Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Japan

Japan: Primary education, pupils, gaps filled was 6.25 million in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
6.25 million
Change on year
down 1.0%
World rank
23rd
of 206 countries
All-time high
11.92 million
in 1982
All-time low
6.25 million
in 2023
Years of data
40
1971–2023

Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Japan, 1971–2023

02.5M5.0M7.5M10.0M12.5M1971199720231971: 9.6M1972: 9.7M1973: 9.8M1974: 9.8M1975: 10.1M1976: 10.4M1977: 10.6M1978: 10.8M1979: 11.1M1980: 11.6M1981: 11.8M1982: 11.9M1983: 11.9M1984: 11.7M1985: 11.5M1986: 11.1M1987: 10.7M1988: 10.2M1989: 9.9M1990: 9.6M1991: 9.4M1992: 9.2M1993: 8.9M1994: 8.8M1995: 8.6M1996: 8.4M1997: 8.1M1998: 7.9M1999: 7.7M2013: 6.8M2014: 6.7M2015: 6.6M2016: 6.6M2017: 6.5M2018: 6.5M2019: 6.5M2020: 6.4M2021: 6.4M2022: 6.3M2023: 6.2M

Source: Statizoid (derived).

Analysis

The most recent figure for primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Japan is 6.25 million, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 40 years on record.

That represents a change of down 1.0% on the previous year and down 8.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Japan peaked at 11.92 million in 1982 and was at its lowest, 6.25 million, in 2023.

That places Japan 23rd out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 40 years of available data.

Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Japan, 1971 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1971 9.63 million
1972 9.73 million +1.0%
1973 9.83 million +1.0%
1974 9.82 million -0.1%
1975 10.09 million +2.8%
1976 10.36 million +2.7%
1977 10.61 million +2.4%
1978 10.82 million +2.0%
1979 11.15 million +3.0%
1980 11.63 million +4.3%
1981 11.83 million +1.7%
1982 11.92 million +0.8%
1983 11.90 million -0.2%
1984 11.74 million -1.4%
1985 11.46 million -2.3%
1986 11.10 million -3.2%
1987 10.67 million -3.9%
1988 10.23 million -4.1%
1989 9.87 million -3.5%
1990 9.61 million -2.7%
1991 9.37 million -2.4%
1992 9.16 million -2.3%
1993 8.95 million -2.3%
1994 8.80 million -1.7%
1995 8.61 million -2.1%
1996 8.37 million -2.8%
1997 8.11 million -3.2%
1998 7.88 million -2.7%
1999 7.69 million -2.4%
2013 6.80 million -11.6%
2014 6.71 million -1.3%
2015 6.64 million -1.1%
2016 6.58 million -0.8%
2017 6.53 million -0.8%
2018 6.50 million -0.4%
2019 6.49 million -0.2%
2020 6.44 million -0.8%
2021 6.38 million -0.9%
2022 6.31 million -1.1%
2023 6.25 million -1.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 10.23 million 9.63 million 11.15 million 9
1980s 11.23 million 9.87 million 11.92 million 10
1990s 8.65 million 7.69 million 9.61 million 10
2010s 6.61 million 6.49 million 6.80 million 7
2020s 6.34 million 6.25 million 6.44 million 4

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 20 Russia 7.55 million compare
  2. 21 South Africa 7.52 million compare
  3. 22 Afghanistan 7.51 million compare
  4. 24 Turkey 5.54 million compare
  5. 25 Angola 5.38 million compare
  6. 26 Myanmar 5.30 million compare

See the full ranking of 251 places →

More education data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Japan?
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Japan was 6.25 million in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 11.92 million in 1982.
What is the lowest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 6.25 million in 2023.
How does Japan rank for primary education, pupils, gaps filled?
Japan ranks 23rd out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
Is primary education, pupils, gaps filled rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is down 8.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Primary education, pupils, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/primary-education-pupils-gaps-filled/japan/

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How this figure is calculated

Primary education, pupils with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.

Computed from

Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.

About this data

Indicator
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
251 places, 11,866 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Primary education, pupils with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.