Tree cover loss from wildfires in Japan

Japan: Tree cover loss from wildfires was 152.97 hectares in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
152.97 hectares
Change on year
up 773.5%
World rank
82nd
of 152 countries
All-time high
176.24 hectares
in 2004
All-time low
0.1281 hectares
in 2015
Years of data
24
2001–2024

Tree cover loss from wildfires in Japan, 2001–2024

0501001502002001201220242001: 7.8 hectares2002: 146.9 hectares2003: 13.9 hectares2004: 176.2 hectares2005: 84.2 hectares2006: 68.2 hectares2007: 38.4 hectares2008: 72.3 hectares2009: 89.9 hectares2010: 16.3 hectares2011: 159 hectares2012: 62 hectares2013: 27.1 hectares2014: 37.9 hectares2015: 0.128 hectares2016: 41.5 hectares2017: 103.6 hectares2018: 124.4 hectares2019: 42.5 hectares2020: 19.9 hectares2021: 18.8 hectares2022: 4.7 hectares2023: 17.5 hectares2024: 153 hectares

Source: Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.

Analysis

In 2024, tree cover loss from wildfires in Japan stood at 152.97 hectares.

That represents a change of up 773.5% on the previous year and up 303.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, tree cover loss from wildfires in Japan peaked at 176.24 hectares in 2004 and was at its lowest, 0.1281 hectares, in 2015.

Japan ranks 82nd of 152 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 77.54 hectares 7.83 hectares 176.24 hectares 9
2010s 61.45 hectares 0.1281 hectares 158.97 hectares 10
2020s 42.77 hectares 4.68 hectares 152.97 hectares 5

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 79 Zimbabwe 172.49 hectares compare
  2. 80 Nigeria 166.01 hectares compare
  3. 81 Bhutan 154.43 hectares compare
  4. 83 Sweden 152.76 hectares compare
  5. 84 Cyprus 151.66 hectares compare
  6. 85 Laos 150.03 hectares compare

See the full ranking of 152 places →

More reference data data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is tree cover loss from wildfires in Japan?
Tree cover loss from wildfires in Japan was 152.97 hectares in 2024, according to Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest tree cover loss from wildfires recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 176.24 hectares in 2004.
What is the lowest tree cover loss from wildfires recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 0.1281 hectares in 2015.
How does Japan rank for tree cover loss from wildfires?
Japan ranks 82nd out of 152 countries with data for 2024.
Is tree cover loss from wildfires rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is up 303.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Tree cover loss from wildfires. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Tree cover loss from wildfires
Unit
hectares
Source
Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
152 places, 3,353 data points, 2001–2024
Last refreshed

Tree cover loss due to fire with no visible human conversion or agricultural activity afterward. Fires may be started by natural causes (e.g. lightning) or may be related to human activities (accidental or deliberate).