Reported cases of leprosy in Japan

Japan: Reported cases of leprosy was 12 Cases in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
12 Cases
Change on year
up 200.0%
World rank
81st
of 181 countries
All-time high
12 Cases
in 2024
All-time low
2 Cases
in 2009
Years of data
19
2005–2024

Reported cases of leprosy in Japan, 2005–2024

246810122005201420242005: 6 Cases2006: 7 Cases2007: 11 Cases2008: 3 Cases2009: 2 Cases2010: 4 Cases2012: 3 Cases2013: 3 Cases2014: 5 Cases2015: 7 Cases2016: 3 Cases2017: 2 Cases2018: 2 Cases2019: 5 Cases2020: 4 Cases2021: 3 Cases2022: 2 Cases2023: 4 Cases2024: 12 Cases

Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in Cases.

Analysis

Japan recorded 12 Cases for reported cases of leprosy in 2024. That is the highest value across all 19 years on record.

The figure is up 200.0% on the previous year and up 140.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, reported cases of leprosy in Japan peaked at 12 Cases in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2 Cases, in 2009.

Japan ranks 81st of 181 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 5.8 Cases 2 Cases 11 Cases 5
2010s 3.78 Cases 2 Cases 7 Cases 9
2020s 5 Cases 2 Cases 12 Cases 5

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 78 Bhutan 17 Cases compare
  2. 78 Portugal 17 Cases compare
  3. 80 Guyana 16 Cases compare
  4. 81 United Kingdom 12 Cases compare
  5. 83 Iran 11 Cases compare
  6. 83 Tuvalu 11 Cases compare
  7. 83 Vanuatu 11 Cases compare

See the full ranking of 181 places →

More reference data data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is reported cases of leprosy in Japan?
Reported cases of leprosy in Japan was 12 Cases in 2024, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest reported cases of leprosy recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 12 Cases in 2024.
What is the lowest reported cases of leprosy recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 2 Cases in 2009.
How does Japan rank for reported cases of leprosy?
Japan ranks 81st out of 181 countries with data for 2024.
Is reported cases of leprosy rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is up 140.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Reported cases of leprosy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Reported cases of leprosy
Unit
Cases
Source
World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
181 places, 2,662 data points, 2005–2024
Last refreshed

The number of new cases of leprosy reported each year. Leprosy is a disease caused by a bacterial infection that can lead to significant disabilities.