Significant earthquakes in Japan
Japan: Significant earthquakes was 3 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
3
Change on year
down 25.0%
World rank
4th
of 97 countries
All-time high
11
in 1938
All-time low
1
in 1026
Years of data
214
1026–2024
Significant earthquakes in Japan, 1026–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for significant earthquakes in Japan is 3, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 25.0% on the previous year and unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, significant earthquakes in Japan peaked at 11 in 1938 and was at its lowest, 1, in 1026.
Japan ranks 4th of 97 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Significant earthquakes in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1026 | 1 | — |
| 1088 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1096 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1099 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1241 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1257 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1293 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1331 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1341 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1360 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1361 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1403 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1406 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1408 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1433 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1448 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1495 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1498 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1510 | 2 | -33.3% |
| 1520 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1545 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1586 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1589 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1596 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1597 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1602 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1605 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1611 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1614 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1615 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1616 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1619 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1633 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1640 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1642 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1644 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1646 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1647 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1649 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1659 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1662 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1666 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1667 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1670 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1671 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1676 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1677 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1678 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1680 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1694 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1698 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1700 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1703 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1704 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1707 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1708 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1711 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1714 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1715 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1717 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1726 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1729 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1730 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1731 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1732 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1739 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1751 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1762 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1763 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1766 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1768 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1769 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1770 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1771 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1772 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1782 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1791 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1792 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1793 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1802 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1830 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1833 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1854 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 1855 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1857 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1861 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1863 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1876 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1880 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1895 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1896 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1897 | 4 | +33.3% |
| 1898 | 1 | -75.0% |
| 1899 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1900 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1901 | 5 | +400.0% |
| 1904 | 3 | -40.0% |
| 1905 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1909 | 4 | +300.0% |
| 1910 | 2 | -50.0% |
| 1911 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1912 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1915 | 2 | -33.3% |
| 1916 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1922 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1924 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1925 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1928 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1929 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1933 | 2 | -33.3% |
| 1935 | 4 | +100.0% |
| 1936 | 2 | -50.0% |
| 1938 | 11 | +450.0% |
| 1939 | 2 | -81.8% |
| 1940 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1941 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1944 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1945 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1946 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1947 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1952 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1954 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1958 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1959 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1960 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 1961 | 8 | +166.7% |
| 1962 | 4 | -50.0% |
| 1964 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1 | -75.0% |
| 1968 | 7 | +600.0% |
| 1969 | 2 | -71.4% |
| 1970 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1971 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1973 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1974 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1975 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 4 | +100.0% |
| 1979 | 1 | -75.0% |
| 1980 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1981 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1982 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1983 | 6 | +100.0% |
| 1984 | 4 | -33.3% |
| 1987 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 3 | -25.0% |
| 1990 | 2 | -33.3% |
| 1992 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 1993 | 4 | +33.3% |
| 1994 | 2 | -50.0% |
| 1995 | 4 | +100.0% |
| 1996 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2 | -50.0% |
| 1998 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 2000 | 5 | +400.0% |
| 2001 | 1 | -80.0% |
| 2002 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 6 | +500.0% |
| 2004 | 8 | +33.3% |
| 2005 | 5 | -37.5% |
| 2006 | 3 | -40.0% |
| 2007 | 4 | +33.3% |
| 2008 | 5 | +25.0% |
| 2009 | 2 | -60.0% |
| 2010 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 8 | +300.0% |
| 2012 | 2 | -75.0% |
| 2013 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 2014 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 4 | +33.3% |
| 2016 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1 | -75.0% |
| 2018 | 4 | +300.0% |
| 2019 | 2 | -50.0% |
| 2021 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 2023 | 4 | +300.0% |
| 2024 | 3 | -25.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 3 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1, 3.0× the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Japan's 3 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1, 3.0× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Significant earthquakes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | +600.0% | 1 | 7 |
| 2003 | +500.0% | 1 | 6 |
| 1938 | +450.0% | 2 | 11 |
| 1901 | +400.0% | 1 | 5 |
| 2000 | +400.0% | 1 | 5 |
| 1909 | +300.0% | 1 | 4 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1020s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1080s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1090s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1240s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1250s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 1290s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1330s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1340s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1360s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1400s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 1430s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1440s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1490s | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 1510s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 1520s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1540s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1580s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1590s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1600s | 1.5 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 1610s | 1.4 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 1630s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1640s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 1650s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1660s | 1.67 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1670s | 1.2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 1680s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1690s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1700s | 1.2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 1710s | 1.25 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 1720s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1730s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 1750s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1760s | 1.4 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 1770s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 1780s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1790s | 1.5 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 1800s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 1810s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1820s | 1.5 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 1830s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 1840s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 1850s | 2.17 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 1860s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 1870s | 1.5 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 1880s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 1890s | 1.89 | 1 | 4 | 9 |
| 1900s | 2.83 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| 1910s | 1.71 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 1920s | 1.5 | 1 | 3 | 8 |
| 1930s | 3.57 | 1 | 11 | 7 |
| 1940s | 1.38 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| 1950s | 1.5 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 1960s | 4.14 | 1 | 8 | 7 |
| 1970s | 1.75 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| 1980s | 3.29 | 1 | 6 | 7 |
| 1990s | 2.75 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| 2000s | 4 | 1 | 8 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.3 | 1 | 8 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.5 | 1 | 4 | 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 significant earthquakes in Japan?
- Significant earthquakes in Japan was 3 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest significant earthquakes recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 11 in 1938.
- What is the lowest significant earthquakes recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 in 1026.
- How does Japan rank for significant earthquakes?
- Japan ranks 4th out of 97 countries with data for 2024.
- Is significant earthquakes rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Significant earthquakes. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 214 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).