Japan Average Life Expectancy Flat in 2024

Jiji Press

14:05 JST, July 26, 2025

Tokyo, July 25 (Jiji Press) — The average life expectancy of Japanese citizens born in 2024 remained almost unchanged from the previous year, a health ministry survey showed Friday.

It stood at 81.09 years for men and 87.13 years for women. The average life expectancy indicates a future average lifespan for children born in a particular year. It is calculated on the premise that mortality rates at each age will not change.

The country’s life expectancy declined in 2021 and 2022, due to the COVID-19 crisis, after continuing to climb generally since the ministry started the survey in 1947. It rebounded in 2023 as the number of deaths from the disease dropped.

The life expectancy of Japanese men placed sixth globally in 2024, after Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Italy and Spain, dropping one place from 2023. That of Japanese women remained in first spot, followed by South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, France and Italy.

The share of Japanese men born in 2024 who are projected to live until 75 and 90 stands at 75.3 % and 25.8%, respectively. Of women born last year, 87.9% are expected to live until 75 and 50.2% until 90.

The ministry also predicted the causes of death for people born in 2024, with 25.59% of men, the largest group, seen dying of cancer, and 20.75% of women, the highest share, likely to pass away due to old age, higher than 19.06% for cancer deaths. If no one dies of cancer, life expectancy would rise 3.11 years for men and 2.68 years for women, the ministry said.