Number of significant volcanic eruptions in Japan
Japan: Number of significant volcanic eruptions was 2 events in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
2 events
Change on year
up 100.0%
World rank
3rd
of 25 countries
All-time high
6 events
in 1952
All-time low
1 events
in 1331
Years of data
105
1331–2018
Number of significant volcanic eruptions in Japan, 1331–2018
Source: National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in events.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of significant volcanic eruptions in Japan is 2 events, measured in 2018.
That represents a change of up 100.0% on the previous year and up 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of significant volcanic eruptions in Japan peaked at 6 events in 1952 and was at its lowest, 1 events, in 1331.
That places Japan 3rd out of 25 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of significant volcanic eruptions in Japan, year by year
| Year | events | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1331 | 1 events | — |
| 1410 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1471 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1485 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1566 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1596 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1598 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1606 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1640 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1663 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1664 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1707 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1716 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1717 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1721 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1741 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1779 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1780 | 4 events | +300.0% |
| 1781 | 1 events | -75.0% |
| 1783 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1785 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1789 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1792 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1797 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1804 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1816 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1822 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1841 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1867 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1872 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1902 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1910 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1913 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1914 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1929 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1930 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1936 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1938 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1939 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1940 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1946 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1947 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1950 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1951 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 6 events | +500.0% |
| 1953 | 5 events | -16.7% |
| 1954 | 1 events | -80.0% |
| 1955 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1958 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1961 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1962 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1967 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1976 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1977 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1986 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1989 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1990 | 3 events | +50.0% |
| 1991 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1993 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 2000 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 2006 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 2 events | +100.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 2 events is above the median for high income countries, which is 1 events, 2.0× the median. (11 countries reporting)
- Japan's 2 events is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1 events, 2.0× the median. (8 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1330s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1410s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1470s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1480s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1560s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1590s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1600s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1640s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1660s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 2 events | 2 |
| 1700s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1710s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1720s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1740s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1770s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1780s | 1.8 events | 1 events | 4 events | 5 |
| 1790s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1800s | 1.33 events | 1 events | 2 events | 3 |
| 1810s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1820s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1840s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1850s | 1.33 events | 1 events | 2 events | 3 |
| 1860s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1870s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1880s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1890s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 3 |
| 1900s | 2 events | 1 events | 3 events | 2 |
| 1910s | 1.17 events | 1 events | 2 events | 6 |
| 1920s | 1.25 events | 1 events | 2 events | 4 |
| 1930s | 1.29 events | 1 events | 2 events | 7 |
| 1940s | 1.6 events | 1 events | 3 events | 5 |
| 1950s | 2.38 events | 1 events | 6 events | 8 |
| 1960s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 3 events | 4 |
| 1970s | 1.29 events | 1 events | 3 events | 7 |
| 1980s | 1.6 events | 1 events | 2 events | 5 |
| 1990s | 1.57 events | 1 events | 3 events | 7 |
| 2000s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 2010s | 1.17 events | 1 events | 2 events | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 1 Indonesia 4 events compare
- 2 United States 3 events compare
- 3 Italy 2 events compare
- 3 Philippines 2 events compare
- 6 Chile 1 events compare
- 6 Colombia 1 events compare
- 6 Comoros 1 events compare
- 6 Costa Rica 1 events compare
- 6 Democratic Republic of Congo 1 events compare
- 6 Ecuador 1 events compare
- 6 Greece 1 events compare
- 6 Guatemala 1 events compare
- 6 Iceland 1 events compare
- 6 Mexico 1 events compare
- 6 New Zealand 1 events compare
- 6 Nicaragua 1 events compare
- 6 Papua New Guinea 1 events compare
- 6 Portugal 1 events compare
- 6 Russia 1 events compare
- 6 Solomon Islands 1 events compare
- 6 Spain 1 events compare
- 6 Tanzania 1 events compare
- 6 Tonga 1 events compare
- 6 Vanuatu 1 events 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 number of significant volcanic eruptions in Japan?
- Number of significant volcanic eruptions in Japan was 2 events in 2018, according to National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of significant volcanic eruptions recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 6 events in 1952.
- What is the lowest number of significant volcanic eruptions recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 events in 1331.
- How does Japan rank for number of significant volcanic eruptions?
- Japan ranks 3rd out of 25 countries with data for 2018.
- Is number of significant volcanic eruptions rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of significant volcanic eruptions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 105 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
A significant eruption is classified as one that meets at least one of the following criteria: caused fatalities, caused moderate damage (approximately $1 million or more), with a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 6 or larger, caused a tsunami, or was associated with a major earthquake.