Year number Change
2000 3.43 million number
2001 3.46 million number +1.1%
2002 3.49 million number +0.8%
2003 3.56 million number +1.8%
2004 3.59 million number +0.9%
2005 3.62 million number +0.8%
2006 3.63 million number +0.4%
2007 3.61 million number -0.4%
2008 3.61 million number -0.2%
2009 3.58 million number -0.7%
2010 3.51 million number -1.8%
2011 3.46 million number -1.7%
2012 3.48 million number +0.6%
2013 2.91 million number -16.3%
2014 2.88 million number -1.0%
2015 2.87 million number -0.2%
2016 2.86 million number -0.6%
2017 2.87 million number +0.5%
2018 2.82 million number -1.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 3.56 million number 3.43 million number 3.63 million number 10
2010s 3.07 million number 2.82 million number 3.51 million number 9

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 8 Bangladesh 3.58 million number compare
  2. 9 Germany 3.24 million number compare
  3. 10 Kenya 3.20 million number compare
  4. 12 Thailand 2.58 million number compare
  5. 13 France 2.54 million number compare
  6. 14 Ethiopia 2.51 million number compare

See the full ranking of 171 places →

More reference data data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in early childhood education, both sexes in Japan?
Enrolment in early childhood education, both sexes in Japan was 2.82 million number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in early childhood education, both sexes recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 3.63 million number in 2006.
What is the lowest enrolment in early childhood education, both sexes recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 2.82 million number in 2018.
How does Japan rank for enrolment in early childhood education, both sexes?
Japan ranks 11th out of 171 countries with data for 2018.
Is enrolment in early childhood education, both sexes rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is down 21.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in early childhood education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in early childhood education, both sexes in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-early-childhood-education-both-sexes-number/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in early childhood education, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
171 places, 2,434 data points, 1997–2020
Last refreshed

Total number of students enrolled in public and private early childhood education institutions (ISCED 0) regardless of age. Within ISCED 0, early childhood educational development programmes are targeted at children aged 0 to 2 years; and pre-primary education programmes are targeted at children aged 3 years until the age to start ISCED 1.