Share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Japan
Japan: Share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level was 91.7% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Japan, 2003–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Japan is 91.7%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Japan peaked at 91.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 86.8%, in 2011.
That places Japan 1st out of 63 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
Share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Japan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 88.2% | — |
| 2007 | 86.8% | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 86.8% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 89.1% | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 91.7% | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 91.7% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 87.5% | 86.8% | 88.2% | 2 |
| 2010s | 89.2% | 86.8% | 91.7% | 3 |
| 2020s | 91.7% | 91.7% | 91.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 2 Macau, China 91.6% compare
- 3 Singapore 89.3% compare
- 4 Hong Kong, China 86.2% compare
More education data for Japan
- 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)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per capita 0.0502 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 3.04 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Japan?
- Share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level in Japan was 91.7% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 91.7% in 2023.
- What is the lowest share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 86.8% in 2011.
- How does Japan rank for share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level?
- Japan ranks 1st out of 63 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of students achieving minimum proficiency in reading and math at each education level. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Proportion of children and young people achieving a minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics (%).