Expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Japan
Japan: Expected years of schooling, males vs. females was 15.55 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Japan, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Japan is 15.55 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Japan peaked at 15.55 years in 2022 and was at its lowest, 13.79 years, in 1990.
Japan ranks 44th of 194 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Japan, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 13.79 years | — |
| 1991 | 13.99 years | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 14.04 years | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 14.38 years | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 14.72 years | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 14.8 years | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 14.89 years | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 14.99 years | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 15.08 years | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 15.14 years | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 15.17 years | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 15.19 years | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 15.22 years | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 15.25 years | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 15.27 years | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 15.3 years | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 15.33 years | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 15.36 years | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 15.38 years | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 15.41 years | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 15.44 years | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 15.46 years | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 15.49 years | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 15.52 years | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 15.5 years | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 15.5 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 15.43 years | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 15.43 years | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 15.44 years | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 15.47 years | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 15.49 years | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 15.47 years | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 15.55 years | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 15.55 years | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14.58 years | 13.79 years | 15.14 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.29 years | 15.17 years | 15.41 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.47 years | 15.43 years | 15.52 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.51 years | 15.47 years | 15.55 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More education data for Japan
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.46 million (1999)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.61 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.25 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.01 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0502 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.25 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -1.01 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Japan?
- Expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Japan was 15.55 years in 2023, according to UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest expected years of schooling, males vs. females recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 15.55 years in 2022.
- What is the lowest expected years of schooling, males vs. females recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.79 years in 1990.
- How does Japan rank for expected years of schooling, males vs. females?
- Japan ranks 44th out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is expected years of schooling, males vs. females rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Expected years of schooling, males vs. females. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of years a boy of school-entrance-age can expect to receive if the current age-specific enrollment rates persist throughout the child's life.