Japan life expectancy by year, 1990 to 2024

Japan: 84.0 years in 2024. Life expectancy peaked at 84.6 years in 2020 in this 1990–2024 series.

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What the data shows

Japan: 78.8 years in 1990, 84.0 years in 2024. It peaked at 84.6 years in 2020.
Sweden: 77.5 years in 1990, 84.1 years in 2024.
Italy: 77.0 years in 1990, 84.0 years in 2024.
Spain: 76.8 years in 1990, 83.9 years in 2024. It peaked at 83.9 years in 2023.

About this chart

Japan's life expectancy at birth remained below its 2020 high of 84.6 years in the latest estimate. Japan recorded 84.0 years in 2024, compared with 78.8 years in 1990. The displayed annual series runs from 1990 through 2024; its lowest value was 78.8 years in 1990. The preceding annual observation, for 2023, was 84.0 years.

Life expectancy at birth, both sexes: the years a newborn would live if the mortality rates for that year persisted. This is a period estimate, not a forecast for an individual. In 2024, the comparison lines show Sweden (84.1 years), Italy (84.0 years) and Spain (83.9 years). These peers have the closest latest values among reporting countries with over one million people and a continuous common history; they are not selected by geography.

The data

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (SP.DYN.LE00.IN), years. Retrieved November 5, 2026. Life expectancy at birth, both sexes: the years a newborn would live if the mortality rates for that year persisted. This is a period estimate, not a forecast for an individual. Peers are selected by proximity to the country's latest value among countries with over one million people and a continuous common series.

Japan: life expectancy, years, 1990 to 2024; three nearest peers, 1990–2024
Date	🇯🇵 Japan	🇸🇪 Sweden	🇮🇹 Italy	🇪🇸 Spain
1990	78.8 years	77.5 years	77.0 years	76.8 years
1991	79.0 years	77.7 years	77.0 years	77.0 years
1992	79.1 years	78.0 years	77.4 years	77.4 years
1993	79.3 years	78.1 years	77.7 years	77.5 years
1994	79.7 years	78.7 years	77.9 years	77.9 years
1995	79.5 years	78.7 years	78.2 years	78.0 years
1996	80.2 years	79.0 years	78.5 years	78.1 years
1997	80.4 years	79.2 years	78.8 years	78.6 years
1998	80.5 years	79.3 years	79.0 years	78.7 years
1999	80.5 years	79.4 years	79.4 years	78.7 years
2000	81.1 years	79.6 years	79.8 years	79.0 years
2001	81.4 years	79.8 years	80.1 years	79.4 years
2002	81.7 years	79.8 years	80.2 years	79.6 years
2003	81.8 years	80.1 years	80.0 years	79.6 years
2004	82.0 years	80.5 years	80.8 years	79.9 years
2005	82.0 years	80.5 years	80.8 years	80.2 years
2006	82.3 years	80.7 years	81.3 years	80.8 years
2007	82.5 years	80.9 years	81.4 years	80.9 years
2008	82.6 years	81.1 years	81.5 years	81.2 years
2009	82.9 years	81.4 years	81.6 years	81.5 years
2010	82.8 years	81.5 years	82.0 years	81.6 years
2011	82.6 years	81.8 years	82.2 years	82.5 years
2012	83.1 years	81.7 years	82.2 years	82.4 years
2013	83.3 years	82.0 years	82.7 years	83.1 years
2014	83.6 years	82.3 years	83.1 years	83.2 years
2015	83.8 years	82.2 years	82.5 years	82.8 years
2016	84.0 years	82.3 years	83.2 years	83.3 years
2017	84.1 years	82.4 years	82.9 years	83.3 years
2018	84.2 years	82.6 years	83.3 years	83.4 years
2019	84.4 years	83.1 years	83.5 years	83.8 years
2020	84.6 years	82.4 years	82.2 years	82.2 years
2021	84.4 years	83.1 years	82.6 years	83.2 years
2022	84.0 years	83.1 years	82.7 years	83.1 years
2023	84.0 years	83.3 years	83.4 years	83.9 years
2024	84.0 years	84.1 years	84.0 years	83.9 years

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Frequently asked questions

What is the life expectancy in Japan?

Life expectancy at birth in Japan was 84.0 years in 2024, according to the World Bank series for both sexes. This is a period estimate using that year's mortality rates.

When was Japan's life expectancy highest in this series?

The highest displayed value was 84.6 years in 2020. This comparison covers 1990 through 2024; it is not a claim about years outside the available series.

Why are these countries compared with Japan?

The comparison selects three countries with the closest 2024 values, among countries with over one million people and at least fifteen consecutive annual observations in common. The matching is based on the indicator level, not economic structure or geographic proximity.

Where does this data come from?

World Bank, World Development Indicators (SP.DYN.LE00.IN), years. Retrieved November 5, 2026. Life expectancy at birth, both sexes: the years a newborn would live if the mortality rates for that year persisted. This is a period estimate, not a forecast for an individual. Peers are selected by proximity to the country's latest value among countries with over one million people and a continuous common series. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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