Life Expectancy in Japan Rises for the First Time in Three Years

According to the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, the average life expectancy in Japan in 2023 was 87.14 years for women and 81.09 years for men. Compared to 2022, it rose by 0.05 years for women and 0.04 years for men, which was the first increase in three years.

The average life expectancy is the number of years a baby born in a given year is expected to live. Just after World War II, in 1947 the average lifespan was 53.96 years for women and 50.06 years for men, and it has generally increased steadily since. However, it dropped in both 2021 and 2022 due to the increase in deaths related to COVID-19.

For babies born in Japan in 2021, 51.0% of girls and 26.0% of boys are expected to live until they are 90. Up to age 95, the percentage is 25.5% for girls and 9.2% for boys.

The probability for those born in 2023 dying from cancer in the future is 19.09% for girls and 25.93% for boys. While cancer is no longer incurable, it still remains the leading cause of death for both men and women. It is estimated that if cancer could be overcome and the number of people dying from the disease reduced to zero, women would live 2.69 years longer and men a further 3.16 years.

Average Life Expectancy by Country/Region

Created by Nippon.com based on data from the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. The data for Australia is from the 2020–2022 period and that for Spain and South Korea is from 2022.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)