Income inequality: Atkinson index in Japan
Japan: Income inequality: Atkinson index was 0.1712 in 2023. ▬ Flat
Income inequality: Atkinson index in Japan, 2010–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, income inequality: atkinson index in Japan stood at 0.1712.
That represents a change of up 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income inequality: atkinson index in Japan peaked at 0.196 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.158, in 2011.
That places Japan 136th out of 174 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Income inequality: Atkinson index in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 0.196 | — |
| 2011 | 0.158 | -19.4% |
| 2012 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.1712 | +8.4% |
| 2015 | 0.1712 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.1712 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.1712 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.1712 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.1712 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.1712 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 0.1712 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.1712 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.1712 | +0.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 0.1712 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.1703, 1.0× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Japan's 0.1712 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.2171, 79% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 0.1697 | 0.158 | 0.196 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1712 | 0.1712 | 0.1712 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More poverty & inequality data for Japan
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 5 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.21 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 6,245 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -1.18 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 34.86 (2022)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 34.9% (2022)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is income inequality: atkinson index in Japan?
- Income inequality: atkinson index in Japan was 0.1712 in 2023, according to UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest income inequality: atkinson index recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 0.196 in 2010.
- What is the lowest income inequality: atkinson index recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.158 in 2011.
- How does Japan rank for income inequality: atkinson index?
- Japan ranks 136th out of 174 countries with data for 2023.
- Is income inequality: atkinson index rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Income inequality: Atkinson index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The Atkinson index measures inequality on a scale from 0 to 1. Higher values indicate higher inequality. Depending on the country and year, the data relates to income measured after taxes and benefits, or to consumption, per capita.