Number of airline passengers per year in Japan
Japan: Number of airline passengers per year was 120.31 million in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of airline passengers per year in Japan, 1970–2023
Source: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Japan recorded 120.31 million for number of airline passengers per year in 2023.
That represents a change of up 39.2% on the previous year and up 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of airline passengers per year in Japan peaked at 130.23 million in 2019 and was at its lowest, 16.32 million, in 1970.
Japan ranks 6th of 183 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Number of airline passengers per year in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 16.32 million | — |
| 1971 | 17.88 million | +9.6% |
| 1972 | 20.17 million | +12.8% |
| 1973 | 25.39 million | +25.9% |
| 1974 | 27.49 million | +8.2% |
| 1975 | 27.28 million | -0.7% |
| 1976 | 29.57 million | +8.4% |
| 1977 | 36.18 million | +22.4% |
| 1978 | 40.55 million | +12.1% |
| 1979 | 45.37 million | +11.9% |
| 1980 | 45.14 million | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 48.06 million | +6.5% |
| 1982 | 46.39 million | -3.5% |
| 1983 | 46.55 million | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 50.45 million | +8.4% |
| 1985 | 51.29 million | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 52.49 million | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 57.76 million | +10.0% |
| 1988 | 62.09 million | +7.5% |
| 1989 | 69.32 million | +11.7% |
| 1990 | 76.22 million | +10.0% |
| 1991 | 78.72 million | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 81.38 million | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 80.06 million | -1.6% |
| 1994 | 83.91 million | +4.8% |
| 1995 | 91.80 million | +9.4% |
| 1996 | 95.91 million | +4.5% |
| 1997 | 95.00 million | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 101.70 million | +7.1% |
| 1999 | 105.99 million | +4.2% |
| 2000 | 109.12 million | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 107.82 million | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 109.04 million | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 103.99 million | -4.6% |
| 2004 | 101.74 million | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 102.28 million | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 102.84 million | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 99.84 million | -2.9% |
| 2008 | 97.02 million | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 86.90 million | -10.4% |
| 2010 | 109.62 million | +26.1% |
| 2011 | 89.79 million | -18.1% |
| 2012 | 98.91 million | +10.2% |
| 2013 | 107.57 million | +8.8% |
| 2014 | 110.55 million | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 114.13 million | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 117.71 million | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 123.90 million | +5.3% |
| 2018 | 126.39 million | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 130.23 million | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 51.13 million | -60.7% |
| 2021 | 45.41 million | -11.2% |
| 2022 | 86.46 million | +90.4% |
| 2023 | 120.31 million | +39.2% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 120.31 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 9.14 million, 13.2× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Japan's 120.31 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.05 million, 58.6× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of airline passengers per year 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +90.4% | 45.41 million | 86.46 million |
| 2020 | -60.7% | 130.23 million | 51.13 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 28.62 million | 16.32 million | 45.37 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 52.96 million | 45.14 million | 69.32 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 89.07 million | 76.22 million | 105.99 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 102.06 million | 86.90 million | 109.12 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 112.88 million | 89.79 million | 130.23 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 75.83 million | 45.41 million | 120.31 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near Japan
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 number of airline passengers per year in Japan?
- Number of airline passengers per year in Japan was 120.31 million in 2023, according to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of airline passengers per year recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 130.23 million in 2019.
- What is the lowest number of airline passengers per year recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.32 million in 1970.
- How does Japan rank for number of airline passengers per year?
- Japan ranks 6th out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of airline passengers per year 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 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of airline passengers per year. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This represents the total rather than unique passenger activity: this means a person who makes multiple trips is counted multiple times.