List of Japanese prefectures by life expectancy

This is a list of Japanese prefectures by life expectancy.

Japan is officially divided into 47 top-level administrative divisions: 43 prefectures proper, 2 urban prefectures (Osaka and Kyoto), 1 "circuit" (Hokkaido), and 1 "metropolis" (Tokyo). Although different in name, they are functionally the same.

In Japan, the maximum life expectancy was recorded in 2020 (84.7 years). After that, there were two years of decline, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, totalling 0.6 years. In 2023, an increase, albeit symbolic, was again recorded.

According to the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, which publishes the Japanese Mortality Database, in 2023 the total life expectancy was 84.14 years (81.10 for male and 87.16 for female). A detailed visualization of the figures from this database is below.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare gives figures for 2023 that differ only by hundredths of a year: 81.09 for male and 87.14 for female. Meanwhile, healthy life expectancy is 72.57 years for male and 75.45 years for female (for 2022). The ministry states that life expectancy and healthy life expectancy have been increasing almost in parallel since 2001 (the gap between them remains constant).

The main cause of death is declared to be cancer, which, masking aging, puts an end to life for 25.93% of men and 19.09% of women. If an effective treatment for all cancers is developed and the number of deaths from them is reduced to zero, it will give an increase in life expectancy by 3.16 years for male and 2.69 years for female. This is close to the assessment of South Korean demographers for their country, who claim that a complete victory over cancer will increase life expectancy in South Korea by 3.3 years.

Estimates of life expectancy in Japan from international agencies: The United Nations for 2023: 84.71 years total (81.69 for male, 87.74 for female). — see file "Compact (most used: estimates and medium projections)" The World Bank Group for 2023: 84.04 years total (81.09 for male, 87.14 for female). The WHO publishes its estimates later than other leading statistical agencies. In 2019 life expectancy in Japan was estimated as 84.47 years total (81.70 for male, 87.15 for female). And healthy life expectancy was 73.58 years (72.09 for male, 75.01 for female).

The Japanese Mortality Database (2013–2023)

Japan had peak of life expectancy in 2020. So this year is emphasized in the table below.

prefecture2020historical data20232013→2023malefemale201320182018→201920192019→202020202020→202120212021→202220222022→2023overallmalefemalesex gap Japan 84.71 81.58 87.73 6.15 83.43 0.89 84.32 0.14 84.46 0.25 84.71 −0.13 84.58 −0.48 84.10 0.04 84.14 81.10 87.16 6.06 0.71 Shiga 85.71 82.88 88.39 5.51 84.20 0.95 85.15 0.20 85.35 0.36 85.71 −0.11 85.60 −0.51 85.09 0.10 85.19 82.31 88.06 5.75 0.99 Kyoto 85.54 82.34 88.49 6.15 83.88 1.19 85.07 0.13 85.20 0.34 85.54 −0.15 85.39 −0.75 84.64 0.25 84.89 81.71 87.92 6.21 1.01 Nagano 85.51 82.54 88.39 5.85 84.47 0.81 85.28 0.06 85.34 0.17 85.51 0.16 85.67 −0.51 85.16 0.12 85.28 82.58 87.96 5.38 0.81 Nara 85.45 82.45 88.18 5.73 83.77 1.12 84.89 0.33 85.22 0.23 85.45 −0.25 85.20 −0.55 84.65 0.44 85.09 82.38 87.61 5.23 1.32 Okayama 85.39 82.08 88.53 6.45 83.67 1.00 84.67 0.34 85.01 0.38 85.39 −0.22 85.17 −0.49 84.68 −0.09 84.59 81.45 87.67 6.22 0.92 Kumamoto 85.37 81.96 88.51 6.55 84.24 0.84 85.08 −0.07 85.01 0.36 85.37 −0.16 85.21 −0.74 84.47 0.24 84.71 81.55 87.71 6.16 0.47 Hiroshima 85.37 82.17 88.39 6.22 83.81 0.73 84.54 0.33 84.87 0.50 85.37 −0.18 85.19 −0.56 84.63 −0.09 84.54 81.45 87.58 6.13 0.73 Tottori 85.31 81.76 88.68 6.92 83.30 1.38 84.68 −0.56 84.12 1.19 85.31 −0.54 84.77 −0.26 84.51 −0.30 84.21 80.97 87.37 6.40 0.91 Ishikawa 85.25 81.97 88.34 6.37 83.96 1.01 84.97 −0.01 84.96 0.29 85.25 0.04 85.29 −0.63 84.66 −0.16 84.50 81.40 87.50 6.10 0.54 Ōita 85.22 81.84 88.37 6.53 83.84 0.99 84.83 0.20 85.03 0.19 85.22 −0.25 84.97 −0.33 84.64 −0.18 84.46 81.37 87.37 6.00 0.62 Toyama 85.22 82.08 88.15 6.07 83.75 0.93 84.68 0.16 84.84 0.38 85.22 −0.39 84.83 −0.56 84.27 −0.03 84.24 81.29 87.11 5.82 0.49 Kanagawa 85.04 82.06 87.99 5.93 83.87 0.80 84.67 0.19 84.86 0.18 85.04 −0.12 84.92 −0.55 84.37 0.16 84.53 81.58 87.52 5.94 0.66 Gifu 85.03 82.24 87.68 5.44 83.48 0.89 84.37 0.12 84.49 0.54 85.03 −0.32 84.71 −0.46 84.25 0.11 84.36 81.59 87.08 5.49 0.88 Hyōgo 85.02 81.78 88.05 6.27 83.52 1.16 84.68 0.20 84.88 0.14 85.02 −0.22 84.80 −0.23 84.57 0.14 84.71 81.68 87.59 5.91 1.19 Yamanashi 85.01 81.76 88.24 6.48 83.80 0.85 84.65 −0.16 84.49 0.52 85.01 0.00 85.01 −0.59 84.42 −0.07 84.35 81.31 87.46 6.15 0.55 Shimane 84.98 81.71 88.12 6.41 83.53 1.27 84.80 0.09 84.89 0.09 84.98 0.13 85.11 −0.45 84.66 0.07 84.73 81.32 88.14 6.82 1.20 Tokyo 84.97 81.86 87.96 6.10 83.58 0.99 84.57 0.21 84.78 0.19 84.97 −0.17 84.80 −0.42 84.38 0.24 84.62 81.59 87.60 6.01 1.04 Fukui 84.92 81.85 87.88 6.03 84.07 0.94 85.01 −0.18 84.83 0.09 84.92 0.29 85.21 −0.69 84.52 0.33 84.85 81.98 87.67 5.69 0.78 Fukuoka 84.90 81.55 87.91 6.36 83.54 0.92 84.46 0.06 84.52 0.38 84.90 −0.24 84.66 −0.51 84.15 −0.03 84.12 80.80 87.23 6.43 0.58 Saga 84.89 81.42 88.11 6.69 83.50 0.77 84.27 0.31 84.58 0.31 84.89 −0.14 84.75 −0.43 84.32 −0.12 84.20 80.91 87.35 6.44 0.70 Miyagi 84.86 81.90 87.70 5.80 83.80 0.54 84.34 0.07 84.41 0.45 84.86 −0.12 84.74 −0.54 84.20 −0.10 84.10 81.08 87.13 6.05 0.30 Niigata 84.72 81.55 87.81 6.26 83.55 0.66 84.21 0.05 84.26 0.46 84.72 −0.29 84.43 −0.22 84.21 −0.16 84.05 80.87 87.29 6.42 0.50 Aichi 84.69 81.75 87.61 5.86 83.44 0.92 84.36 0.18 84.54 0.15 84.69 −0.04 84.65 −0.49 84.16 0.16 84.32 81.46 87.24 5.78 0.88 Mie 84.67 81.70 87.54 5.84 83.34 1.00 84.34 0.26 84.60 0.07 84.67 0.07 84.74 −0.34 84.40 −0.22 84.18 81.33 87.03 5.70 0.84 Yamaguchi 84.63 81.19 87.85 6.66 83.16 1.08 84.24 −0.06 84.18 0.45 84.63 −0.22 84.41 −0.17 84.24 −0.28 83.96 80.70 87.13 6.43 0.80 Kōchi 84.61 81.16 87.84 6.68 83.15 1.00 84.15 −0.03 84.12 0.49 84.61 −0.13 84.48 −0.69 83.79 0.36 84.15 80.66 87.56 6.90 1.00 Kagawa 84.60 81.48 87.62 6.14 83.44 0.93 84.37 0.24 84.61 −0.01 84.60 0.20 84.80 −0.45 84.35 −0.17 84.18 81.28 87.04 5.76 0.74 Ehime 84.56 81.48 87.38 5.90 83.13 1.00 84.13 0.03 84.16 0.40 84.56 −0.26 84.30 −0.20 84.10 −0.05 84.05 80.68 87.34 6.66 0.92 Shizuoka 84.55 81.59 87.47 5.88 83.55 0.79 84.34 0.05 84.39 0.16 84.55 0.12 84.67 −0.50 84.17 0.02 84.19 81.36 87.05 5.69 0.64 Chiba 84.55 81.53 87.62 6.09 83.48 0.85 84.33 −0.08 84.25 0.30 84.55 −0.09 84.46 −0.61 83.85 0.09 83.94 81.04 86.95 5.91 0.46 Okinawa 84.52 80.92 88.17 7.25 83.65 0.67 84.32 −0.06 84.26 0.26 84.52 −0.53 83.99 −0.73 83.26 0.13 83.39 79.94 87.07 7.13 −0.26 Wakayama 84.49 81.23 87.52 6.29 82.86 0.92 83.78 0.37 84.15 0.34 84.49 −0.21 84.28 −0.54 83.74 −0.29 83.45 80.30 86.49 6.19 0.59 Yamagata 84.42 81.53 87.18 5.65 83.20 1.12 84.32 0.04 84.36 0.06 84.42 0.14 84.56 −0.56 84.00 0.21 84.21 81.25 87.17 5.92 1.01 Tokushima 84.42 81.32 87.33 6.01 82.57 1.60 84.17 0.18 84.35 0.07 84.42 0.07 84.49 −0.33 84.16 −0.14 84.02 80.97 87.00 6.03 1.45 Saitama 84.39 81.49 87.32 5.83 83.22 0.91 84.13 0.12 84.25 0.14 84.39 −0.10 84.29 −0.50 83.79 0.01 83.80 80.87 86.86 5.99 0.58 Miyazaki 84.39 81.09 87.48 6.39 83.51 0.76 84.27 0.36 84.63 −0.24 84.39 0.03 84.42 −0.68 83.74 −0.18 83.56 80.22 86.84 6.62 0.05 Kagoshima 84.38 80.97 87.60 6.63 83.14 0.82 83.96 0.18 84.14 0.24 84.38 0.12 84.50 −0.69 83.81 0.04 83.85 80.63 87.01 6.38 0.71 Nagasaki 84.33 80.93 87.46 6.53 83.15 0.97 84.12 0.25 84.37 −0.04 84.33 0.01 84.34 0.06 84.40 −0.58 83.82 80.48 87.01 6.53 0.67 Hokkaido 84.32 81.09 87.28 6.19 83.19 0.79 83.98 0.09 84.07 0.25 84.32 −0.34 83.98 −0.41 83.57 0.05 83.62 80.57 86.47 5.90 0.43 Gunma 84.30 81.36 87.27 5.91 83.05 0.91 83.96 0.13 84.09 0.21 84.30 −0.34 83.96 −0.35 83.61 −0.06 83.55 80.68 86.54 5.86 0.50 Osaka 84.23 80.89 87.47 6.58 82.92 0.92 83.84 0.26 84.10 0.13 84.23 −0.21 84.02 −0.49 83.53 0.21 83.74 80.40 87.04 6.64 0.82 Tochigi 84.15 81.22 87.08 5.86 82.81 0.76 83.57 0.11 83.68 0.47 84.15 −0.19 83.96 −0.58 83.38 0.07 83.45 80.65 86.38 5.73 0.64 Iwate 84.12 80.89 87.18 6.29 83.01 0.40 83.41 0.09 83.50 0.62 84.12 0.04 84.16 −0.98 83.18 0.01 83.19 79.68 86.77 7.09 0.18 Akita 84.03 80.46 87.41 6.95 82.62 0.92 83.54 0.21 83.75 0.28 84.03 −0.05 83.98 −0.55 83.43 −0.20 83.23 79.92 86.45 6.53 0.61 Fukushima 83.96 80.87 87.05 6.18 82.83 0.64 83.47 0.11 83.58 0.38 83.96 −0.37 83.59 −0.36 83.23 0.05 83.28 80.44 86.22 5.78 0.45 Ibaraki 83.93 80.89 87.07 6.18 82.79 0.74 83.53 0.13 83.66 0.27 83.93 0.07 84.00 −0.63 83.37 −0.03 83.34 80.45 86.40 5.95 0.55 Aomori 83.09 79.43 86.58 7.15 81.91 0.90 82.81 −0.21 82.60 0.49 83.09 −0.13 82.96 −0.27 82.69 −0.47 82.22 78.78 85.55 6.77 0.31

Data source: National Institute of Population and Social Security Research

The Japanese Mortality Database (2023)

Detailed data for 2023.