Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Japan
Japan: Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary was 85.2% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Japan, 1970–2020
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.
Analysis
Japan recorded 85.2% for educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in 2020. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Japan peaked at 85.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 38.6%, in 1970.
That places Japan 18th out of 142 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Japan, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 38.6% | — |
| 1980 | 54.0% | +40.0% |
| 1990 | 65.6% | +21.5% |
| 2010 | 80.3% | +22.4% |
| 2020 | 85.2% | +6.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 38.6% | 38.6% | 38.6% | 1 |
| 1980s | 54.0% | 54.0% | 54.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 65.6% | 65.6% | 65.6% | 1 |
| 2010s | 80.3% | 80.3% | 80.3% | 1 |
| 2020s | 85.2% | 85.2% | 85.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More education data for Japan
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 440,864 (2023)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 58.8% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 11.2% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 12 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled 101.13 (2023)
- School enrollment, primary 101.1% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Japan?
- Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Japan was 85.2% in 2020, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 85.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.6% in 1970.
- How does Japan rank for educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary?
- Japan ranks 18th out of 142 countries with data for 2020.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed upper secondary education.