Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Japan

Japan: Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education was 56.5% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
56.5%
World rank
15th
of 56 countries
All-time high
87.8%
in 2003
All-time low
56.5%
in 2023
Years of data
6
2003–2023

Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Japan, 2003–2023

0204060802003201320232003: 87.8 %2007: 66.7 %2011: 84.4 %2015: 81.2 %2019: 81.7 %2023: 56.5 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Japan is 56.5%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.

That represents a change of down 33.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Japan peaked at 87.8% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 56.5%, in 2023.

Japan ranks 15th of 56 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in mathematics, did not speak the language of the test at home, both sexes (%) in Japan, 2003 to 2023.
Year % Change
2003 87.8%
2007 66.7% -24.0%
2011 84.4% +26.6%
2015 81.2% -3.8%
2019 81.7% +0.7%
2023 56.5% -30.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 77.2% 66.7% 87.8% 2
2010s 82.5% 81.2% 84.4% 3
2020s 56.5% 56.5% 56.5% 1

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 12 Denmark 59.3% compare
  2. 13 Russian Federation 59.2% compare
  3. 14 Belgium 58.9% compare
  4. 16 Norway 56.5% compare
  5. 17 Austria 56.4% compare
  6. 18 Israel 55.9% compare

See the full ranking of 56 places →

More education data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Japan?
Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Japan was 56.5% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 87.8% in 2003.
What is the lowest proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 56.5% in 2023.
How does Japan rank for proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education?
Japan ranks 15th out of 56 countries with data for 2023.
Is proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is down 33.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in mathematics, did not speak the language of the test at home, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-students-at-the-end-of-lower-secondary-education-achieving-at-least-a-35/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in mathematics, did not speak the language of the test at home, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
56 places, 395 data points, 1995–2023
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release