Proportion of population below international poverty line in Japan

Japan: Proportion of population below international poverty line was 1.2% in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
1.2%
Change on year
down 7.7%
World rank
52nd
of 110 countries
All-time high
1.4%
in 2012
All-time low
0.4%
in 2015
Years of data
13
2008–2020

Proportion of population below international poverty line in Japan, 2008–2020

0.40.60.811.21.42008201420202008: 1.12009: 0.82010: 0.62011: 0.52012: 1.42013: 0.92014: 0.72015: 0.42016: 0.72017: 0.62018: 12019: 1.32020: 1.2

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

In 2020, proportion of population below international poverty line in Japan stood at 1.2%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.7% on the previous year and up 100.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of population below international poverty line in Japan peaked at 1.4% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 2015.

That places Japan 52nd out of 110 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.

Proportion of population below international poverty line in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of population below international poverty line (%) in Japan, 2008 to 2020.
Year Value Change
2008 1.1%
2009 0.8% -27.3%
2010 0.6% -25.0%
2011 0.5% -16.7%
2012 1.4% +180.0%
2013 0.9% -35.7%
2014 0.7% -22.2%
2015 0.4% -42.9%
2016 0.7% +75.0%
2017 0.6% -14.3%
2018 1.0% +66.7%
2019 1.3% +30.0%
2020 1.2% -7.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 1.0% 0.8% 1.1% 2
2010s 0.8% 0.4% 1.4% 10
2020s 1.2% 1.2% 1.2% 1

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 49 Mexico 1.6% compare
  2. 50 Egypt 1.4% compare
  3. 50 Jamaica 1.4% compare
  4. 53 Lithuania 1.1% compare
  5. 53 Serbia 1.1% compare
  6. 55 Argentina 1.0% compare
  7. 55 Belize 1.0% compare
  8. 55 Bulgaria 1.0% compare

See the full ranking of 164 places →

More poverty & inequality data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of population below international poverty line in Japan?
Proportion of population below international poverty line in Japan was 1.2% in 2020, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of population below international poverty line recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 1.4% in 2012.
What is the lowest proportion of population below international poverty line recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 2015.
How does Japan rank for proportion of population below international poverty line?
Japan ranks 52nd out of 110 countries with data for 2020.
Is proportion of population below international poverty line rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is up 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of population below international poverty line (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of population below international poverty line in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-population-below-international-poverty-line-percent/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of population below international poverty line (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
164 places, 3,780 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed