Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or in Japan

Japan: Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or was 85.2% in 2020. β–² Rising

Latest (2020)
85.2%
World rank
18th
of 142 countries
All-time high
85.2%
in 2020
All-time low
38.6%
in 1970
Years of data
5
1970–2020

Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or in Japan, 1970–2020

0204060801970199520201970: 38.6 %1980: 54 %1990: 65.6 %2010: 80.3 %2020: 85.2 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or in Japan is 85.2%, measured 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 rate, completed upper secondary education or in Japan peaked at 85.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 38.6%, in 1970.

Japan ranks 18th of 142 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 15 Poland 87.4% compare
  2. 16 Estonia 86.6% compare
  3. 17 Israel 85.2% compare
  4. 19 Sweden 84.7% compare
  5. 20 Switzerland 84.4% compare
  6. 21 Seychelles 84.3% compare

See the full ranking of 142 places β†’

More education data for Japan

All data for Japan β†’

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or in Japan?
Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or in Japan was 85.2% in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 85.2% in 2020.
What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 38.6% in 1970.
How does Japan rank for educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or?
Japan ranks 18th out of 142 countries with data for 2020.
Is educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or 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 UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or higher, population 25+ years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 20 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-rate-completed-upper-secondary-education-or-higher-population-25/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or higher, population 25+ years, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
142 places, 2,313 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release