School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in Japan
Japan: School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes was 3.19 million in 2025. ▼ Falling
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in Japan, 2001–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in Japan is 3.19 million, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.0% on the previous year and down 9.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in Japan peaked at 4.18 million in 2001 and was at its lowest, 3.19 million, in 2025.
Japan ranks 28th of 220 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 4.18 million | — |
| 2002 | 4.04 million | -3.1% |
| 2003 | 3.93 million | -2.8% |
| 2004 | 3.82 million | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 3.72 million | -2.7% |
| 2006 | 3.66 million | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 3.60 million | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 3.61 million | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 3.61 million | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 3.60 million | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 3.58 million | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 3.58 million | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 3.57 million | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 3.55 million | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 3.52 million | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 3.49 million | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 3.45 million | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 3.38 million | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 3.30 million | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 3.24 million | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 3.21 million | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 3.24 million | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 3.24 million | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 3.22 million | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 3.19 million | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.80 million | 3.60 million | 4.18 million | 9 |
| 2010s | 3.50 million | 3.30 million | 3.60 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.22 million | 3.19 million | 3.24 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 25 Iraq 3.39 million compare
- 26 Colombia 3.35 million compare
- 27 Uzbekistan 3.20 million compare
- 29 Afghanistan 3.12 million compare
- 30 Madagascar 3.00 million compare
- 31 Angola 2.86 million compare
More education data for Japan
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) -0.2135 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 261,117 (1998)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 109,949 (1998)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.87 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) -0.1939 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 2.01 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) -0.2318 % change on previous year (2023)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in Japan?
- School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in Japan was 3.19 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 4.18 million in 2001.
- What is the lowest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.19 million in 2025.
- How does Japan rank for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes?
- Japan ranks 28th out of 220 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.4%. 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 School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release