Total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Japan
Japan: Total population living in extreme poverty by world region was 1.52 million people in 2020. ▲ Rising
Total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Japan, 2008–2020
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Japan recorded 1.52 million people for total population living in extreme poverty by world region in 2020.
The figure is down 8.0% on the previous year and up 97.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Japan peaked at 1.79 million people in 2012 and was at its lowest, 508,564 people, in 2015.
Japan ranks 39th of 120 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Japan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 1.41 million people | — |
| 2009 | 1.02 million people | -27.3% |
| 2010 | 768,420 people | -25.0% |
| 2011 | 639,165 people | -16.8% |
| 2012 | 1.79 million people | +179.6% |
| 2013 | 1.15 million people | -35.8% |
| 2014 | 890,932 people | -22.3% |
| 2015 | 508,564 people | -42.9% |
| 2016 | 889,532 people | +74.9% |
| 2017 | 761,832 people | -14.4% |
| 2018 | 1.27 million people | +66.5% |
| 2019 | 1.65 million people | +29.8% |
| 2020 | 1.52 million people | -8.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.22 million people | 1.02 million people | 1.41 million people | 2 |
| 2010s | 1.03 million people | 508,564 people | 1.79 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.52 million people | 1.52 million people | 1.52 million people | 1 |
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 total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Japan?
- Total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Japan was 1.52 million people in 2020, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total population living in extreme poverty by world region recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 1.79 million people in 2012.
- What is the lowest total population living in extreme poverty by world region recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 508,564 people in 2015.
- How does Japan rank for total population living in extreme poverty by world region?
- Japan ranks 39th out of 120 countries with data for 2020.
- Is total population living in extreme poverty by world region rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 97.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Total population living in extreme poverty by world region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in households with an income or consumption below $3 per day.