Population having attained at least basic education in Japan
Japan: Population having attained at least basic education was 99.8 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Population having attained at least basic education in Japan, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Japan recorded 99.8 for population having attained at least basic education in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population having attained at least basic education in Japan peaked at 99.9 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 19.5, in 1870.
Japan ranks 3rd of 111 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Population having attained at least basic education in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 19.5 | — |
| 1875 | 22.9 | +17.4% |
| 1880 | 26.8 | +17.0% |
| 1885 | 33.1 | +23.5% |
| 1890 | 44.5 | +34.4% |
| 1895 | 48.5 | +9.0% |
| 1900 | 56.5 | +16.5% |
| 1905 | 64.8 | +14.7% |
| 1910 | 70.8 | +9.3% |
| 1915 | 75.8 | +7.1% |
| 1920 | 81.8 | +7.9% |
| 1925 | 84.6 | +3.4% |
| 1930 | 88.4 | +4.5% |
| 1935 | 91.5 | +3.5% |
| 1940 | 94.3 | +3.1% |
| 1945 | 96.5 | +2.3% |
| 1950 | 96.5 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 97.9 | +1.5% |
| 1960 | 98.9 | +1.0% |
| 1965 | 99.2 | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 99.7 | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 99.8 | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 99.8 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 99.8 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 99.9 | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 99.9 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 99.9 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 99.9 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 99.9 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 99.8 | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 99.8 | +0.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 99.8 is above the median for high income countries, which is 99, 1.0× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Japan's 99.8 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 98.3, 1.0× the median. (13 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population having attained at least basic education in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | +34.4% | 33.1 | 44.5 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 21.2 | 19.5 | 22.9 | 2 |
| 1880s | 29.95 | 26.8 | 33.1 | 2 |
| 1890s | 46.5 | 44.5 | 48.5 | 2 |
| 1900s | 60.65 | 56.5 | 64.8 | 2 |
| 1910s | 73.3 | 70.8 | 75.8 | 2 |
| 1920s | 83.2 | 81.8 | 84.6 | 2 |
| 1930s | 89.95 | 88.4 | 91.5 | 2 |
| 1940s | 95.4 | 94.3 | 96.5 | 2 |
| 1950s | 97.2 | 96.5 | 97.9 | 2 |
| 1960s | 99.05 | 98.9 | 99.2 | 2 |
| 1970s | 99.75 | 99.7 | 99.8 | 2 |
| 1980s | 99.8 | 99.8 | 99.8 | 2 |
| 1990s | 99.9 | 99.9 | 99.9 | 2 |
| 2000s | 99.9 | 99.9 | 99.9 | 2 |
| 2010s | 99.85 | 99.8 | 99.9 | 2 |
| 2020s | 99.8 | 99.8 | 99.8 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More education data for Japan
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 98.88 (2013)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.93 (2023)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 627,777 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (1999)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.50 million (1999)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population having attained at least basic education in Japan?
- Population having attained at least basic education in Japan was 99.8 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population having attained at least basic education recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 99.9 in 1990.
- What is the lowest population having attained at least basic education recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.5 in 1870.
- How does Japan rank for population having attained at least basic education?
- Japan ranks 3rd out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is population having attained at least basic education rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Population having attained at least basic education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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