Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Japan
Japan: Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires was 3,043 tonnes in 2026. ▲ Rising
Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Japan, 2003–2026
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Japan recorded 3,043 tonnes for annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in 2026. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
That represents a change of down 81.6% on the previous year and down 80.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Japan peaked at 22,399 tonnes in 2019 and was at its lowest, 3,043 tonnes, in 2026.
That places Japan 101st out of 248 countries with data for 2026, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Japan, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 12,051 tonnes | — |
| 2004 | 13,106 tonnes | +8.8% |
| 2005 | 9,692 tonnes | -26.0% |
| 2006 | 12,597 tonnes | +30.0% |
| 2007 | 11,655 tonnes | -7.5% |
| 2008 | 11,771 tonnes | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 10,699 tonnes | -9.1% |
| 2010 | 16,660 tonnes | +55.7% |
| 2011 | 14,209 tonnes | -14.7% |
| 2012 | 13,150 tonnes | -7.5% |
| 2013 | 17,482 tonnes | +32.9% |
| 2014 | 14,916 tonnes | -14.7% |
| 2015 | 13,094 tonnes | -12.2% |
| 2016 | 15,276 tonnes | +16.7% |
| 2017 | 19,873 tonnes | +30.1% |
| 2018 | 21,776 tonnes | +9.6% |
| 2019 | 22,399 tonnes | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 16,969 tonnes | -24.2% |
| 2021 | 18,376 tonnes | +8.3% |
| 2022 | 17,679 tonnes | -3.8% |
| 2023 | 17,876 tonnes | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 20,012 tonnes | +12.0% |
| 2025 | 16,528 tonnes | -17.4% |
| 2026 | 3,043 tonnes | -81.6% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 3,043 tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 221.26 tonnes, 13.8× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Japan's 3,043 tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 301.22 tonnes, 10.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 11,653 tonnes | 9,692 tonnes | 13,106 tonnes | 7 |
| 2010s | 16,884 tonnes | 13,094 tonnes | 22,399 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 15,783 tonnes | 3,043 tonnes | 20,012 tonnes | 7 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More climate change data for Japan
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 337.64 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 12,181 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 3,633 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 8,547 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 13.71 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 305.27 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 9,462 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,401 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 7,061 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 9.06 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Japan?
- Annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Japan was 3,043 tonnes in 2026, according to Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 22,399 tonnes in 2019.
- What is the lowest annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,043 tonnes in 2026.
- How does Japan rank for annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires?
- Japan ranks 101st out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 80.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
PM2.5 emissions represent the quantity of fine particulate matter (diameter less than 2.5 micrometers) released by wildfires, in tonnes. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 18 September 2026.